I went for a cycle ride on Friday afternoon.

Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

Add to all that hordes of schoolchildren, who were quite rightly
exercising their right to use public roads as well as pavements, and
you have what might be described as a cyclist's nightmare.

Doug.

"Doug" wrote in message
...
Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

Add to all that hordes of schoolchildren, who were quite rightly
exercising their right to use public roads as well as pavements, and
you have what might be described as a cyclist's nightmare.

You need to pick your cycling times and places a bit better.

I try to avoid weekdays between 3 and 3.30 as there are too many mums
running late to pick up their little darlings and they really do get angered
by cyclists in their way. It might not be right but they are best avoided.
At about 3.15 the teenagers start spewing out of the local secondary school.
They fill the roads and pavements wandering randomly. Again they are best
avoided. During the evening rush all the boy racers have finished work and
are heading home as quickly as possible. They don't realise that while they
have been stuck at work all day the world was a better place and they don't
want to be held up either. Best avoid to them. As for London. On a Friday
afternoon half the people are heading out to somewhere better. In one sense
they are making a good choice. OTOH when they leave they make the capital a
better place until they return.

At this time of year, I would imagine that 4 to 6 am would be the best time
to cycle in London, if you are doing it for leisure.

On 19 June, 07:04, "mileburner" wrote:
"Doug" wrote in message

...



Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

Add to all that hordes of schoolchildren, who were quite rightly
exercising their right to use public roads as well as pavements, and
you have what might be described as a cyclist's nightmare.

You need to pick your cycling times and places a bit better.

I try to avoid weekdays between 3 and 3.30 as there are too many mums
running late to pick up their little darlings and they really do get angered
by cyclists in their way. It might not be right but they are best avoided.
At about 3.15 the teenagers start spewing out of the local secondary school.
They fill the roads and pavements wandering randomly. Again they are best
avoided. During the evening rush all the boy racers have finished work and
are heading home as quickly as possible. They don't realise that while they
have been stuck at work all day the world was a better place and they don't
want to be held up either. Best avoid to them. As for London. On a Friday
afternoon half the people are heading out to somewhere better. In one sense
they are making a good choice. OTOH when they leave they make the capital a
better place until they return.

At this time of year, I would imagine that 4 to 6 am would be the best time
to cycle in London, if you are doing it for leisure.

Yes agreed but there is one thing you have left out. At the weekend
there are enough motorists left in London to fill the roads on their
shopping sprees and weekly shop for food. They are hazardous and
obstructive too but I find they are much less of a nuisance and threat
before about 10am. Presumably because they are late getting up from
bed at weekends.

Also, I find cycling in rural areas not much better than cycling in
London, due to the much higher and more dangerous driver speeds, and
there is still a similar Friday tripartite of motoring madness even in
country areas. Though where the getaway motorists are going remains a
mystery. Maybe they are driving to London to do some shopping, see the
sights and visit relatives? What motivates a great deal of motoring
though is the idea that the grass must be greener somewhere else. So
they get in and drive there, anywhere!

Doug.

On 19/06/10 06:16, Doug wrote:
Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.


And that was a surprise to you in some way? I'd argue with 'dangerous',
but it was never going to be pleasant. It's not pleasant to drive in
either, just like shopping in an extremely busy supermarket isn't pleasant.

The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.


Perhaps you need training in how to ride your bicycle, if you were wobbling.

Add to all that hordes of schoolchildren, who were quite rightly
exercising their right to use public roads as well as pavements, and
you have what might be described as a cyclist's nightmare.

Doug.

Chris Bartram gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous environment.
They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

And that was a surprise to you in some way? I'd argue with 'dangerous',
but it was never going to be pleasant. It's not pleasant to drive in
either, just like shopping in an extremely busy supermarket isn't
pleasant.

The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

Perhaps you need training in how to ride your bicycle, if you were
wobbling.

Or, p'raps, he needs training in how people live their lives, if the
school run and POETS came as a surprise to him...?

On Jun 19, 7:59*am, Chris Bartram
wrote:
On 19/06/10 06:16, Doug wrote:

Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

And that was a surprise to you in some way? I'd argue with 'dangerous',
but it was never going to be pleasant. It's not pleasant to drive in
either, just like shopping in an extremely busy supermarket isn't pleasant.

Doug wrote:

Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

Heh, the perils of living in the city. I don't, and had a great ride
today thank you.

I might go out again later. I expect no issues whether I use the roads
or not, or whether I go into town or not.


Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

LOL, how does the bike wobble from fear? Don't you mean you wobbled
from fear,. the bike is inanimate.

