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Eventful commuting this morning

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Old 05-30-17 | 08:50 AM
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Eventful commuting this morning

So my commute this morning was anything but dull.

First 30 minutes was nothing special but after that...

- Got my first flat. No big deal, I have a tube and 20 minutes later (first time changing tire on roadside so took me longer than usual), was back on the road.

- Almost got hit by a car door opening about 5 minutes later. Good thing I keep a safe distance from park cars otherwise I had no time to react and would have hit the door.

- Almost got hit 5 minutes later while crossing a three 5 lines road (2 on my left and 3 on my right). I had the green light, all lines with cars were stopped and as I reached the middle line of the three right side lines, a car zoomed by and turn right on the last line without stopping. Had to brake hard to avoid being hit. She turned to a school parking lot and I followed here. Stopped by her side and told her she almost hit me and need to stop at the red light before turning. She apologized. I told he to be more careful next time and went on my way.

- As I was going back on my path, I turned the corner of the school and didn't realize there was lots of gravel on the pavement. Bike slid and I flipped. Landed on my hands and rolled twice. I have a scratch shoulder, forearm and calve.

All this in the last 15 minutes of my commute, the part where I'm most of the time on roads and not bike paths. I so much prefer bike paths!

TL&DR: Got a flat, almost hit twice and flipped my bike...
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Old 05-30-17 | 08:58 AM
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Bad things usually happen in triplets, so you're good for the rest of the day.
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Old 05-30-17 | 09:06 AM
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oh man! take a taxi home
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Old 05-30-17 | 09:32 AM
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LOL, my wife told me after the third event I should have called a taxi!
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Old 05-30-17 | 10:50 AM
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I want to commend you for your dedication!
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Old 05-30-17 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by mcours2006
Bad things usually happen in triplets, so you're good for the rest of the day.
"Almost" doesn't count. A flat and a crash, so only two so far. Definitely take a cab home.
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Old 05-30-17 | 11:16 AM
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Tell us how the rest of the day went and if you rode home OK! We'll be waiting.
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Old 05-30-17 | 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by alan s
"Almost" doesn't count. A flat and a crash, so only two so far. Definitely take a cab home.
I see what you mean. Hmm. Two near misses/hits could be counted as one, no? Yeah, on second thought, better take that cab.
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Old 05-30-17 | 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by SylvainG
So my commute this morning was anything but dull.

First 30 minutes was nothing special but after that...
Years (and years) ago at work I decided I would rather have one project with a lot of problems, than one problem with a lot of projects. I suppose that goes for commutes, too. Glad you're relatively okay.
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Old 05-30-17 | 04:34 PM
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I have not ridden without an event in so long I have come to consider it a part of cycling. I am glad you survived your three.
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Old 05-30-17 | 07:38 PM
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He never replied back. I hope he's OK.
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Old 05-30-17 | 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by bigbenaugust
He never replied back. I hope he's OK.
Bosh, it was only 10 hours - that's only enough time to convince his spouse to let him bike commute the rest of the week.
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Old 05-31-17 | 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by bigbenaugust
He never replied back. I hope he's OK.
don't jinx it!
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Old 05-31-17 | 07:37 AM
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Probably sheltering in place right now.
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Old 05-31-17 | 09:03 AM
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The cab slid out, breached a fence and plunged into a canal. OP escaped, but his bike sank to the bottom. Waiting until daylight to salvage the cab, his insurance agent informed him that loss in a cab ride wasn't covered. It would've been better (from the insurance perspective) if he had damaged the bike in an earlier car accident. Oh, the irony...
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Old 05-31-17 | 09:16 AM
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I'm here! Ride back home and this morning were uneventful, except I think I bent my RD bracket on the fall. Chain has trouble finding the right gear now
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Old 06-01-17 | 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by SylvainG
I'm here! Ride back home and this morning were uneventful, except I think I bent my RD bracket on the fall. Chain has trouble finding the right gear now
Get that fixed. There is a special tool for aligning the derailleur hanger, so the LBS is your next stop. You don't want your derailleur going into your spokes.
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Old 06-01-17 | 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by noglider
Get that fixed. There is a special tool for aligning the derailleur hanger, so the LBS is your next stop. You don't want your derailleur going into your spokes.
I've attached a flat pry bar to my RD hanger with a C clamp and straighten it. I've then reattached my RD and using a weighted string, can confirm my two pulleys are now aligned. Switching gears was again smooth this morning
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Old 06-02-17 | 09:16 AM
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Im so greatfull we have bike paths everwhere here in the netherlands.

Stuff happens. keep riding!
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Old 06-02-17 | 10:57 AM
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No plan on stopping, except for careless drivers lol
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Old 06-02-17 | 11:26 AM
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Originally Posted by mcours2006
Bad things usually happen in triplets, so you're good for the rest of the day.
If you eat a live toad for breakfast every morning, the odds are very good that nothing worse will happen to you all day!
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Old 06-06-17 | 01:05 PM
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