Holy cow... I'm stuck in my office!

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Due to the incalculable wisdom of our omnipotent overlords at Reading borough council, Wokingham District Council and West Berkshire council, nowhere in Reading has been gritted/salted. This now means that anywhere there is any kind of minor gradient the roads are totally fecked.

I tried to leave here about half past four and was thwarted by the lack of movement and the numpties abandoning their cars in the middle of the street. The AA traffic site says tha normal traffic conditions are expected to resume at 18:45. Yeah. Right.

I think I'm going to stay here until about 9pm and then try to embark on the journey home. I'm damn glad I'm not on the bike, and I'm also glad I had to forgo the BMW for my girlfriends Peugeot.

Wish me luck.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

You'll get parked.

https://www.designandspace.com/zno.jpg

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

I made it home, what normally takes me 40minutes took 3 hours. Seriously Fuck snow on the bike I saw 2 bike crashes and had a hairy moment myself, which invovled sliding at full lock.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

OK I'm going for it.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Flip · Super Spammer Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Karma :

Drive safe.

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Do what everyone is doing down this glass like street, close your eyes and hope for the best...

Safe journey... Thumbs Up

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

Good luck. Drive like you are seducing a virgin, no fast moves and gentle on the controls.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Made it.

EVERY street in Reading is like rippled glass. Greasy rippled glass. Greasy rippled glass covered in ice. 2nd gear, loads of clutch slip, I think I might have damaged the Poogeot's clutch as it is juddering a bit now. Still, a full bore race start when the weather is OK ought to see it right. I'm soo glad I didn't take the beemer because it has a 130k mile clutch on it, and I'd probably have finished it off!

Braking is like stepping on a kittens head. You just feel for that moment when the slack is taken up in the brake pedal, and thats your lot. Any more and you're rewarded with loss of steering and a quiet "Schhhhssssshhh" sound. Oh and the ABS going loony at you. "Baaah, what are you doeeeing you crayzeee eeenglish moron. You could 'ave keeeled me! You may 'ave won agincourt, but you can't drive for tof-ee!"

Fucking idiots still ditching their cars (and articulated lorries) in the most ridiculous ludicrous stupid places. Like on a hill on a blind left hand bend. Tosser.

Dear Asda, stop hiring tosser Artic drivers!

If I drank alchohol I would be pouring myself a whisky by now. My nerves are shredded. I strongly suspect I'm going to develop PTSD and have to sue the councils of Reading for millions.

"Its OK, the MET office says it isn't going to snow, just rain."

Yeah you freaking morons, -2 is BELOW the freezing point of water, hence the sheet ice. I thought science was compulsory to GCSE level nowadays...

Excuse me while I just go and have a nervous breakdown in a corner somewhere.

Angry is not the word.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

Glad you made it, it sounded epic.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

Blau Zedong · Banned Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Karma :

Does the beemer not have ASC???? Mine does and it's been fucking brilliant in this weather. Good job as the light was on most of the way down the A63 sliproad this morning Shocked

. While I wouldn't encourage it's use in an attempt to drive at normal speeds, it makes accelarating a RWD car much less stressful in these conditions.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

Paulington · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Karma :

That sounds like a journey to be proud of. Thumbs Up

.
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"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul."
Current Vehicles: '89 Kawasaki KDX200, '99 Yamaha XV535, '00 Honda ST1100 Pan-European, '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GS4 2.0 TDCi, '15 BMW 1 Series 116d Sport Turbo.
CBT: 27/08/08. Theory: 04/09/09. Module 1: 16/09/09. Module 2: 01/10/09.

trevoriv · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Karma :

May just be becuase im a big kid but that sounds like a fun commute to me!

