Search found 44 matches

by orangebiker
28 Jun 2017, 5:41pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Arrangements for Trangia fuel bottle on flights
Replies: 17
Views: 1960

Re: Arrangements for Trangia fuel bottle on flights

I've had an empty bottle confiscated. Was clean and dry etc. It was in hold luggage but in a rucsac so it went to a separate large luggage thing where they x rayed it on the spot and removed the fuel bottle. In a suitcase it would most likely have been fine - have flown several times with gas cannisters in hold suitcases and they've not been detected
by orangebiker
28 Jun 2017, 5:34pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Booking cycle reservations on Virgin Trains
Replies: 48
Views: 5775

Re: Booking cycle reservations on Virgin Trains

broadway wrote:
Make sure the train manager knows you have a bike and where you are getting off.


Often the train manager never comes through as they check tickets before you get on at the two stations I normally get on at. Even if you do tell them, they tend to forget.

I used to do it on a weekly basis and I used to dread it. Once I was bodily dragged from a train by a member of virgin staff screaming 'get her off!' who thought my cycle reservation was not valid (it was - I'd already shown it to one of her colleagues). You would have thought a murder was being committed the way she was screaming at me. Finally gave up and used the much slower but much more relaxing London Midland service.
by orangebiker
28 Jun 2017, 4:56pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycle hire in the Netherlands
Replies: 5
Views: 670

Re: Cycle hire in the Netherlands

I think the OV fietsen only come in adult sizes, but a ten year old is probably big enough to ride one with the saddle down - you see loads of dutch children riding round on adult sized bikes

I only hired a bike in Holland once and it was very cheap and easy - booked in advance though. Hire bikes tend to be heavy and sturdy and fully equipped with mudguard, basket, lock, stand, bell, lights, etc etc
by orangebiker
17 Jun 2017, 2:13pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Booking cycle reservations on Virgin Trains
Replies: 48
Views: 5775

Re: Booking cycle reservations on Virgin Trains

I disagree with whoever above said that taking a train on Virgin is fine once you've booked the ticket. I find the staff rude, obstructive, disrespectful, and have many times found that despite booking a reservation, no-one is available to unlock the special door either getting on or getting off. This has resulted in frantically running up and down the platform trying to find someone, and then being blamed for making the train late. Frequently they tell you to wait in a particular place, only for it to be the other end of a very long train. You then have to get to the other end as fast as you can (having taken off all your luggage you then have to try to carry this as well because they don't allow it to be left on the bike and they don't give you time to take it off once the train arrives), only to be told off when you get there 'you should have asked someone which end it was' the whole thing is depressing in the extreme and can ruin an otherwise good day because of the stress. This is on the West Coast line - maybe that is worse than the East Coast. Other companies such as London Midland, Northern, Transpennine seem to have far nicer staff even if the bike facilities are often full of pushchairs.
by orangebiker
4 May 2017, 9:26pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Vrienden op de fiets (The Netherlands)
Replies: 15
Views: 4186

Re: Vrienden op de Fiets

He he sorry didn't mean to put you off! If you are a sociable type you would probably love it!

It was our first longish tour and one of us (not me!) had brought some very old wheels and tyres which got shredded and broken on the belgian cobbles. Once in the Netherlands we found it very difficult to get any spokes or tyres to fit standard sized road wheels as although there are hundreds of bike shops in NL they have a different sized wheel over there. This contributed to our ongoing lateness.

The best night we had was in Belgium on our last night when Belgium were playing in the semi finals of the ?world cup. Our hosts made us dinner and we sat round with a beer. He was a former olympic slalom paddler from the 70s and she was a budgie enthusiast. The next day our host cycled with us for 12 miles to show us the best way to Brussels avoiding traffic. We are still in touch with them via FB. Other highlights included the night we had a whole 8 bedroom country house to ourselves, another time we stayed on the 5th floor of a tower block in a grotty part of town where the host was a keen musician and gave a recital on various medieval instruments.

