Morning Commute:
Total Distance: 9.27 miles
Total Time:37m 5s
Max Speed: 27.6mph
Avg Speed: 15.0mph
Max H/Rate: 182bpm
Avg H/Rate: 153bpm
Cadence: 73rpm

Crikey. What a bloody commute in that was. A mile from home I was presented with this situation:

I am the thin black line. For some reason I did not think this situation through as, whilst the van at the side of me was turning, I went straight on – not realising that a van with blocked sight was pulling out. Queue a slam of my brakes – a very wobbly “oh my god I’m going to die” I missed the back of his van by mere cms. Lucky for me the driver was actually going quite fast out of his junction otherwise I would have been under the front of his van and probably dead.

The rest of the journey was good after that. I moved myself out from the side of the road a little more than normal because I had no problems keeping up with the traffic.

Then I hit Oxford Road and was in the bus lane – around two and a half foot from the pavement. A bus overtook me and pulled in front of me quite safely and thoughtfully – he got a thumbs up and a wave. Then, another bus driver did the same thing (R757 DRJ – #16767). He gave enough room pulling out at the front, but unfortunately never calculated the speed I or he was travelling at and pulled in leaving his back end heading for me.

I punched the bus hard twice – shit up the passengers on the back seat. Driver didn’t even respond.

He pulled up at the lights further down and I pulled along side him. I banged on his window. He didn’t even respond. I did it again and he responded this time. He didn’t 0pen his window as we discussed what he had just done and signalled holding his arms as wide apart as he could that “this is how much space I gave you”.

Eventually he opened his window and still argued the point not listening to me at all. Unfortunately, due to rain, I had no camera on. I noted the registration and bus number down and carried on.

As he then drove past – he was pointing at his bus number to tell me where it was… Now I wish I had a video. Logic states (to me anyway) that he was too close otherwise how the fuck could I have punched his bus? I don’t have 7ft long arms. Why would I even punch it if he wasn’t close? I wouldn’t! I’d give him the fucking thumbs up and a wave like I did the driver in front.

Thats now set me up for a very shitty day.

Then again, on my lunch I might go out and film some buses jumping red lights and send them to the newspapers ;)

Evening Commute:
Total Distance: 10.15 miles
Total Time:47m 13s
Max Speed: 26.2mph
Avg Speed: 12.9mph
Max H/Rate: 183bpm
Avg H/Rate: 157bpm
Cadence: 76rpm

My sole intention for tonights commute was to get home and get home safe. With the weather being quite stunning I decided that now was the time to test the new route that the snow destroyed any chance of trying on Wednesday.

This new route means that I use a few more side streets and do not travel all the way up Hyde Road, nor pass Denton Roundabout.

I didn’t know if it would work, as I tried a similar route on Monday and ended up travelling through Denton Golf Course as I came to a dead end!

Much to my surprise, this route worked perfectly. I travelled down Hyde Road for all of 100m, pulled off and headed up Garrat Way – through a few side streets and over to Wright Robinson College where the Fallowfield Loop hits. From here, I headed down over the reservoirs in Debdale Park and then across Kings Road up to Audenshaw, over a motorway bridge, up and down a few hills, across 2 mini roundabout and then to familiar territory.

On Hyde Road, in rush hour on the way home I probably meet around 1,000 cars on a stretch not more than 2 miles long – its nose to tail most nights, and very difficult to navigate through the gaps.

On this route, once I’d got of Garray Way, I passed 1 car (well, it actually passed me in the opposite direction) for 3 miles.

I didn’t expect two big hills, but I suppose I do live quite high up :)

All in all, a fantastic commute home and when the weather holds up, I’ll be doing this route more often.

I’m currently uploading the video so you can have a look. It would be better suited to a Hybrid / Mountain / Cyclo Cross bike, but my life is worth more to me to worry about things like that.

This is the first time this week I’ve actually felt positive about cycling!

Now if only I had some money for that Felt!