And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
....joining a single line, single-file line of traffic being waved into the Blackwall Tunnel whilst being scrutinised by an officer of the law - bearing arms!
Old Bill had parked a RR at right angles across the tunnel approach, blocking everyone, and after a short wait they started waving people through the extreme LH lane whilst BiB stood there with his Hechler & Koch at the ready.
Not something you see every day. Can only guess they were looking for someone specific.
CSB and all that.
Old Bill had parked a RR at right angles across the tunnel approach, blocking everyone, and after a short wait they started waving people through the extreme LH lane whilst BiB stood there with his Hechler & Koch at the ready.
Not something you see every day. Can only guess they were looking for someone specific.CSB and all that.
Well, today's commuting highlight was/is: choosing today, of all days, to book my car in for service in Charlton. Meaning I didn't use the bike (obviously). On the day the northbound Blackwall Tunnel was closed to all traffic, and remains so.
I sat in the middle of Woolwich this morning (where you can't turn around due to dual carriageway) for 70 minutes and moved less than 200 yards.
Best bit? I have to go and pick the car up again this afternoon. I think I'll sell it and buy more bikes.
I sat in the middle of Woolwich this morning (where you can't turn around due to dual carriageway) for 70 minutes and moved less than 200 yards.
Best bit? I have to go and pick the car up again this afternoon. I think I'll sell it and buy more bikes.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Journey home was just as bad. All roads were gridlocked, esp side roads. The tunnel wax still closed an hour or two back, I can't work out whether it still is or not. I'm told it was a crane which dropped the oil. There's talk of a bike going down on the oil but conflicting stories abound. Back on the bike early tomorrow.
I had a commuting lowlight today. Came up behind a cruiser of some sort ridden by a lady with lots & lots of flowing red locks all billowing out from under her hat. I'm a sucker for long hair, so I was happy....until I caught her up, when I saw that her muffin midriff was making a break for freedom from between the back of her jacket and trousers, exposing far too much ice-white, stretchmarked skin. 'Twasn't nice.
Fleegle said:
As we approached the lights and came to a halt, I noticed the coppers name on his helmet.
It was the same fat
that nicked me last year on the same stretch of road.
It was the same fat
that nicked me last year on the same stretch of road. 
I reduced my filtering speed a few weeks back for a bike cop, who then proceeded to pull up alongside me with a big grin on his face and exhort me to crack on. However, we were in a temp 30mph roadworks limit, and already doing 32-33, so I didn't feel it appropriate to take him up on his offer.
Today's highlight was a nob in a 64-plate DB9 in 3 lanes of traffic, him in lane 2, RH lane a right-turn filter (Fiveways on the A20). I pulled up on his right (between lanes 2 & 3) but no space to pass him fully. Lights red. He wasn't in any way about to let me in; fair play, his call, but then when the lights went green, he pulled in front of me then dawdled at about 3 mph approaching the green light. Lane 1 chocka so I'm stuck behind him. Got a bit bored after a while so I treated him to a little rendition of the Nautilus, and got flipped the bird in return. He was VERY angry! And bald.
Bet I still got to work before him though.
Today's commuting highlight was "wow, I didn't realise the school holidays had started already". Really quiet on the roads. 
Last night's
goes to the rider of the silver VFR on the A20 between Fiveways and Sidcup.
Sonny, if you hadn't gone been slicing in and out of every other vehicle at well in excess of 80mph in a 50mph (no I don't have a speed gun, yes I do know how fast I was going and how much faster you were going) then the poor young lass in the blue Merc might have had more than 0.1s to see you coming at her, on her inside, from behind another car, in your latest undertake, as she went to (correctly) change lanes. After you'd finished your self-induced high-speed stoppie, going on to leap all over your bike waving your arms in a flouncing fit of which even the most dubious PHers would be more than proud, doesn't absolve you from having been entirely to blame.
I really did think you were going to bin it. And it would have been 100% your fault. Calm it right down. Or, just stop riding like an utter tw@t.
Last night's
goes to the rider of the silver VFR on the A20 between Fiveways and Sidcup.Sonny, if you hadn't gone been slicing in and out of every other vehicle at well in excess of 80mph in a 50mph (no I don't have a speed gun, yes I do know how fast I was going and how much faster you were going) then the poor young lass in the blue Merc might have had more than 0.1s to see you coming at her, on her inside, from behind another car, in your latest undertake, as she went to (correctly) change lanes. After you'd finished your self-induced high-speed stoppie, going on to leap all over your bike waving your arms in a flouncing fit of which even the most dubious PHers would be more than proud, doesn't absolve you from having been entirely to blame.
