First week

On 15 jan, 05:46, The Weasel wrote:
On 14/01/2012 17:00, Ian Smith wrote:









On Sat, 14 Jan 2012, spoke *wrote:

* Well, i've cycled to owrk& *back every day this week.

Excellent.

* legs hurt like hell for the first 3 days, but by friday they were not
* too bad. *The muscles have really tightened up now.

Even the first day back after a break (eg at Christmas) the journey
feels much longer than it should to me, so this is no surprise.

* Few things to get used to though. *Some cars wizz past really close
* which scares me a bit.

Yes, that happens. *I get an occasional scare, even having cycled to
work for decades. *There are things you can do - don't hog the kerb,
if there's a particular point on the route where drivers seem to take
chances move out into the lane for that, a tactical wobble discourages
overtaking, looking over your shoulder at them seems to encourage it.

Interesting point

Highway Code Rule 212 states:
When passing motorcyclists and cyclists, give them plenty of room (see
Rules 162-167). If they look over their shoulder it could mean that they
intend to pull out, turn right or change direction. Give them time and
space to do so.

But I have noticed the same as you have, that by looking over your
shoulder seems to have the opposite effect in that the driver will
assume that you have seen them coming and can overtake regardless.

I have noticed a big difference with a mirror fitted to the down tube so
I can keep an eye on the traffic behind without keeping looking over the
shoulder. And while the driver behind thinks that I am completely
oblivious to their presence, a slight erratic wobble makes them think
that they need to take extra care too. And they do.

I have also lately been experimenting with distance from the kerb.
Anything less than about a metre (which in my case is the height of the
bike) away from the kerb will often encourage them to overtake too
closely. If the road is wide enough to allow them to pass, then a metre
away from the kerb is fine but certainly no less.

If the road is not wide enough to be overtaken with a safe clearance or
the overtaking traffic is tending to poorly judge gaps, then a third to
halfway into the lane (or that side of the road) is better.

--
The Weasel

In Holland, close to the village in which I live, there is a very
narrow stretch of single carriageway (in the middle of the road there
is a barrier to separate the two opposing traffic flows): it is narrow
because of extensive repair works to the whole infrastructure in the
town concerned.

There is a sign from the Highways Department advising cyclists to ride
in the middle of the lane. Another sign forbids motorists from
overtaking cyclists in the narrowed section.

On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:11:26 -0800 (PST)
Justin wrote:

In Holland, close to the village in which I live, there is a very
narrow stretch of single carriageway (in the middle of the road there
is a barrier to separate the two opposing traffic flows)

In England that's a dual carriageway. :-)

On 15 jan, 09:33, Rob Morley wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:11:26 -0800 (PST)

Justin wrote:
In Holland, close to the village in which I live, there is a very
narrow stretch of single carriageway *(in the middle of the road there
is a barrier to separate the two opposing traffic flows)

In England that's a dual carriageway. *:-)

Perhaps: it is normally a stretch without a central barrier. The
barrier has been temporarily placed whilst the renovations take place.
There is only one narrow lane in each direction. It is the high street
of the village.

On Jan 14, 6:10*pm, "Mr. Benn" wrote:
"thirty-six" *wrote in message

...

I find a woolly hat comfortable at this time of year. *I suggest you
get a helmet that fits or stick to a wooly hat, a warm head will do
more to help your safety right now.
================================================== ==

FRUITCAKE ALERT!!! *FRUITCAKE ALERT!!! *FRUITCAKE ALERT!!!

Spokemom, please ignore any advice from thirty-six. *A wooly hat will give
you head no protection if you fall off. *Please continue to wear a helmet.

Next he'll be advising you to take kelp tablets and a pinch of sea salt. *If
he does, ignore that as well.

I've been raeding a lot of the old messages to get a feel for the
group. I already worked out he is a bit weird.

Spokemon

On Jan 15, 4:47*am, Simon Mason wrote:
On Jan 14, 11:58*am, spoke mon wrote:





Well, i've cycled to owrk & back every day this week.

legs hurt like hell for the first 3 days, but by friday they were not
too bad. *The muscles have really tightened up now.

First couple of days i did the journey about the same time as using
the car, on friday I got there in 5 mins less than it took in the
car. *Well pleased.

Few things to get used to though. *Some cars wizz past really close
which scares me a bit. *Helmet is still uncomfortable. i keep
adjusting it but i supose i will get used to wearing it.

But i'm pleased I got the bike now, it will save me quite a lot of
money and the exercise will be good for me. *Also means the wife can
use the car during the week if she wants to.

