Things I've learnt from commuting

[Bateleur1]

I learnt this morning that Ice can be such a b!tch. 

[cfcjim]

NEVER think you know so much that you cannot make a mistake:

 

Rode to work this morning, work clothes neatly packed, everything in order. Until after my shower, trying to dress, I realized that I had packed one of my boys' shirts. It's the same blue and although it fits OKish around the shoulders, the sleeves are too short (no issue, I'll half roll them up), problem is that I'm now a bit more padded around the waist than his skinny arse. So, I'll have to go all day with a chest- out-gut-sucked-in attitude. I'll have to practice shallow breathing or some buttons will pop!  

 

A curve ball if ever I saw one!  

 

I laughed 'cos a few weeks ago I went to a meeting in a sharply tailored suit and an Adidas tennis shirt, as even though I'd checked, my sharp shirt which I had definitely packed was not in my bag and my spare which was definitely in my locker was not in my locker.

 

 

 

Mondays are fine, it's Tuesdays which really muck me up.

 

Keep tensing those abs.

[JJACK]

Electronic Bikes aren't that bad... when you can wheel suck behind them into a gale force South Easter 

[No Hare]

https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/watch-qlds-1-macgyver-runs-a-red-while-towing-his-/cdf6f31f-ba57-4027-af42-c85e0dd7b094.htm

[Bateleur1]

Electronic Bikes aren't that bad... when you can wheel suck behind them into a gale force South Easter 

 

Have had the slip of one or two e-bikes on my commute home.  Makes for good training.  Once had this one old toppie on his E-bike that passed me.  Got into the slip as he noticed me he kept increasing the power and I justt tucked and used the slip.  He kept glancing over the shoulder and increase the power each time.  At the end of that 5 km stretch of road I passed and said thanks for the slip and hammered it home.  The looks on his face .... priceless  

Edited February 13, 2017 by Bateleur1

[Brandon P]

A bling commuter bag - Do local drivers even know what a green arrow means   

Go LED Backpack with Handle Bar Indicator Remote Control and Rain Cover:
https://www.onedayonly.co.za/go-led-backpack-with-integrated-indicator-light-display.html 

[Vetplant]

 

 

The feeling when you commute again for the first time in about a year.

 

Sliding past stationary traffic...

 

Hammering it on the downhills...

 

The envigorating feeling you have at the office after the shower...

 

Best part is: on the way to work I am only 1 to 2 mintues slower than my car commute time. On the way back I easily beat my car commute time by 5 to 10 minutes    

[ycowley]

Agree re the feeling of flying down the downhills, speeding past all the stationery cars, etc.

 

Negative things I have learnt: -

 

Pavements from Sandton to Parktown are in a shocking state

Sewerage smell across the road from Summer Place (building site) is sickly

Pedestrians reading their phones while walking are dangerous

Pedestrians do not know what to do when they see a bike coming towards them on the pavement

Motorists do not let pedestrians nor cyclists cross the road when the green man is in their favor and the cars want to turn across the walkway.

[Imploder]

Agree re the feeling of flying down the downhills, speeding past all the stationery cars, etc.

 

Negative things I have learnt: -

 

Pavements from Sandton to Parktown are in a shocking state

Sewerage smell across the road from Summer Place (building site) is sickly

Pedestrians reading their phones while walking are dangerous

Pedestrians do not know what to do when they see a bike coming towards them on the pavement

Motorists do not let pedestrians nor cyclists cross the road when the green man is in their favor and the cars want to turn across the walkway.

 

Amen to that!!! And what makes it worse - after coming up Rivonia, you're breathing hard.

[Vetplant]

Agree re the feeling of flying down the downhills, speeding past all the stationery cars, etc.

 

Negative things I have learnt: -

 

Pavements from Sandton to Parktown are in a shocking state

Sewerage smell across the road from Summer Place (building site) is sickly

Pedestrians reading their phones while walking are dangerous

Pedestrians do not know what to do when they see a bike coming towards them on the pavement

Motorists do not let pedestrians nor cyclists cross the road when the green man is in their favor and the cars want to turn across the walkway.

This went through my head as well this morning.

 

Luckily the majority of pedestrians in our society at this stage don't have smartphones with allot of mobile data... imagine the chaos when this happens. I will then have to rather take on the cars on the tarmac than trying to dodge them...

[Bateleur1]

You guys make me envious.  Was hoping to commute this morning but was still a tad cold.  Getting some snow possibly on Saturday.  Maybe second half of next week I might get my next shot at a commute.

[Bateleur1]

This went through my head as well this morning.

 

Luckily the majority of pedestrians in our society at this stage don't have smartphones with allot of mobile data... imagine the chaos when this happens. I will then have to rather take on the cars on the tarmac than trying to dodge them...

 

Sneak up from behind and then loudly bark like a dog.  With a bit of luck they might actually drop their phones 

[cfcjim]

Sneak up from behind and then loudly bark like a dog.  With a bit of luck they might actually drop their phones 

I often do the shouted "Oy Oy" and laugh maniacally when they jump three feet in the air.

 

Most take it well, I usually get a big grin and a wave.

[ycowley]

Amen to that!!! And what makes it worse - after coming up Rivonia, you're breathing hard.

 Yip. I think I need to rethink my route.

[Catatonic_Joe]

Starting commuting again after a long break in December - January. Really enjoying it. Adding a extra couple km's of hills on my ride home.

 

I've gotten use to crossing in and out of the cycle lanes now, the yellow rumble strips don't scare as much as they used to, so no more having to sit behind taxi's dropping off passengers in the cycle lane, I now just hop over onto the lane, overtake the taxi, and back in the cycle lane a few meters in front of them, then they can either stay behind me, or drive in the car lane.

 

Also a bit more comfortable riding in the rain now, I've decided not to bother about weather reports as they wrong most of the time, so if its not raining in the morning when I get out of the shower, I take the bike, and if it rains on my way back home, one of those things... I just expect thats it's going to rain on my commute home, that way I don't get nervous if it is raining when I'm about to leave the office.

 

Thanks to the commuting, I'm also getting my free drinks from Vida once a week.

[Imploder]

 Yip. I think I need to rethink my route.

 

Rivonia is dangerous though, Putco + Metrobuses -> EESH!