S-Westerly

Well it could be looked at like that but anyone going at any speed at that point is unlikely to be looking at road markings as they'd be completely barking.

Two of the family pooches doing what they do best.

Recently the council sent a team to paint up the give way markings at the bottom of our road. To our collective surprise they also painted this. There is NO road beyond the SLOW sign!

I was spending a wet afternoon in my local museum when I came across this - a Baughan bike and sidecar. Built in Stroud in 1929 and apparently it swept the board in trials competitions. The side car wheel was powered through a dog clutch running off the rear wheel axle. Apparently it was rubbish on the road as it wouldn't go round bends too well. Baughn bike and sidecar

No you're not.

Finally off the mark. I HATE stopping. Hare and Hounds Westonbirt Arboretum

Went to the Jamie's Italian in Bath not long after it opened. Had to queue and what a disappointment. Overcooked and overpriced. Never been back and I think it's closed. No surprise if it has. Other things about restaurants: if it's empty when you arrive, unless it's just opened, walk out. Second if the menu is long the food will be crap.

Anything attached to Rick Stein is pretentious. Spent a week in Padstow once due to being weatherbound and it's like he owns the place. After the first insanely expensive meal in his cafe we made an effort to eat elsewhere.

Depends what you like to eat. My OH is a truly excellent cook so unless we are away we only eat out of its likely to be either different or better than at home. So cafes are out and only gastro pubs get a look in. Food snobs? probably yes. That said when I'm out on the bike I am a keen aficionados of bacon butties. Also when I'm at work I eat some utter shite on occasion due to there being bugger all choice.

Don't know exactly where in Somerset you are but the Queen's Arms near Sherborne and the Swan at Wedmore used to be decent gastro pubs. Haven't been there since we moved up to Gloucestershire so may have gone to seed since.

Had not heard of the Ethicurean (and the name alone is a bit twee). Just had a look at their menu and speaking as a shameless carnivore they really don't appeal. I'm afraid animal based protein is the core of any meal I eat. As to pretentious restaurants: I'm not sure if this is current as it was a couple of years ago: Beresford Arms in Northumberland was reputedly renowned for classic British food. Took my Dad for lunch and the steak and kidney pie was like school dinners from 45 years ago. So disappointing. Never been back.

I know exactly the one you mean, off the Globe pub roundabout. I think people look but don't see - they know they usually wait a while so pull up, glance and if they 'see' a gap they go. I've had people do it there so I'm generally covering my front brake. This sums it up neatly https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/ Do you not generally ride covering the front brake or is it just me? I have always done it around town after my first off 6 days after starting riding where u grabbed a handful of front brake when I didnt need to and locked the front. The reason I do it is I feel it either completely eradicates the reaction time or at least lessens it as your fingers are already on the brake lever so when you think I need to brake here your straight on the brakes without faffing about Generally no. I was always taught to "keep your hands off the silverware" . I'll cover the brake and/or clutch when driving slowly in heavy traffic or filtering but not normally.

I used to go out there quite a bit with work, and every time I did I swore I'd never complain about British roads again. This is so true but Kenya is not exactly a country claiming to be a first world powerhouse which our politicians regularly do and it's just not the current crop either but both sides going back 30 years. Comparing our roads to 3rd world ones is perhaps appropriate at this point in which case they are amazing.

A Yes, and how often does the road get dug up by the gas company for example, then a few months later it's the electricity or the water ad infinitum. The patches they make are always crap.

Unfortunately at the moment most of the good roads are like pot holed corduroy with a liberal spatter of mud, grit, dead badgers and spilt diesel. Parts of the A46 are still good though. I'm guessing if you were flying out of Aston Down it may have been gliding?

According to their website they are DOT approved and ECE 22.02 so they meet some standard at least. Quite neat looking helmets as well.

Actually my bit of Gloucestershire does grit and quite well to be honest. I live up a steepish hill which is regularly gritted. We've had little icy weather this year but last year in the beast from the East we could always get in and out. That's Stroud District rather than the posh bit out in the Cotswolds.

And in Gloucestershire too. Half the time I end up closer to the white line than I'd like but at this time of year from the near side out to mid lane it's a happy mixture of potholes and gravel slicks. Throw in some mud and the obligatory spilt diesel and it's just so much fun - not.

Yeah I know. Just thinking where I've been in the last few years that had worse roads than us and so far only come up with Russia, Turkey and Egypt. It's just so depressing. As for riding elsewhere it's a bit difficult to have an afternoon whizz in France for example.

Ouch. Corbin were popular with some Ducati owners a while back. I agree that local would be better.

When exactly did our roads get so bloody horrible? This last week I've done just over a thousand miles. About 750 in the car between Gloucestershire and mid-Northumberland on motorways and A roads and the rest on the bike in Gloucestershire, Somerset and the cities of Bath and Bristol. I can honestly say I've seen better in most developed countries that I've been to and that most western European countries are generally better. What with potholes, ridges, trenches and bad surfaces overall they are a total disgrace. My local M5 junction (13) was resurfaced less than 2 years ago and it now looks like a topographical map of the moon. Why?????!!!!!

Another custom seat builder is Corbin although they are based in the USA. About £400 for a seat though.

WTF is a familam? Not doing most social media I am far behind the curve of modern usages but I can't even work out where that particular abomination comes from.

Part of the problem is car drivers generally totally underestimate how fast a bike can accelerate. I'd one the other day coming off a roundabout where the speed limit is 40. About 100 metres up the road on the left there's an access road into Bath university. I saw a car at the junction as I was peeling off from the roundabout come across which was fine, he cleared. Unfortunately the bloody Mercedes behind him did the same when I was probably less than 25 metres from him and doing 40mph. Cue swerving, braking and lots of swearing. In the end I missed him by about a metre and went around his back end. I'd guess we were both at fault - I'd seen him and I'm sure he'd seen me; I then assumed he'd stop. He'd seen me and assumed my speed and acceleration were less and that he'd be safe to cross. Double Oops

The internet moves in mysterious ways. For ages wherever I went online I was offered Plus Size Ladies Bathing Suits . No idea how that could have happened. I got these recently... still trying to work it out An image in my head that I really wish I didn't!