Ever had a 'I goofed up, shoulda gone in the car' day?

[kgm]

6I'm quite happy in most weather, my commute isn't too long and with my gear and muffs in don't really get cold. I had to patch the bike a couple of days last week though asy garden and the entire street had thick enough ice to use skates on. I wouldn't have even have been able to wheel it out of the garden without dropping it.

I done have a car to use a lot of the time as I share my car with the Mrs who uses it for work so I don't have a choice a lot of the time. That'll be changing next year though and I'll probably use the car a bit more during winter. Happy taking my er6 out in anything but anything valuable or special I wouldn't want to expose tof the salt.

This day wasn't very ejoyable...

[Dave70]

I don't have a car licence, so not much option but to ride the bike.

However, since discovering what black ice is last week and sliding down the road behind the bike, I am now considering doing my car test/lessons. I'd rather ride a horse tbh but, don't have anywhere to keep one.

I had a few car lessons a good number of years ago and I have to admit, I hated every second of them. Although, if I can find a new job (which I'm looking for anyway) that's on a bus or train route pretty soon, I may just stick with the bike and use public transport on the rare days it looks like it maybe a bit dodgy weather wise.

The other option is to by a cheap as chips winter hack, for commuting on this time of year.

As for getting cold. I'm usually sweating with the gear I wear, except for my fingers. Need some heated grips to sort that out.
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There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk.

2012: R125 killed by white van. 2016 R125 killed by 30,000 miles of redline. Current: 2016 Kawasaki ER6f.

[recman]

[Bonnie Lad]

If you have to commute on the bike through winter due to circumstances then fair enough, but pretending it's in any way preferable to using a car is just plain old denial

[techathy]

[G]

[M.C]

[Bonnie Lad]

[G]

[kgm]

[M.C]

[G]

[chickenstrip]

All I know is I wouldn't want to ride the bike in icy weather. For one thing, it's all very well you being able to stay upright, but what about all the other numpties sliding their cars all over the shop?

My car warms up very quickly, and with heated front and rear screens, visibility stays good. Don't even have to waste time scraping em.

I seem to remember it took ages to get kitted up to ride a bike in freezing weather, and a similar time to de-kit at my destination. Maybe my kit just wasn't good enough (I've certainly found better base layers since those days), but nowadays I just find it tiresome.
It was ok for my last couple of workplaces; not far to go, but then it hardly seemed worth the bother when I could just jump in the car, and on routes where there wasn't much traffic.
Long distances in freezing weather? Who do you think I am, Ran Fiennes?
Man points? Don't make me laugh.

@G: sticking studs in old tyres - is that even legal?
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[ADSrox0r]

To be fair I've never had a problem with wet/cold/miserable, the right gear makes it entirely bearable and I've ridden as low as minus 7C. What bothers me with winter riding is when there's black ice on roundabouts and my village is like an ice rink. That and clarty road salt.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[chickenstrip]

[M.C]

[chickenstrip]

[stevo as b4]

Correct me if I'm assuming wrong, but to me all you commuters to work that do some or all of the time on two wheels, are simply travelling from warm home to a warm cosy office or warehouse/factory?

What about the BCF'ers and there must be some, that are mobile workers, visiting multiple sites per day, like sub stations, construction sites, IT centres etc?

You fuckers like me must use a works van/truck or a private/fleet/lease car with mileage expense claims? Bike commuting whatever the weather is no good for tradesmen, engineers, highways maintenance or electricity network staff etc.

[Irn-Bru]

Traffic is much less of an issue when you're being paid to sit in it Have parked the work van at home for a year now, very convenient for me. Would still use the car for commuting otherwise as the yard is 2 mile away with little traffic.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[MinhDinh]

Of course there are days when you're soaked (even from the outside), your visor mists and the roads are so wet that you need to slow down a lot that you think you have made a mistake. However being stuck in traffic in a warm and dry car can be incredibly annoying too.

Generally I go on my gut feeling and stick with it. Whatever happens, will happen but at least I have made that decision.
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Hit the G spot.

[kawakid]

Yup and I didn't even make it to the end of the road.

I'd probably made it successfully 9 times in the snow. (but always home and home is up hill).

My wife warned me, she didn't need the car, but no....

Got to end of road (steep hill), front went and down I went. It's a naked ER6 with engine bars, but still lost a footpeg.

Then pushed it for a bit, then road it, then had to abandone it on someones drive and wait for the thaw. (Very kind person). A colleague then had to come and get me.

FFS I can walk to work in an hour.

Nowadays I don't even try.

I'd hate to do it on a faired bike!!!
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I've a twin and a 4.

[G]

[chickenstrip]

[Courier265]

I don't have the CAR option, I never learned to drive...

Anyway today I managed to get to London through the snow but FARKED UP by wearing the WRONG farking Boots... My feet got so soaked, weather forecast was a tad wrong.

[Courier265]