Tuesday 19 October 2010

Idiots on the trail


The ride home started so well today. Left work as usual, remembered to switch on the camera. As it happens, I am glad I did. Saw a lovely rainbow which the Muvi failed completely to capture.

The first incident, unfortunately, was not caught on camera as I don't have a sideways facing device - some impatient chap in a Ford Mondeo tried to fit between me and an oncoming vehicle near the Vets on Chickerell Road. I duly held him up for a while then, when he finally over took, it transpired that he only made about 15s progress as he stopped in Prince of Wales Road, just past the path on to the Rodwell Trail. I failed to stop and discuss his lack of driving skills because, in general, motons aren't worth the effort.

Anyway I haul up to the Rodwell trail and just as it starts to rain I pass through the tunnel towards Rodwell station, a well known drinking haunt for the local youth with nothing better to do.
As you can perhaps see, I anticipate trouble and move over to the right of the trail, yet one hard man decided to block the path.
I wonder just how hard he would be with a chain ring and pedals embedded in his nether regions? As it happens I don't get to find out because I win the game of chicken. I hardly ever lose that particular game.

Oh well better luck next time I guess.

If you are wondering just what would happen had I made contact - well I may have fallen off but with feet clipped to bike I would have been up and fighting fit fairly quickly, your man in the hoodie would have been in a private world of pain...

Wednesday 13 October 2010

YouTube FAIL

I must apologise for the lack of video in the "How Close" post. YouTube scores another fail. Perhaps it will fix itself?

B.

How close would you like your shave sir?


Dear me. It has been many many days since I posted a video and some of those because I was away so not cycling and the rest mostly because I dropped the camera and needed to wedge the surface mount "on switch" back on to the circuit board with some cardboard. Yes, a true bodge lacking only the gaffer tape and baler twine.

Back on topic - I was innocently cycling along past a traffic light when I was overtaken by a car. Nothing very exciting there; he even managed to miss me which is a plus I think.

The next car in line obviously wanted a pedal embedded in the side of his wonderful purple Ford Fiesta (N 97 AYA in case anyone is interested). What makes this overtake particularly depressing is that the car rushed ahead to the Red traffic lights, then fails to make any progress in front of me for about a mile - the road goes down hill and is fairly fast. I was right on his tail until he decided to park by the side of the road, just before the crest of a hill so noone could safely pass him until he had finished his operation.

Now I don't mind people overtaking - they do after all have places to be - but really, when doing so, please leave more than a Rizzla paper's gap between you and me. Next time I may wobble and an SPD in the side of a car is inclined to do damage...