Winter SORN...

....for the TL, as of tomorrow. The old barge really is pretty shit to
ride in winter; the steering needs a heavy hand, which makes it feel
lifeless and plain *wrong* in the wet, and the fasteners and radiators
really don't like road salt. The Guzzi and Tuono are still taxed.

Happily, I had a last blast on dry roads, though the morning was wet.
The journey was somewhat blighted by slow traffic on my favourite
roundabout, though.

I'm sure it's just that I notice it more, but the TL seems to be a
"slow fucker" magnet, or maybe I need to read up on queue theory. I
got stuck behind a horse box yesterday on the approach to the
roundabout and couldn't nip round it because of a 4x4 that happened to
be in the way. Today, I managed to slip past another one by outbraking
him on the cross-hatching on the approach to the roundabout, which is
fine as long as nobody runs wide coming off the roundabout.

"Yessss!" I thought, followed by "Noooo!" as another fucking horse box
pulled onto the roundabout from the next turning in front of me. I
swear the bastards lurk in wait for me.

 

or as long as the cross hatching isn't covered in gravel and puncture
magnets.

 

True, but this particular bit's pretty safe.

 

.....and Diesel.....frost....leaves.......etc.

 

Well, in general I'd agree, cross-hatch is Bad Tarmac. However, this
particular bit actually extends for about half a mile, in fact it was
once a third overtaking lane. It tapers abruptly near the roundabout,
allowing a second lane on the approach.

However, the two lane bit is short and to use the righthand lane,
traffic would have to swing right then immediately left to join the
curve of the roundabout, so if they use it at all (and many don't)
then drivers cut across the hatching a bit, thus keeping it clean.
This does mean that one has to use it with caution and I only do it if
I'm either feeling very confident about the situation or, sometimes,
just plain aggressive.