A positive thread

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
landsurfer
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Re: A positive thread

Post by landsurfer »

Cyril Haearn wrote:
I do recommend walking routes that one usually cycles, one sees much more. Fruit trees for example, the first cherries will be ripe soon


ASDA at Dalton in Rotherham...the carpark is surrounded by cherry and pear trees .... while cherries where on sale a £2 a punnet my daughter and i stood on the top of my truck and picked lovely cherries and later in the year sweet pears ..... the following year non of the trees had any fruit.....
My daughter challenged a company spraying the roots and was told they where stopping the trees fruiting at the behest of ASDA ....
I this possible ?????
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mjr
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Re: A positive thread

Post by mjr »

landsurfer wrote:My daughter challenged a company spraying the roots and was told they where stopping the trees fruiting at the behest of ASDA ....
I this possible ?????

Yes, quite possible. Food retailers have gotten up to dirty tricks for centuries - one of the motives for the earliest co-operative food shops was to avoid stunts like chalk being added to flour and so on.
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Had a great day with a bit of cycling

It was too hot to go cycling so I cycled to the station and got the train to visit a little Waldbahn. From the station one takes a hidden path up a staircase into the shadowy woods..

Had a walk and a picnic too, rode in a solar-powered railcar and behind a historic diesel

Looking forward to November when the weather will be more reliable and better for cycling
..
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KFT
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Re: A positive thread

Post by KFT »

Nothing wrong with being a pessimist - keeps you happy as everything always turns out better than expected :lol:
pwa
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Re: A positive thread

Post by pwa »

I braved the 30c heat this afternoon and went for a not-too-fast 20 mile saunter around the lanes, chucking in a handful of steep little climbs to make it more interesting. Nearing home I began to relax a bit and was caught, on my lightweight Audax bike, by a bloke on a 29er MTB thing! Childish, I know, but I did go into chase mode. He was quick and it took me about 3 miles to reel him back in. But on catching him we had a nice 5 minute chat about tyres and stuff. Then he turned off down the lane to the Nash Point lighthouse, where he had left his elderly mother sat beside his car, enjoying the view over the Bristol Channel.
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Cyril Haearn »

A photo caption by Tim Hughes keeps going through my head. The photo shows a group of cyclists including Audrey Hughes walking up a hill..

*there seems no explanation for their happy expressions, it is a wet day in February and they were walking because their feet were cold*

Can anyone explain? Diolch
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Username »

robing wrote:Thought I would start a thread on positive things happening on roads instead of the negatives. Today I was turning right at a difficult junction - at the top of a hill. There was quite a lot of traffic and I couldn't pull out, but a van slowed and flashed its lights at me and let me out.


The difference is that the negatives put people in serious danger, and thus generate more interest and more worthy of mention. Individuals might also be seeking advice of their situation etc.
The positives, as in your example are completely benign. The van driver didn't "nearly save you're life" so to speak, as a close pass van driver would have "nearly killed you".
pwa
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Re: A positive thread

Post by pwa »

Username wrote:
robing wrote:Thought I would start a thread on positive things happening on roads instead of the negatives. Today I was turning right at a difficult junction - at the top of a hill. There was quite a lot of traffic and I couldn't pull out, but a van slowed and flashed its lights at me and let me out.


The difference is that the negatives put people in serious danger, and thus generate more interest and more worthy of mention. Individuals might also be seeking advice of their situation etc.
The positives, as in your example are completely benign. The van driver didn't "nearly save you're life" so to speak, as a close pass van driver would have "nearly killed you".


None of what you say is wrong, but I cycle because 99% of my cycling feels safe and is enjoyable. Naturally we hear a lot about dangerous things that have happened to people, and for very good reason. But it is useful to balance that out by pointing out that most of our cycling is good, and a lot of the motorists we meet are good. Someone thinking of taking up cycling who dips into our threads and sees nothing but worries about close passes, aggressive drivers and collisions might think that cycling is conflict, with nothing positive. If the cycling I experienced was always like that I would pack it in. But it's not. Mostly it is enjoyable and most of my interactions with other road users are okay. That is worth saying. Yesterday I cycled maybe 20 miles or so, admittedly on rural roads, and my interactions with other road users were okay. That is my normal experience. It doesn't make for a dramatic or interesting story but it does tell you why I cycle.
Phil Fouracre
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Phil Fouracre »

Off on one of my regular rides for a pleasant spot of linch, not far, about 25k. Always look forward to it - mixture of side and main roads, no reason to think it won't be very pleasant, as the vast majority are. Agree entirely with your sentiments about reality :-)
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mjr
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Re: A positive thread

Post by mjr »

Great yesterday to rediscover the roadside refreshment trucks parked at http://www.instantstreetview.com/@52.19 ... .05p,2.17z which are now next to the bus-and-bike-only bit of Cambridge Station Road. Ride-up coffee and food!
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Phil Fouracre
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Phil Fouracre »

Back now! Think I must have been having a Peter Sellers moment :-) The 'linch' was nice, the lunch was even better!!
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Vorpal »

I had a lovely bike ride in the rain today. I'm on tour with Mini V's marching band in Denmark, and while they were practising today, I borrowed a bicycle from the hostel and took a ride around. I only had about an hour and half, but it was really nice, and there was almost not traffic on the roads, either.
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reohn2
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Re: A positive thread

Post by reohn2 »

Since my new hip op,I've re-found the joy of walking.I'm striding out at a remarkable pace,and haven't walked so painless and so fast for years :D
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Mistik-ka
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Re: A positive thread

Post by Mistik-ka »

reohn2 wrote:Since my new hip op,I've re-found the joy of walking.I'm striding out at a remarkable pace,and haven't walked so painless and so fast for years :D
As a physio I found that the most common response from people who'd had hip replacements was "I should have had it done years ago!"

I expect you'll get used to cycling again without much difficulty once your surgeon gives you the o.k. :D
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gaz
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Re: A positive thread

Post by gaz »

Wonderful little pootle through the woods with Mrs gaz this afternoon. Cup of tea at the local NT place, brief explore of a nearby church before another pootle back home :D .
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
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