Crazyabout commuting
Nov. 12th, 2014 11:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
torkellBecause of the crazyabout, my commute back form work requires me to approach from a specific direction in a specific lane otherwise I can't get into the car park behind my flat (well... I can, but the entrance is just the wrong side of a no-entry sign and I'd prefer not to accumulate any points on my shiny new licence). To achieve this I have to go round the crazyabout, then take the next exit off the A-road, head down and all the way round another roundabout, then back up a sliproad and merge right one lane (otherwise I'd end up going straight over the crazyabout and have to start all over again).
The sliproad is a bit steep and invariably has two lanes of stop-start traffic in what's marked as only a single lane, so it's good practice for hill starts and clutch control. So far I've only stalled a couple of times on it! I must admit, I do cheat a bit and let the Alfa's hill holder deal with it when properly on the slope (though I do have to watch out at the bottom and top of the sliproad as it doesn't activate on slight slopes - fortunately in my car I can hear a whine from presumably the brake assist pump when it's engaged).
Anyway, today's fun was at the middle of the roundabout on a rather wet and wild evening. Having dodged cyclists (including one twice - I passed him, then he passed me while queueing at a set of lights), people zipping past just before two lanes merge into one, stealth ninja motorcyclists, and a police car blocking a lane of traffic (who moved on just as the traffic approached him, causing no end of confusion to the drivers that were about to overtake him), I then navigated the crazyabout and dropped down into the second roundabout, turned a corner half-way round and discovered a good couple of inches of water stretching across the road. Fortunately I'd already slowed before reaching it as it's immediately before a set of hidden lights, but it was rather disconcerting to find the road replaced by a rather large puddle! I'll have to remember to watch out for that spot after heavy rain, especially if there's a storm surge - there's a river running through the roundabout which is just about tidal, and it's known to flood in extreme conditions.
The sliproad is a bit steep and invariably has two lanes of stop-start traffic in what's marked as only a single lane, so it's good practice for hill starts and clutch control. So far I've only stalled a couple of times on it! I must admit, I do cheat a bit and let the Alfa's hill holder deal with it when properly on the slope (though I do have to watch out at the bottom and top of the sliproad as it doesn't activate on slight slopes - fortunately in my car I can hear a whine from presumably the brake assist pump when it's engaged).
Anyway, today's fun was at the middle of the roundabout on a rather wet and wild evening. Having dodged cyclists (including one twice - I passed him, then he passed me while queueing at a set of lights), people zipping past just before two lanes merge into one, stealth ninja motorcyclists, and a police car blocking a lane of traffic (who moved on just as the traffic approached him, causing no end of confusion to the drivers that were about to overtake him), I then navigated the crazyabout and dropped down into the second roundabout, turned a corner half-way round and discovered a good couple of inches of water stretching across the road. Fortunately I'd already slowed before reaching it as it's immediately before a set of hidden lights, but it was rather disconcerting to find the road replaced by a rather large puddle! I'll have to remember to watch out for that spot after heavy rain, especially if there's a storm surge - there's a river running through the roundabout which is just about tidal, and it's known to flood in extreme conditions.
