Mid week commute

Its fair to say that the commute home this evening was a very interesting experience. Not only was the ride in my opinion flat to my normal rides, but it was a eye opener with regards to being traffic fit rather than cycle fit.

I cycle every weekend, cover some good distances and its all around the Surrey hills. This evenings commute was probably the flattest I have cycled in some time, but also the busiest in terms of traffic. Although my cycle fitness was fine to cover the 27miles ride home, my traffic fitness was a little rough round the edges. It is amazing the various types of road user/driver that I faced this evening. Also other cyclists who a handful I might add should get some bloody lights on their bikes! It angers me to see some riders with no lights.

Scenario one: I had a white (large) van in stationary to crawling traffic at the lights, two lanes of traffic; with a filter lane to the left. This was not accessible due to the quantity of vehicles in the que. So the van driver, no indication continually crawls to the left until such time as they've shut the door and can't move forward anymore without mounting the curb. Any indication NO. Never saw or acknowledge me - three front flash lights.

Scenario two: Approaching a round-a-bout with six exits including the one I am on and I need to take the 5th i.e. the last one. I therefore had to travel all the way round. A breeze. My road positioning and vehicles waiting to join all perfect. No one jumped out, those on the round-a-bout gave good space. Totally different experience to the traffic light filter lane NO indication situation.

The ride also gave a brilliant opportunity to test the Garmin Edge 800 GPS again, particularly on the unexplored roads. So how it was it? Awesome, it totally lived up to my expectations and I even had the unfortunate opportunity to test the road relocation function and it worked a treat. I knew the area vaguely, but not well enough to be confident in my direction after taking a wrong turn. Why did I take a wrong turn anyway? Like car GPS if there is a very sharp left or right, it is treated as a turning, so I unfortunately took that turning - not the end of the world mind. However allowing road relocation was a great decision. It lead me back onto the route I had planned, without having to go back on myself.

To summarise tonight's ride: good, flat, but certainly need to increase my traffic fitness. You most certainly need to spend more effort on watching, listening and waiting for other traffic than just going out for a weekends ride. Good eye opener though for the weekday rides during LEJOG.

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