A further slight problem is that the locations are often not that close to town centres etc and although the places have bicycle storage, this can be some distance from the house/flat and you can't really get your bike back out to go back into town for dinner and then get back in lateish for your elderly host to have to go out and lock the bikes back into the garage etc. So you are limited to where you can walk to which usually seemed to mean a chip shop/just eating whatever we had left in our bags. Several of the hosts were very generous in offering lifts to restaurants but this feels a bit wrong when cycle touring especially when it's back in the direction you just came from! Consider eating before going to the accommodation and then you can stay there for the evening if it's a bit far out
by orangebiker
4 May 2017, 4:49pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Vrienden op de fiets (The Netherlands)
Replies: 15
Views: 4186

Re: Vrienden op de Fiets

We did a 10 day tour last year and used them. You are supposed to give at least 24 hours notice so you have to contact them the day before at least. Not all have email addresses either.

The hosts are usually quite old (mainly retired or getting towards it) and not all of them speak that much English (contrary to popular belief, many older dutch people speak very little English beyond the basics!) so phoning could be tricky. We found that texting them was the best option.

The reply rate was above 50% and most towns have several options so we never had trouble finding one. The main issue was that we kept having mechanical issues and because it had to be booked the day before, we often ended up arriving pretty late or having to rush. We are going to camp next time to make it more flexible.

It was nice to chat to the people, however you are kind of expected to sit and talk to them for half an hour after you arrive whilst you have a cup of tea. A couple of times this meant we were sitting around in wet kit not having eaten. You can't just turn up exhausted, shower and go for dinner and go to bed which is what we wanted to do some days.

The holiday turned out to be very much about chatting to the hosts which was a mixed blessing really. I enjoyed the chance to practise my dutch but sometimes it's also just nice to do your own thing. Many of the places we stayed were elderly ladies with very pristine homes (think white doilies everywhere) and I think they may have been aimed at a more genteel sort of cycle tourist (most dutch people cycle in their smart clothes and seem to stay very clean and never break a sweat) rather than sweaty lycra clad ones.

We did stay in some really interesting places and met some fascinating people so I would do it again, but probably not every night of a trip.
by orangebiker
2 Mar 2016, 1:24pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Crossing on Red. No One Complains About Pedestrians
Replies: 56
Views: 6131

Re: Crossing on Red. No One Complains About Pedestrians

I agree that jaywalking laws are a Bad Idea

The point about the multiple crossings is not just that you can cross the road easier but that the behaviour of drivers is changed, they need to be much more observant and careful, rather than assuming the road belongs to them, and priority in urban areas goes to pedestrians rather than cars

There's a 4 way junction at the end of my road where a lot of people are crossing in the morning. cars are constantly nearly running people over as they swing round the corner and people are trying to cross side roads. Old people and those with young children wait for ages whereas the young and fit just nip across in between the cars. A zebra crossing on each road would solve this as cars would have to drive more slowly and wait for people. Then at other times when it is quiet (night time) cars can cross the junction more quickly, without being slowed down by unnecessary lights/bumps/narrowings etc.
by orangebiker
2 Mar 2016, 11:06am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Crossing on Red. No One Complains About Pedestrians
Replies: 56
Views: 6131

Re: Crossing on Red. No One Complains About Pedestrians

One of the great things a green party councillor did in my area was to change the pedestrian crossing light so that the car light goes red virtually instantly when the button is pressed. At first it caused some drivers to almost do an emergency stop!
When I first got the flier throught he door I thought 'What is the point of that', but now I see it gives priority for pedestrians, whilst also avoiding the situation of cars waiting when the person has crossed ages ago - so it's win win. They should all be like that.
Another thing is that a zebra crossing was recently installed to allow people to cross a 20 mph road to get to the park. This took weeks of digging up the road and putting in little jutting out refuges, etc. Whereas in other countires they have zebra rossing every few yeards in urban areas and it just needs a bit of paint not loads of expensive alterations. In Ghent where we stayed there were so many zebras that pedestrians effectively had priority all the time. A good way to encourage people to walk/cycle as it is so much quicker and safer. Cars were looking well ahead and giving way to others rather than the aggressive speeding off from junctions that we see in the UK.
Cheap and cheerful solutions can be very effective.
Roll on car free society....
by orangebiker
26 Feb 2016, 10:54am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Road rage incident and Police response
Replies: 9
Views: 1476

Re: Road rage incident and Police response

Ok thanks for the replies (especially Valbrona :D ). I will give a statement and see what happens.

