So that would be summer then? Horrible headwinds, torrential rain and very dark. That just about sums up my City Centre pedal in.
Stats here:
Started: 10 Jun 2010 05:48:00
Ride Time: 42:19
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.70 miles
Average: 14.61 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 37.41 miles/hr
Climb: 98 feet
Calories: 639
Now last night's pedal was an entirely different matter. The weather was pretty still and bright if a bit damp under tyre. I went back the usual way over Frankley Beeches. But I nearly didn't make it.
I had just left work and my first turning is right off Heath Street into Winson Street, I was turning into Winson Street when the car turning right out of Winson Street into Heath Street started his manoever right at me! I had to take pretty immediate avoiding action to avoid the almost inevitable collision, he just smiled and waved at me. Nice. Then at the other end of Winson Street I had a bloke open his door on me, I just about managed to swerve to miss it, I stopped and questioned his actions in no uncertain terms, to which he answered "sorry mate didn't see you". No shit Sherlock! And finally, pedalling past our new super duper hospital the QE I was overtaken that closely by a woman in a VW Golf who was talking on her Mobile Phone that her wing mirror very slightly clipped my arm. I reacted by bashing her rear window as hard as I could but she never even flinched, it must have been a very engrossing conversation. I nearly forgot, I had a bus pull out on me at Bartley Green as well.
All this has motivated me to get my Muvi Clone up and running today. It is now charged and I have to work out how to use it. The only problems I've found are that it doesn't quite fit the brackets on my helmet so it'll need taping into the bracket and the switches are press to operate rather sliding on/off switches like a proper Muvi so you are never sure (until you've learnt the LED combinations) what state the unit is in.
I'll do a full write up with example footage when it's all sorted.
Stats here from last night's opportunities for suicide:
Ride Time: 43:19
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.62 miles
Average: 14.33 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.78 miles/hr
Climb: 522 feet
Calories: 842
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I ripped an England flag off a car that overtook me very closely yesterday.
ReplyDeleteIt was the first direct road ride to work that i've done in months. It reminded me exactly why I've either been taking the off-road route (Now heavily overgrown) or been going miles out of my way around the country lanes.
Shouldn't you be resting up Mt Grumpy? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat'd be Mr Grumpy then, Mt grumpy looks like it might be a tad hilly!
ReplyDeleteStay safe and ever vigilant. You can be sure no one else is looking out for you.
ReplyDeleteI have found some success riding with bright lights day and night. I have a Dinotte brand 140R rear red light, think lighthouse beacon, it outshines any standard automobile tail light. I've had drivers stop next to me at intersections and comment how easy it is to see. I also have a 200 lumen front light which I use in flash mode even in daylight hours. It helps drivers pulling out from the right (or left in your case) see me before cutting me off.
Mike
I've thought about lights during the day Mike, I might have another think! In all fairness my dodgy incidents are few and far between as I tend to be commuting outside of the rush hour, yesterday was exceptional though, and typically I didn't have my helmet cam on!
ReplyDeleteJesus - sounds like one of my days :)
ReplyDeleteAt every incident yesterday I was thinking "What would Joby do?" LOL!
ReplyDeleteJoby would reach for his air horn, find it had fallen off, curse loudly then slam his brakes on, slide under the car between the wheels and pop up again the other side, still on his saddle, then ride off while giving "the bird" signal behind him
ReplyDeleteThank god I don't commute by bike!!
ReplyDeleteTheres no doubt the Dinotte is brilliant but its also VERY expensive.
ReplyDeleteHave a look at this.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20333
It's not quite as good as the Dinnote but then again its under a tenth of the cost
A mount/ bungiee thing is 50p and the batteries + charger will cost you about £10/£20 off ebay.
making this light a total of £30.
Once you've got the batteries and charger you can add in one of those 900lumen jobbies (£20) for your bars. They're VERY bright.
Whoa, sounds like quite an eventful ride.....good to hear that you got home safely. I really like your style, Clive and really hope we get the chance to meet up one day......and ride of course.
ReplyDeleteDarryl
Sounds like ure trying to outJoby Joby
ReplyDeleteGlad ure ok matey
Those door openers are a dangerous lot.
ReplyDelete