I really did think you were going to bin it. And it would have been 100% your fault. Calm it right down. Or, just stop riding like an utter tw@t.
Sea Demon said:
CAPPO what bike are you riding? Sounds like your on the same route as me, I think I was behind this grey VFR yesterday - have a black/green lid?
I hope I don't have to hand in my BB membership card - I commute on a TDM900 
The name is apt, although in fairness it's not a bad tool for the 30 mile commute, now I have finally sorted the front brakes out. Quite light, reasonably nimble, but not nearly grunty enough. You??I can't honestly remember what colour lid this joker was wearing, I was too busy tensing myself for HIS impact
This was after the main RH bend as you run up towards Queen Mary's. He was virtually stood up on the pegs waving both arms around, a proper hissy fit! I'll keep an eye out for him. Sea Demon said:
cant say I remember any TDM's on my route
There's one other who I actually know (works right by me) and another I've seen which appears to be ridden by a retired geography teacher Couple of 850s around too, but if you commute the same time every day you tend to always see the same bikes!My most recent highlight was southbound through the Blackwall. Traffic was heavy and even those who usually ignore the solid whites and slice through were baulked. Chappie on some sort of sportsbike, with lovely shiny white & neon yellow leathers, was obviously getting concerned about his sector time on the run up to Kidbrooke, so he spent the whole length of the tunnel doing the "GP Weave" to keep his tyres warm 
My, how I chuckled. Nob.
My, how I chuckled. Nob.
Well, it looks like the Southern rail strike is taking it's toll on us bike commuters. I suspect that people who don't usually commute by bike are using theirs this week, and holding everyone else up in the process.
Last night it was someone who plonked himself between the two rows of cars heading for the Blackwall, but was afraid to pass any of them and apparently afraid to move out of the way and let the rest of us through.
This morning was a wobbler who, whilst he did manage to pass some cars, did so at +2mph, and once again didn't quite twig that there were bikes behind him who might have managed a slightly higher average speed.
Back on the 0642 please, chaps!
Last night it was someone who plonked himself between the two rows of cars heading for the Blackwall, but was afraid to pass any of them and apparently afraid to move out of the way and let the rest of us through.
This morning was a wobbler who, whilst he did manage to pass some cars, did so at +2mph, and once again didn't quite twig that there were bikes behind him who might have managed a slightly higher average speed.
Back on the 0642 please, chaps!
Yesterday evening's was:
Me taking a slip road to leave the motorway. The traffic on the motorway had backed up. I'm halfway past a foreign artic who was in lane 1 when he decided that he could probably get to the channel port quicker if he darted across the solid white lines and hatchings onto the slip road so that he could go across the roundabout and back down. So he did. Abruptly. Whilst I was minding my own business alongside him.
Thanks BMW, for servo-assisting your ABS brakes. Seldom have I felt more like dragging someone out of their cab and ruining international relations by giving him a reverse-Arai tattoo on his forehead.
Me taking a slip road to leave the motorway. The traffic on the motorway had backed up. I'm halfway past a foreign artic who was in lane 1 when he decided that he could probably get to the channel port quicker if he darted across the solid white lines and hatchings onto the slip road so that he could go across the roundabout and back down. So he did. Abruptly. Whilst I was minding my own business alongside him.
Thanks BMW, for servo-assisting your ABS brakes. Seldom have I felt more like dragging someone out of their cab and ruining international relations by giving him a reverse-Arai tattoo on his forehead.
This morning's highlight was being overtaken at warp speed by the P&O cruise ship Britannia on the A20. And there was me thinking the RT was a touch lardy for commuting. This thing made my bike look like a mini moto. Fair play to the rider, he was riding it like it was a KTM 250 EXC.
It looked exactly like this:
It looked exactly like this:
This mornings low highlight was stalling the RT as I cut between some cars approaching traffic lights. I'd cut in to my left, then swung right to go down between the two rows, so the bike was slightly leant over when I stalled it. B*GGER ME, that's a heavy old lump to catch when it's in slow freefall. And I have the strained side muscles to prove it.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
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