Things I've learnt from commuting

[Hairy]

Was the car a GP registration 

Nah, it's bendyturnyitus. Allergy to corners. 

 

90% of the drivers on the road have NO CLUE how to corner properly. 

[Bateleur1]

Don't get drawn into that whole - racing cars mindset guys. Quickest way to put yourself at risk of a whoopsie!

 

Rather just enjoy the ride, fresh air in the lungs, blue skies.....

 

Like two years ago I guy on a scooter drove out in front of me thinking I would never catch up.  He never even looked in his mirror again so never noticed that I actually was approaching with speed.  He obviously though that it was the beginning of a long uphill and I would never catch up.  So I passed him on his right and just as I was right next to him I made this these loud barking sounds.  He practically pooped himself and almost lost control of his scooter.

[ChrisF]

Don't get drawn into that whole - racing cars mindset guys. Quickest way to put yourself at risk of a whoopsie!

 

Rather just enjoy the ride, fresh air in the lungs, blue skies.....

 

As much as I enjoyed pushing myself - YOU ARE CORRECT !!!

 

SAFETY FIRST !!

 

 

 

PS - I was in no-mans-land, car in the distance, and no traffic around me .... still too fast and to fixated at the target to be 100% safe ....

[Patensie]

My boet and I used to give locals headstarts down bergplaas in the baviaans. There was only one he couldn't pass, actually dropped him: guy with 2 poached (not eggs) kudus on the back of his bakkie. We have a good suspicion who it was, but you pick your battles...this guy regularly cleared the bar.

[ChrisF]

lesson for the day - DO remember to "warm down", at the end of a commute .....

 

 

after the hard commute I got stuck behind the computer, when I kicked back on my office chair I hurt a muscle\tendon in my knee .... damn !!  It was a horrible sharp pain !!

 

 

Thankfully okay when walking stair etc.  Now just this little reminder when I get up ....

 

 

Went for a checkup with a biokeneticist friend tonight.  Thankfully no damage.

 

 

 

The one time I dont do a few circles in the parking lot after the commute it bites me ..... rebuilding old bust knees I better take note and do my stretches ..... time to slow down and concentrate on the knees, not the time .... (not exactly what me ego wants to hear..)

[Bateleur1]

lesson for the day - DO remember to "warm down", at the end of a commute .....

 

 

after the hard commute I got stuck behind the computer, when I kicked back on my office chair I hurt a muscle\tendon in my knee .... damn !!  It was a horrible sharp pain !!

 

 

Thankfully okay when walking stair etc.  Now just this little reminder when I get up ....

 

 

Went for a checkup with a biokeneticist friend tonight.  Thankfully no damage.

 

 

 

The one time I dont do a few circles in the parking lot after the commute it bites me ..... rebuilding old bust knees I better take note and do my stretches ..... time to slow down and concentrate on the knees, not the time .... (not exactly what me ego wants to hear..)

 

I tend to do quite a bit of stretching at my desk when I get to work.  That helps quite a bit.

[J∆kk∆ls]

Like two years ago I guy on a scooter drove out in front of me thinking I would never catch up.  He never even looked in his mirror again so never noticed that I actually was approaching with speed.  He obviously though that it was the beginning of a long uphill and I would never catch up.  So I passed him on his right and just as I was right next to him I made this these loud barking sounds.  He practically pooped himself and almost lost control of his scooter.

Scooters here are the pits! They take up a lot of space and are not that much faster than a race bike. I had a close call with a scooter last week when he tried to pass my bakfiets and ran out of room. He braked hard then hit a pole, knobhead! 

[ChrisF]

I tend to do quite a bit of stretching at my desk when I get to work.  That helps quite a bit.

 

Normally I get to work, stop the watch, then circle to parking lot a couple of times.

 

This time I was pushing hard enough that I was in heart rate zone 5 for the last km ... pulled in and STOPPED .... NOT GOOD !!

 

Lesson learnt !  (lets hope so)

[Spiny Norman]

Scooters here are the pits! They take up a lot of space and are not that much faster than a race bike. I had a close call with a scooter last week when he tried to pass my bakfiets and ran out of room. He braked hard then hit a pole, knobhead! 

About 15 years ago I was working in South Korea; a small town called Jinju. I think I was the only Western European in the province, the number of stares I received whilst walking around were to me, rather surprising.

Anyway, I digress.

 

I managed to bother the distributor into getting me a bicycle to ride the 5km each way to work.

 

Each day I was hassled, passed, then repassed by nutcases with their helmets pushed up to and over forehead level, texting, usually with a cigarette in the mouth and a female on the pillion.

 

It was great...

 

To me what I saw was incredible. But what they saw was more incredible. A westerner on a bike in the middle of summer.

 

슈퍼 쿨

 

It means Super Cool.

 

I've also been pee'd off by scooters in NL, Mainly in the suburban areas of Rotterdam, the wee bastards pay no attention when you're trying to reverse out of a driveway.