Spokemon

Well done, Sir.
My wife uses the car to get to work as well.
I only drive it now to take her to country walks for her weight loss
regime, the hills we are using are from my cycling club magazine.
Maybe you can join your local club as well when you get into it more?
And you can ditch the helmet when you realise how useless and
uncomfortable it is.

--
Simon Mason- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I wouldn't dream of riding a bike without a helmet far too dangerous
thanks.

On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:11:26 -0800 (PST), Justin
wrote:
snip

Hello, hello, hello : it's

In Holland, close to the village in which I live


I'm sure that you said you were going to ****-off from usenet when you were
last caught out posting under various names - you even denied that it was you -
but realised that you had been caught fair and square.


Front Mech
Billsgate
Ricky Bikebloke
Sedentary IgnorantPopulist

and then of course you were actually caught using the email address you had
registered specifically for the purpose of making out that posts were from me

J.M.Messie


what a ****wit - he can't do anything correctly.

On 15 jan, 11:54, Judith wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:11:26 -0800 (PST), Justin
wrote:
snip

Hello, hello, hello : it's

In Holland, close to the village in which I live

I'm sure that you said you were going to ****-off from usenet when you were
last caught out posting under various names - you even denied that it was you -
but realised that you had been caught fair and square.

Front Mech
Billsgate
Ricky Bikebloke
Sedentary IgnorantPopulist

and then of course you were actually caught using the email address *you had
registered specifically for the purpose of making out that posts were from me

J.M.Messie

what a ****wit - he can't do anything correctly.

I never said I was leaving Usenet. What do you mean by "caught"?

On 15/01/2012 09:55, spoke mon wrote:

On Jan 15, 4:47 am, Simon wrote:
On Jan 14, 11:58 am, spoke wrote:

Well, i've cycled to owrk& back every day this week.
legs hurt like hell for the first 3 days, but by friday they were not
too bad. The muscles have really tightened up now.
First couple of days i did the journey about the same time as using
the car, on friday I got there in 5 mins less than it took in the
car. Well pleased.
Few things to get used to though. Some cars wizz past really close
which scares me a bit. Helmet is still uncomfortable. i keep
adjusting it but i supose i will get used to wearing it.
But i'm pleased I got the bike now, it will save me quite a lot of
money and the exercise will be good for me. Also means the wife can
use the car during the week if she wants to.
Spokemon

Well done, Sir.
My wife uses the car to get to work as well.
I only drive it now to take her to country walks for her weight loss
regime, the hills we are using are from my cycling club magazine.
Maybe you can join your local club as well when you get into it more?
And you can ditch the helmet when you realise how useless and
uncomfortable it is.

I wouldn't dream of riding a bike without a helmet far too dangerous
thanks.

You're probably going to get some flak for that view.

On Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:50:07 -0800 (PST), Justin
wrote:

On 15 jan, 11:54, Judith wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:11:26 -0800 (PST), Justin
wrote:
snip

Hello, hello, hello : it's

In Holland, close to the village in which I live

I'm sure that you said you were going to ****-off from usenet when you were
last caught out posting under various names - you even denied that it was you -
but realised that you had been caught fair and square.

Front Mech
Billsgate
Ricky Bikebloke
Sedentary IgnorantPopulist

and then of course you were actually caught using the email address *you had
registered specifically for the purpose of making out that posts were from me

J.M.Messie

what a ****wit - he can't do anything correctly.

I never said I was leaving Usenet. What do you mean by "caught"?

Still, shame on you, registering an email address just to make out
that messages come from someone else is clearly a vile and despicable
act, as is switching IDs.

Any minute now JMS will apologise for doing both of these things in
the past. Any minute now.

Guy
--
Guy Chapman, http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.

On Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:55:45 -0800 (PST), spoke mon
wrote:
I wouldn't dream of riding a bike without a helmet far too dangerous
thanks.

Not a good sign. The protection they offer is extremely limited, you
should check out risk compensation and understand how your own
behaviour might be affected by believing that a helmet has enormous
protective power. They are only designed to protect in falls from a
stationary or slow-moving bike, and absolutely not designed to protect
from motor traffic impacts (and no manufacturer claims any efficacy in
such impacts, as far as I know).

If you tell yourself it's made of meringue covered in eggshell and
ride accordingly, you'll be that bit safer.

Luckily cycling is not actually that dangerous in the first place, the
rate of KSI is about the same as for pedestrians (albeit that the
figures are not very accurate either way).

Guy
--
Guy Chapman, http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed
to be worth at least what you paid for them.