I left Cardiff, early evening, headed for the valley tops and troughs on my doorstep. Climbing would be the order of the day. Pulling up to the roundabout that exits Tongwynlais, I waited for a break in the traffic, bolted to the next roundabout and turned for Gwaleod-Y-Garth. A cement mixer passed, a tad too close. A BMW blazed around me, it’s body movement screaming ‘Outta my way!’. I turned right and entered Gwaleod-Y-Garth. The traffic melted away.
“More fun on that!” Shouted a removal van driver, notepad in hand, beaming.
The road meanders and dips, climbs and turns, flows around the base of the hill. Two cars approach. They scrub speed and wait. I thank them.
I pass the train station at Taffs Well Industrial Estate. The only traffic here, runs on rails. The road runs arrow straight, then sweeps toward the A470. I re-enter the fray.
The traffic noise emulates angry bees. Vehicles come thick and fast. Survival of the fittest. I ride more aggressively. The roundabout beneath the dual carriageway feels like the Hadron Collider. I sprint through, leave at Griffin Mill and climb the country lane.
A car descends toward me and waits at the mouth of the farm.
I ride slowly through a fractional layby to let a climbing vehicle pass. He beeps, waves and smiles.
200m on, another descender bides her time. I nod and smile. She waves cheerily.
At the top of the moor a Range Rover rattles toward me at speed. Typical, I think. Wrongly. He slows, pulls to one side and lets me pass.
Though they will never see it, I thank them all on twitter for their uncommon courtesy.
Genuine vote of thanks to the good country lane drivers of Gwaleod-Y-Garth & Senghenydd. Very uncommon courtesies displayed by all. Bravo!
— CycleStuffblog (@CycleStuffblog) March 26, 2014
Top image: The type of views I seek; the Bristol Channel from the top of Gwaleod-Y-Garth.
Categories: Cycling, Philosophy, Photography, Poetry
CycleStuff 
I’ve spent many years commuting back Cornish lanes and at no time found drivers to be impatient or intolerant? So not always raged drivers around 🙂
…and not always raged, necessarily. The rush of modern cities can make drivers oblivious to courtesy, safety and empathy. Envious of those Cornish lanes though; what a fine way to commute!
I’d put together a post on my Cornish commute:
http://nigelsbicyclejourneys.com/2012/03/15/the-commute-3/
🙂
Love the view of St Etval! Glorious.
Simon you’re right, a lot don’t even think during the daily rush and when they do realise they sometimes feel foolish or bad for having made you stop or near miss you off the road but I too am envious of the Cornish politeness. Love the photo, apart from the fact it so clearly shows the chem trails. Not con trails. Ever since I learned of the chem trailing I can’t help but sky gaze more and shake my head. Until they get us all lets enjoy the rides and the complete sense of freedom.