[J∆kk∆ls]

About 15 years ago I was working in South Korea; a small town called Jinju. I think I was the only Western European in the province, the number of stares I received whilst walking around were to me, rather surprising.

Anyway, I digress.

 

I managed to bother the distributor into getting me a bicycle to ride the 5km each way to work.

 

Each day I was hassled, passed, then repassed by nutcases with their helmets pushed up to and over forehead level, texting, usually with a cigarette in the mouth and a female on the pillion.

 

It was great...

 

To me what I saw was incredible. But what they saw was more incredible. A westerner on a bike in the middle of summer.

 

슈퍼 쿨

 

It means Super Cool.

 

I've also been pee'd off by scooters in NL, Mainly in the suburban areas of Rotterdam, the wee bastards pay no attention when you're trying to reverse out of a driveway.

What pisses me off the most about these scooter wankers is how dangerously close they ride around people who have their kids on the bikes. 

[The Ouzo]

I learnt this morning that well worn Gatorskins + ultra smooth tar + downhill @ 60km/h + red traffic light = sideways brown pants moment.

[Milosh]

I am keen for  commuting as a way of getting  some training in , on a bad day traffic is about an hour by car, so commuting will achieve that and improve mood compared to traffic

 

However my commute is 36 km one way so 72 km per day , which I have done a few times kills me when you add a full days work in and is to much at current fitness levels. ( i have done little since trans eeek) 

There are lot's  of pavement and Jeep track , even some technical single track , some pavement hopping and about 40% road but fairly quite or with decent yellow lines so not excuses.  

 

There is a gym at office , so shower facilities but you may not use lockers outside of workout similar to Vigin Active.

Also there is no real safe bike storage, albeit parking is in a single tenant secured office park.

 

So having followed and read this whole thread ,  I plan on driving to work , with bike on rack , leave car there with bag of clothes in and ride home

than ride back the next morning leaving bike locked to rack on car and take bag to gym and than office.

 

Update: I did this on monday and road full on into a highveld thunderstorm. 

• A head wind all the way home and got soaked through.
• Lots of fun in the puddles
• Single track in the gloom.
• Luckily i put lights on front and back for the gloom
• A few tweaks got the route down to 32km.
• Interesting how road works are in your favor
• A robot out is easier to cross than when it is working.
• You can strategically ride on either pavement depending on next turn.
•  Jeep track on servitude has being created by taxi's
• Taxi are more more courteous than others
• Some cars simply do not see a 6'4" cyclist in neon windbreaker and a flashing light !!! 

to be repeated !!

Edited November 9, 2018 by Milosh

[bj horn]

I am keen for for commuting as a way of getting  some training in , on a bad day traffic is about an hour by car, so commuting will achieve that and improve mood compared to traffic

 There is a gym at office , so shower facilities but you may not use lockers outside of workout similar to Vigin Active.

Also there is no real safe bike storage, albeit parking is in a single tenant secured office park.

Try and park near a parking office/carwash/security inside the building.Nice thick chain wrapped in old tube and big lock to keep the bad boys away

[wildwindfr]

Keep eyes open for the double cab brigade. Especially Ford rangers and Hilux bakkies. Almost got taken out twice today on a straight gravel road wide enough to fit 3 cars side by side. I was riding on the side and still had to go into the bush on the side. One Ranger must have been doing close to 130km as it came past me. I have both a flashing red rear light and a front light. Makes a person wonder.

[Pure Savage]

 

This taxi was driving in bike lane then into oncoming traffic !

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

 

I am keen for for commuting as a way of getting  some training in , on a bad day traffic is about an hour by car, so commuting will achieve that and improve mood compared to traffic

 

However my commute is 36 km one way so 72 km per day , which I have done a few times kills me when you add a full days work in and is to much at current fitness levels. ( i have done little scince trans eeek) 

There are lot's  of pavement and Jeep track , even some technical single track , some pavement hopping and about 40% road but fairly quite or with decent yellow lines so not excuses.  

 

There is a gym at office , so shower facilities but you may not use lockers outside of workout similar to Vigin Active.

Also there is no real safe bike storage, albeit parking is in a single tenant secured office park.

 

So having followed and read this whole thread ,  I plan on driving to work , with bike on rack , leave car there with bag of clothes in and ride home

than ride back the next morning leaving bike locked to rack on car and take bag to gym and than office.

 

Update: I did this on monday and road full on into a highveld thunderstorm. 

• A head wind all the way home and got soaked through.
• Lots of fun in the puddles
• Single track in the gloom.
• Luckily i put lights on front and back for the gloom
• A few tweaks got the route down to 32km.
• Interesting how road works are in your favor
• A robot out is easier to cross than when it is working.
• You can strategically ride on either pavement depending on next turn.
•  Jeep track on servitude has being created by taxi's
• Taxi are more more courteous than others
• Some cars simply do not see a 6'4" cyclist in neon windbreaker and a flashing light !!! 

to be repeated !!

 

+1000 about road works and taxis