Road debris

[EricinIkebukuro]

Today was one of the worst commutes home of my life...
Well maybe not as bad as being hit by a taxi but I encountered a ton of debris today. First as I was going along the gutter passing cars in traffic, I noticed a white object in the road and It didn't click in my head until the last second that it was a milk carton size block of concrete just sitting in the gutter. I kissed the side of the car next to me and just barley managed to avoid the brick.

But that's not what I am upset about tonight. Tonight I had a fun little hitchhiker bury itself into my tire. I was cruising Meiji-dori by Shin-Okubo when all of a sudden I hear something get into my wheel and stay there. I quickly stop to see what it was and found a good 1cm length piece of steel sticking out my wheel. I was lucky that it didn't go straight in but it went in at a very shallow angle. About 2/5th of the metal was in the tire and I was expecting to get a puncture when I pulled it but thanks to the latex tubes, I was safe.

Just amazed at the things I came across today. In America this would all be normal but Tokyo streets are usually so clean, I was thrown off a bit.

 

[FarEast]

Looks like a box cutter blade, but you get what's coming when you gutter ride.

 

[Half-Fast Mike]

My first good deed for today was to stop and clear away a huge tarpaulin sitting in the middle of the carriageway.

Saw dozens of motorists swerving around it at the very last second, but not one with the microgram of sense required to stop and do something about it.

Fortunately I didn't get anything nasty in my tires.

 

[patrick.yodar]

a cinder block in your path is a gift! a great excuse to practice your bunnyhopping skillz! especially on a fixed gear.

 

[EricinIkebukuro]

When I got the metal in my tire I wasnt in the gutter at the time, just a few inches to the right

normally with my fixie I would try it but I was riding the carbon bike with carbon wheels so I wasn't about to try that

 

[GSAstuto]

2012 resolution. 1m rule! I simply won't ride to the left of the tire strip. Period. Ride the gutter or left of the tire strip and you're gonna pick up a lot of this junk and damage $100 tires along the way. Not worth it. Let the basterds honk all they want.

 

[EricinIkebukuro]

Tonight I learned not to use the knight rider unless its for spring/summer training or races. From now on, all other riding will be on the fixie!