I find it hard to understand why a regular cyclist gets so fearful.
Even when I were a child I was never scared of traffic when cycling.
Mind the only city riding I've really done is in Nottingham where I
lived for 20 years or so, Sheffield and Birmingham. But even in the
cities a good speed a good road position and dominant riding means you
control the traffic, it doesn't control you, which means less fear.

Maybe if you also stopped looking for the negative aspects of riding
you'd enjoy it more ... everything I've seen you post _everything_ is
negative with regards to the sheer enjoyment of cycling.

--
Paul - xxx

'96/'97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi
Dyna Tech Cro-Mo comp

Doug wrote:
Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

And this surprised you, strange that as you have complained about these
things in the past.


The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars

The jams were full of queues of fast cars?

which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

You must train your bike better.


Add to all that hordes of schoolchildren, who were quite rightly
exercising their right to use public roads as well as pavements, and
you have what might be described as a cyclist's nightmare.

Doug.


--
Tony Dragon

Doug wrote:
On 19 June, 07:04, "mileburner" wrote:
"Doug" wrote in message

...



Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...
a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.
The roads were atrocious, with jams and impenetrable queues of fast
cars which made turning right virtually impossible. Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.
Add to all that hordes of schoolchildren, who were quite rightly
exercising their right to use public roads as well as pavements, and
you have what might be described as a cyclist's nightmare.
You need to pick your cycling times and places a bit better.

I try to avoid weekdays between 3 and 3.30 as there are too many mums
running late to pick up their little darlings and they really do get angered
by cyclists in their way. It might not be right but they are best avoided.
At about 3.15 the teenagers start spewing out of the local secondary school.
They fill the roads and pavements wandering randomly. Again they are best
avoided. During the evening rush all the boy racers have finished work and
are heading home as quickly as possible. They don't realise that while they
have been stuck at work all day the world was a better place and they don't
want to be held up either. Best avoid to them. As for London. On a Friday
afternoon half the people are heading out to somewhere better. In one sense
they are making a good choice. OTOH when they leave they make the capital a
better place until they return.

At this time of year, I would imagine that 4 to 6 am would be the best time
to cycle in London, if you are doing it for leisure.

Yes agreed but there is one thing you have left out. At the weekend
there are enough motorists left in London to fill the roads on their
shopping sprees and weekly shop for food.

Cant have that can we?

They are hazardous and
obstructive too but I find they are much less of a nuisance and threat
before about 10am. Presumably because they are late getting up from
bed at weekends.

Probably correct in that.


Also, I find cycling in rural areas not much better than cycling in
London, due to the much higher and more dangerous driver speeds,

Hardly worth you doing it then.

and
there is still a similar Friday tripartite of motoring madness even in
country areas.

Less public transport.

Though where the getaway motorists are going remains a
mystery.

Perhaps doing what you were doing.

Maybe they are driving to London to do some shopping, see the
sights and visit relatives? What motivates a great deal of motoring
though is the idea that the grass must be greener somewhere else. So
they get in and drive there, anywhere!

Yes that must be the reason, if you say so.


Doug.





--
Tony Dragon

On 19 June, 09:03, "Paul - xxx" wrote:
Doug wrote:
Big mistake! Not to be recommended. It just didn't occur to me when I
set off and never ever to be repeated. Three examples of motoring
madness combined to provide a hostile and highly dangerous
environment. They are...

a) The school run
b) An early rush-hour home.
c) The weekend getaway.

Heh, the perils of living in the city. *I don't, and had a great ride
today thank you.

Its not confined to cities and can be encountered on many main roads,
as I did yesterday.

I might go out again later. *I expect no issues whether I use the roads
or not, or whether I go into town or not. *

Of course many of
the car multitude came dangerously close to my bicycle, which was
wobbling from fear.

LOL, how does the bike wobble from fear? *Don't you mean you wobbled
from fear,. the bike is inanimate.

I find it hard to understand why a regular cyclist gets so fearful.
Even when I were a child I was never scared of traffic when cycling.
Mind the only city riding I've really done is in Nottingham where I
lived for 20 years or so, Sheffield and Birmingham. *But even in the
cities a good speed a good road position and dominant riding means you
control the traffic, it doesn't control you, which means less fear.

Maybe if you also stopped looking for the negative aspects of riding
you'd enjoy it more ... everything I've seen you post _everything_ is
negative with regards to the sheer enjoyment of cycling.

Despite having been seriously injured more than once on our roads by
drivers I am not usually fearful. Indeed the fact that I carry on
cycling at all proves it.

I used to enjoy cycling a lot but now I do it mainly for exercise and
necessity, as a rider with a walking disability, who is not allowed to
ride on pavements or railway platforms, unlike those disabled who rely
on 20mph capable wheelchairs instead.

BTW, I can't even reach 20mph except downhill.

Doug.