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One of those days
Does anyone else feel like most of the time your rides go OK, but every now and again there's just a day where every other vehicle is driving awfully and it feels like everyone is out to get you? I was cycling my regular route to work on Thursday, from Stroud to North Bristol, and I had so many incidents in the second half of my ride that I lost count of the close passes but a few incidents are worth drawing out for context.
First highlight: an HGV attempt an overtake with an oncoming car 100m ahead. The cab was alongside when the driver realised a head-on collision isn't part of a balanced breakfast and he emergency stopped c.2ft from my right shoulder and pull back in behind me - squeaky bum time and (only figuratively) browned bib shorts.
About 3 miles later, I had an estate see me at a clear junction, but pull out in front of me anyway and cut me up. The driver didn't appreciate my gallic shrug and reacted by brake-checking me 4 times and crawling at 10mph for the next mile to intimidate and impede me and traffic queuing up behind. I could have not reacted to him pulling out, but by this point I had experienced countless close passes and was in a bit of a grump.
Half a mile after the estate got bored and hared off, I had a pickup attempt a similar overtake to the HGV - into a narrowing section of road with a stationary car 50m ahead of me because of an oncoming tractor. Similar outcome to the HGV - the pickup slammed on the anchors c.1ft from my shoulder but also had to reverse back out the way of the tractor as it was such a bollocks maneouvre in the first place.
And my favourite "normal" overtake of the day was a van with maybe 6" clearance at c.60mph because of an oncoming van in the other lane. And nearly every other overtake was a close pass, such that the only two overtakes (on an hour-long ride) that I considered satisfactory I remember just as clearly as the awful ones. (Silver Yaris wins a commendation and black Zafira a very rare Gold Star for patience, anticipation and space).
Why are people so impatient, selfish and thoughtless? Does anyone else find that some days there's something in the air or the water and everyone drives like shit? Most of the time, this route is fine and I'm not a whingebag but it was something special yesterday. I just wonder if anyone else can relate to this phenomenon or think it's just coincidence.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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13 comments
Yesterday a cyclist was killed about half a mile from where I live.
This morning I arrived at the junction, lights on red, where it happened and found a Merc fully in the 'box' indicating to turn left, I was going straight on so I stopped in the middle of the road in front of the car - I felt the point needed making.
The driver then started revving his engine and as soon as the lights went green he shot closely past me at speed, luckily going straight across the junction and not left as he'd indicated.
In view of what happened yesterday I just felt sick.
Certain roads and time of day. Finished work early once and headed off down a normally quiet bit of National Cycle Network. Hellish, with commuters hairing down the narrow lanes to get home. Was heading to a relative for the weekend and got dropped off early to do the last 30 miles on the bike. Unfamiliar territory, but scoped a route avoiding A roads. Turned out these were wide lanes with rat-runners hurtling down them; even had a woman screaming abuse at me from inside a 4x4 as I went through a village minding my own business. Not what I envisaged.
Sometimes your local roads are best as you know which ones, and at what times, work best. Can make you appreciate your local conditions more if you have bad experiences elsewhere.
"Why are people so impatient, selfish and thoughtless?"
Because people are total arseholes. Add in to the mix that the majority know their commute time then subtract 10 minutes and leave for work. The first set of lights that goes against them and they're playing manslaughter roulette (oh sorry, careless driving roulette). The biggest issue if they squash you is that it might make them an extra hour late for work whilst they discuss your clothing or helmet choice with plod!
Some days are just rank and makes you question your sanity, that's sadly a reflection for the most part on how people on bikes are treated by society as whole, punctures and the odd mechanical are more readily accepted i feel though still bloody frustrating when they happen together.
As for the RD, Simplest way is to just screw in the limit screw, you can sometimes get it into 3rd gear just by that alone. Only problem with jamming a stone in is that could slip through vibration/jolt and you slip from very hard to impossible at the wrong moment but is probably worth the risk to get you going on a slighter easier gear. I always have a zip tie/shoe-lace in a pouch/pannier bag.
Which way were you going? Having commuted in the past from Stroud to Wotton and from Bradley Stoke to Wotton I rapidly discovered that there were roads that I didn't want to go near in the rush hour. It just wasn't worth the hassle of putting up with the bad driving. In particular, there were some narrow B roads where drivers seemed to regard 60mph as a minimum. Probably they still do.
Sometimes, though, everything happens at once; just realise that it's just a random fluctuation and the next day will be better. Or just take a quieter route for a few days.
If it's any consolation, if you can take only an hour from Stroud to North Bristol you are a far better rider than me.
Yes, sometimes it's like that. If I'm having one of those days - every pedestrian crossing goes to red - it's time to kick back and dawdle along, get yourself behind someone steady (I'm riding in city traffic) and relax. The last thing you want is to let it affect your own behaviour. Some days just don't work out.
Yeah happens to everyone: you might get one of those events and think it's a random tosser, but when it's a few in succession it's easy to put it down to the way of the world and let it get to you.
Put it behind you and get back on your bike. The next ride will be 'normal' and you'll forget about it.
Indeed, the ride home was the exact opposite thankfully.
This route was the usual from Nympsfield-ish down through Dursley, Wick, Cromhall, Tytherington, Old Glos Rd, Bradley Stoke. I vary the route quite a lot - blessed with a choice between several hilly or fast or direct routes! Most of the shite on this commute was on the B4058 & Old Glos Rd. Although the road surface around Tytherington is cheese, it's better than dicing with HGVs on the B4058 for longer than necessary and then all the commuters on the Bristol Rd around Iron Acton. I'll happily take a compliment but admit it's slightly less than Stroud distance, just Stroud is more recognisable, and I'm no climber so gotta have a respectable speed on effectively a flat 20mi time trial!
Jesus that's bang on, isn't it.
It's just life sometimes. This week I hit a small rock dead-on and blew my front instantly. A few days later my rear derailleur cable snapped at the leavers leaving me in top gear for many grindy miles. A few days after that a chunk of tyre 'fell' off an otherwise unworn tyre, going right to canvas and dodgy and vibrating ride home.
Pack a small cable tie in your puncture kit and one of the many jobs it can do is to lock your rear derailleur in a more friendly position.
I heard it's possible to jam a small stone in the mech to jam it in a better gear than top. Never had to do it.
I can relate to the phenomenon, but it is just coincidence. #fencesitter
I know the feeling. Comfort yourself with this research article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28732320
Be careful out there
- The Science of Cycling
http://thescienceofcycling.com