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Things I've learnt from commuting


zeabre

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Found out yesterday that it is possible to get a sidewall cut from a car bumber. Some stoopid biaatch nearly flattened me. I squeaked by but she hit my rear wheel. Looked fine but burst a couple hundred meters further on.

 

I did hurl some invective.

 

Interesting, what kind of car was it? and your ride, road or mtb? Were you both moving at the time?

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Know how to change a tube.

 

I am the cycling advocate at work and have managed to get a guy to start cycling and now commuting too.

 

I just spent 25 minutes on the phone helping him change his first tube.

 

He is a virgin no more.

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Started commuting again in preperation for my first Argus and the Magalies Monster Monster half marathon.This is what I learnt this week so far.

  • My legs burn a little bit more everyday
  • Make eye contact and smile and the drivers around you, 9/10 times they will give you way
  • When your legs burn a lot in the morning when going to work, doesn't mean it's going to hurt more when you going home. (Unless my legs a numb and they can't feel anything)
  • Leaving a pair of shoes at work, makes your bag much lighter and you have more space for food
  • I'm hungry all the time

Planning to keep riding Tuesdays to Thurdays in the week, riding from Mayfair to Rosebank. Going to work is easy, going home I have to climb about 200m in my 10km (one-way) commute.

Edited by Catatonic_Joe
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Know how to change a tube. I am the cycling advocate at work and have managed to get a guy to start cycling and now commuting too. I just spent 25 minutes on the phone helping him change his first tube. He is a virgin no more.

25 minutes is good for a first rodgering!

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Same robot, same issue - light turns red for car. Driver looks and sees me already in the intersection on my green light. Driver pulls out anyways.

 

Didn't have anything in hand to throw except some expletives.

 

Again.

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First commute fall today, very embarrassing. I crossed a road and a woman crossed along with be but decided she was turning infront of me, i saw what was happening, so i slowed and let her go. I was right next to an island and turned slightly to avoid her bumping my front wheel. While i was turning I was trying to uncleat but back wheel caught the curb first and tossed my back wheel out from under me, that slow mo fall. :blush:

 

I hurt my neck the other night from sleeping awkwardly, now its another level of pain. I could hardly continue the ride to work. Managed a 13km/h :mellow: , got some deep heat for it now, I can barely move my neck or left arm. hope i can make it home again.

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First commute fall today, very embarrassing. I crossed a road and a woman crossed along with be but decided she was turning infront of me, i saw what was happening, so i slowed and let her go. I was right next to an island and turned slightly to avoid her bumping my front wheel. While i was turning I was trying to uncleat but back wheel caught the curb first and tossed my back wheel out from under me, that slow mo fall. :blush:

 

I hurt my neck the other night from sleeping awkwardly, now its another level of pain. I could hardly continue the ride to work. Managed a 13km/h :mellow: , got some deep heat for it now, I can barely move my neck or left arm. hope i can make it home again.

 

How'd the commute back go?

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How'd the commute back go?

It was difficult, long and frustrating. Its diffucly to ride with little movement in your neck and left arm ( like trying to get up a curb, it just hurts) I had to take the shortest route possible and ride as smooth as possile. But I made it in once peice, nearly came off again close to home. :blush:

Edited by Gandalf
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on wednesday morning i had my first fall / accident while commuting. i was crossing a field and while approaching two pedestrians i shouted as loud as i could " Passing on the left", the one saw me and i carried on. when i was about 2meters away the guy that didnt see me initially saw me and got a fright and started dancing in front of my bike. Left, right, left again, then bang!!!!! my handlebar caught his arm. down i went, he carried on walking. sprained wrist, broken elbow and damaged legiments in my bicep and shoulder. luckily my bike is fine.

 

now no more riding for a few weeks :cursing: :thumbdown:

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i shouted as loud as i could " Passing on the left"

Sorry to say this to a fellow commuter, but this is neither Strava nor Sparta nor the MTN Nationals/Trailseeker/Babbas race. Should've used the brakes instead of the voice box ...

 

Yes, i know it's Friday, so swing the handbags if you like. :D :D

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on wednesday morning i had my first fall / accident while commuting. i was crossing a field and while approaching two pedestrians i shouted as loud as i could " Passing on the left", the one saw me and i carried on. when i was about 2meters away the guy that didnt see me initially saw me and got a fright and started dancing in front of my bike. Left, right, left again, then bang!!!!! my handlebar caught his arm. down i went, he carried on walking. sprained wrist, broken elbow and damaged legiments in my bicep and shoulder. luckily my bike is fine.

 

now no more riding for a few weeks :cursing: :thumbdown:

 

The lesson to be learnt from this is that pedestrians act unpredictably, especially if they have earphones in or are talking on a cellphone. Slow down and pass very carefully.

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Sorry to say this to a fellow commuter, but this is neither Strava nor Sparta nor the MTN Nationals/Trailseeker/Babbas race. Should've used the brakes instead of the voice box ...

 

Yes, i know it's Friday, so swing the handbags if you like. :D :D

 

Fortunately for me non of those apply, not even when i'm in a competitive mood would i be so arrogant and disrespectful to think that i have right of way over someone else that is trying to enjoy their ride. I just happen to let every pedestrian i pass know what my intentions are while riding and then i follow it up with a friendly, "Thank you, have a nice day". I dont see the fault in this and if its wrong then so be it. i believe that lack of communication leads to more problems (not only in cycling) than is necessary.

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Sorry Scott, I, of course, assumed that you were speeding thus the shouting at the guy in the track.

 

Heal up bro.

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The lesson to be learnt from this is that pedestrians act unpredictably, especially if they have earphones in or are talking on a cellphone. Slow down and pass very carefully.

 

I have a bell that I use, from far I start to ring it, otherwise they get a fright when you are close. Even when riding on a certain side of the walkway they seem to sometime move directly infrom of you and sometimes keep on their side, why they swithc over I dont now. very unpredictable.

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Riding home the other afternoon, a white corsa bakkie pulled over into the cycle lane and put on their hazards. Just as I was about to curse, the driver increased his speed slightly and looked at me in his rear view mirror and smiled. I didn't need a second invitation........Needless to say a bit of impromptu motor pacing down the Beach road at 50km/h with a backpack on was really enjoyed!!

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Sorry Scott, I, of course, assumed that you were speeding thus the shouting at the guy in the track.

 

Heal up bro.

 

No problem, if this wasn't happening regularly you would have thought of it, so in a way we as a cycling community are giving ourselves a bad name through our own behaviour and actions.

 

Thx for the wishes, its only been 2 days and i'm already grumpy cause i cant ride.

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