The police have given it a crime number "as an incident causing harassment, alarm or distress contrary to section 4A of the Public order Act". They are going to look at local CCTV

The bus company don't have any CCTV but the bus company said they will ask the driver if he would be willing to give a statement.
by orangebiker
25 Feb 2016, 5:13pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Cameras
Replies: 15
Views: 1818

Cameras

After a few unpleasant incidents I am thinking it's time to get a camera so that next time someone knocks me off/cuts me up/shouts abuse I can prove it to the Police.

I was loathe to do this because I would rather presume people are not going to attack me but I am starting to get to the end of my tether with it.

Can anyone recommend something fairly unobtrusive, not too expensive, with decent battery life? Also do people put them rear or front facing or both?

I don't always wear a helmet so something bike mountable would be better.

Grateful for any suggestions.
by orangebiker
25 Feb 2016, 5:07pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Road rage incident and Police response
Replies: 9
Views: 1476

Road rage incident and Police response

Just feeling the need to rant a bit!

Was in a road rage incident 3 days ago where a white van driver cut me up and then proceeded to chase me down the road threatening me and swearing in the most foul language imaginable. Must be somebody with anger issues as I had done nothing whatsoever than could have been considered to have annoyed him. (Very wide road, not much traffic, he could easily pass me etc). Was very frightened as I seriously thought he was going to attack me and I think the only reason he didn't was there was a bus behind him and the driver was watching what was going on. Anyway I got his registration and reported him to the police. They have just rung me and asked 'what did you do to upset him'!!!

I don't think anything I could have done can justify his behaviour! I am a girl, wearing a skirt, cycling a shopping bike. He is a man, in a van, screaming and swearing threatening abuse. Why would I want to start a fight with someone like that anyway. What is wrong with people!!!

The police are (reluctantly) going to investigate as apparently there is a lot of CCTV in the area (it has a lot of crime). I am not really sure it's going to be worth the bother though. Might be better off to forget about it and move on (cycle a different way to work from now on and hope I don't come across him again)
by orangebiker
14 Jul 2015, 4:18pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: trainee was a 'fantastic driver'
Replies: 25
Views: 9196

Re: trainee was a 'fantastic driver'

The cement mixer didn't necessarily overtake the cyclist. It could be that the cyclist went up the inside whilst the mixer was stopped or moving slowly..as it probably would be if only learning...And there was an instructor present too.

Why do people persist in riding up the inside of large vehicles?
by orangebiker
30 Mar 2015, 11:53am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Cycling 'safety' adverts
Replies: 1
Views: 4499

Cycling 'safety' adverts

Heard on Smooth radio last night several adverts presumably aimed at cyclists. They were played repeatedly between the other ads - very short clips, with no indication of what organisation was funding them.

The first: (Spoken in a very strident tone) 'Cyclists - give yourself a chance - wear a helmet. Otherwise YOU HAVE NO CHANCE' followed by crashing noise

The second: 'Cyclists - wear hi vis and lights - otherwise YOU BECOME INVISIBLE' followed by screeching of brakes and crashing noise

I felt these adverts will probably just encourage victim blaming and bad driving, and make cycling appear very dangerous - quite apart from the fact that helmets are of unproven benefit anyway.

Also I found the ads pretty offensive and ridiculous!

Misguided or actually malicious?

Has anyone else heard these? Is there any point complaining?
by orangebiker
25 Nov 2014, 2:24pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Is it time for radicalism?
Replies: 55
Views: 5431

Re: Is it time for radicalism?

On a point of economics, can anyone explain how the GDP/car thing works?

Using cars and paying for petrol/repairs etc is just one way of spending money that people already have. If they didn't drive a car they would presumably spend it on something else (eg. a bigger house/better food/more bikes....).

Or do you think that if people didn't spend money on cars they would save it up and therefore not be spending it at all?
by orangebiker
31 Oct 2014, 11:53am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: A warning on roof cycle carriers
Replies: 27
Views: 4937

Re: A warning on roof cycle carriers

My friend has a ford fiesta (old one, V reg), and can get a road bike in with both wheels still on. Same with my old Citroen zx. Could get 2 in that with wheels on. So you don't need a massive car.