Got a lift in to work today but seeing snow/slush/ice covered sweeping corners made me want something like a little dt125 or something with nobblies on so bad!
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Past: '96 Thundercat, '02 ZX636R (A1P), '58 KTM 690 SM LC4 Current: '06 ZX636R (C6F)
Mudskipper wrote: Someone just has to sig that...

damz · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Karma :

sadly my boss is basically telling me i have to go out and deliver on a fucking scooter tomorrow, roads have barely been gritted and is well below 0 atm.

sadly if i refuse to go out on the scooter it will mean i'l get fuck all shifts afterwards

i'l probs just destroy a scooter earlier on then refuse to go out afterwards, last winter i crashed 2 scooters due to black ice, was told to use another scooter until they were repaired Sad

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Current Bikes RVF400 - 94
Cars: RX7 FD, Eunos Roadster
Former Bikes: FZR 250R 89, ZX7R 98

Stelmer · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Karma :

Driving in snow is easy....just the other drivers make it hard.....

Put the car in 1st, do not touch the accelerator at all, lift up clutch slowly and the car will move, even up minor inclines. It will however go a maximum of 5-10mph in 1st and 2nd on idle speed alone. You can take all your feet off the pedals and just sit there steering the car.

Slight throttle is fine. The key is to get the momentum going in the first place and not to make any sudden movements.

Steer slowly round corners, ideally without braking (do not go too fast and you will not have to brake) and when braking to stop, I tend to get the pads to bite and then increase pressure slowly without using the clutch till the last moment. The help from the engine fools the abs slightly.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Well I had fucking ACE fun on my way home today in my 4x4 suzuki Jimny.

4 wheel drift round the corners and everything. I came all the way home driving with two wheels on the ridge of snow built up in the middle of the road so it doesn't get in my way tomorrow morning when it will be solid ice.

PROTIP: Keep your left foot nailed to the floor unless you are actually changing gear. The power going to the wheels in a front wheel drive car on ice is the only thing giving you direction control. They are also the only thing remotely likely to slow you down by means of taking your foot off the accelerator.

Sliding is not too bad as long as the wheels are turning, you can usually power out of it. In fact, in properly deep snow it is the only way to get through the mound of snow the ploughs dump across the mouths of junctions. You pendulum the steering so you slide sideways through the junction and give it some gas to pull you forwards in the new direction you are facing.

Dip the clutch and you have no steering control and no braking, you are now no longer driving a car, you are observing a Newtonian physics experiment.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

Stelmer · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Karma :

^^^^^Tried that too and it works^^^^^.

Had fun on the back roads of Rotherham doing that.

Just only on empty roads as i've not found a quicker way to stop yet.

st3v3 · Super Spammer Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

See, I completely agree, for an extra safety feature snow chains area god send, even if it's an improvisation set. Cool

That's an amazing night shot Bend, what's it taken with?
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

Stelmer · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Karma :

If this winter pans out the way the geeky interweb bods are expecting, i'm thinking of investing in some snow chains..

cagiva gezzer · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Karma :

7 hours = 60 miles. Again, herts council couldn't grit anything if their life depended on it.

I tried to help those specials trying to get up hills, but gave up when they couldn't turn off the traction control . . . . Rolling Eyes

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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

warped one · Banned Joined: 25 Dec 2007 Karma :

I myself like these roads especially up in the wolds. But tonight whilst driving down a rather badly cambered road in my mates car, it just litterally fell off the road. Even when we had stopped it was still going sideways, and thus concluded into 2 hours of breakiing ice and snow with my heel just to get the car back on the road. And even that included alot of pushing on the arch to slide it sideways and turn it around.

I love this weather Thumbs Up

Best driving lesson ever.

Warped
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amnesia - Never in the history of usernames has one been more accurate. Warped indeed. You sir are a fecking oddball.

Alexio · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Karma :

I've been out on the CG and all is fine, the bike seems to be staying rubber side down with every situation I throw at her. If there's any snow or ice out there come next weekend though, there's no way I'm riding 80 miles to my brothers house as I have planned. I think I'll get the train.
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?