A change in the weather

[slowfox]

After a whole summer's worth of good weather (three cloudless days), the skies o'er Castle Fox are overcast once more. Although it feels a little cooler than yesterday morning, it'll still be warm on the ride in, I think.

This is an issue because I bought a new bike jacket - it's bright, hi-viz orange. In fact, it's so bright I'm beginning to suspect it has a half-life...

However, the downside to riding along in a coat that fries retina at 40 metres is that it gets very warm inside. So I risk arriving at work lightly poached. Hrmmm. Decisions...

Comments

[linaelyn]

New jackets are TOTALLY RADICAL, as we say here out on the Left Coast. Might you post a picture? Though I'm not sure my monitor will do the color justice (oranges and vibrant purples. There's something that's... missing... in those colors when they are displayed electronically. JMHO, YMMV.)

Shockingly for our location this time of year, we've got three days ahead where the weather service is calling for scattered thunderstorms! We ought to be well into the bone-dry summer season, especially as we've had two full-on heat waves in May. Strange days indeed.

[slowfox]

Will see what I can do about a picture, but I doubt that it could do the visual awesomeness justice (I happen to agree with JYHO). Basically I wear it so that when (not if) the day comes, I can look the driver straight in the eye when he says 'sorry mate, I didn't see you'...

[linaelyn]

It's frustratingly true that that day will come when one is on the bike.

Estel's been riding his in to the office, fairly consistently; this evening he said he was a little slow entering the intersection on the green and still nearly run down by some idiot running the red, fully three or four seconds past the light's changing. It's a bit frightening, knowing how much damage such an accident could produce. But then, you'd know better than most...

[slowfox]

The first couple of rides past the scene of the (motor)bike crash were a little unsettling, and I've been nearly knocked off a couple of times. Spat at, too. But nothing bad enough to dissuade me from riding just yet.

[linaelyn]

The first couple of rides past the scene of the (motor)bike crash were a little unsettling...
*tongue in cheek* I can recommend a good counselor for PTSD issues.

Seriously, though. The spitting thing? WTF. Just... on what planet is that okay?

[slowfox]

The spitting thing was unpleasant, but I haven't seen that particular car again since (it was distinctive, and I'm a car geek). And even then, unless I go for the whole cyborg/helmet-mounted-camera approach to commuting (and don't think I haven't been tempted), it just ends up as my word against theirs...

[linaelyn]

I'm glad there's been no reappearance of that particular menace.

...unless I go for the whole cyborg/helmet-mounted-camera approach to commuting (and don't think I haven't been tempted)...

*sporfles beverage* Hee hee! Ah, how I've missed you, and your moderation-in-all-things antics.

*tigger!hugs*

[slowfox]

you, and your moderation-in-all-things

Legend tells of things called 'halves', although I choose to have nothing to do with them ;-P

[linaelyn]

What I mean to say is -- I'm truly glad you've got this jacket, increasing your chance of being seen. And I shall look for something similar for Estel (who tends to wear greys, browns and olive-greens!)

[slowfox]

this is the jacket, but IRL, it's much, much more vivid. Also comes in yellow, but, srsly, what I wanted was same in fluoro pink.

[linaelyn]

Oooooooh, quite spiffy, and as you say, +8 to your visibility rolls at a minimum! Well chosen.

Fluoro!pink? It's a good color on you. *smirk*

[slowfox]

Sadly, doesn't do much to my armour class, but yeah, +8 on vis sounds about right :D

[linaelyn]

Armor class, schmarmor class. If you wanted armor, you'd be in a CAR. This option for commuting raises your strength, dexterity, and your charisma. It's a reasonable trade-off.

[slowfox]

Magic User/Thief/Cyclist FTW!!!

[slowfox]

If you wanted armor, you'd be in a CAR

Because I get DW comment notifications emailed to me, and because I use gmail, and because I'm not that bothered about the potential privacy implications of Google scanning my correspondence so as to helpfully provide more targetted ads...

...the banner ad in my Inbox reads 'Armored Passenger Cars'... I did, indeed, click on the link, because I expected to be amused. And I was.

But the killer is at the foot of the web page (which I'm not linking because they don't deserve any more free advertising), which simply says 'Visit us in Utah'. Utah! How'd I guess?? ;-P

[linaelyn]

In an attempt to find your Utah Purveyor of Armored Passenger Cars, I hunted for such a beast.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered there's an entire Utah Armored Car Directory with many vendors of such an item.

*belly-laughs*