Thursday 23 September 2010

It's that time of year again

These last 3 weeks I've been doing early shift meaning I've been getting up at 04.00 to be out of the door at 05.00 for the cycle in to work.
As the Summer finishes (was it here?) the morning temperatures are starting to drop the ride in is now in the dark and it will soon be getting darker in the evenings too.
It's this time of year when you can be cycling along in silence with just the hiss of tyres on the tarmac enjoying the ride when you start to hear a faint squeak.
As you cycle along the noise starts to get louder, you start to wonder what part of your bike is rubbing?
Next thing you see is a flash of a reflector in your lights as you nearly take out the bike in front of you with no lights as he wobbles into view!!
Bloody ninja cyclists!!!

How hard is it to buy a set of lights from Tesco (other shops are available ;-) ) for the measly sum of about £2, I try and make the point of saying "nice lights bud" as I pass but the comment usually goes in one ear and out the other at the same speed that I'm cycling at.
Around here they all also seem to wear Hi-Vis jackets thinking that they are safe using just them. Hi-Vis clothing is ok for being seen as long as the vehicle lights are pointing at you. If the riders cross your path you don't see anything until they are right in front of you and collision is imminent.
Perhaps I should oil my bike less so they can hear me coming, but you'd think that a bright light illuminating the path for meters ahead would show there was something else coming along, but no they still ride into your path.... Perhaps I ought to just spear them with the front chain ring and be done with it.
Trouble is I'd then have to bury the body and clean the bike of course. That sounds too much like hard work though :-D

and breath..........................

2 comments:

  1. It would not matter what noise you are making.
    They would probably not hear you over their
    Mp3!!

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  2. have you tried a solid and a flasher light on the front at the same time? This setup gives me the best visibility - seen and be seen

    ReplyDelete