Tag: Green Lane

November 4th – The darkness hasn’t seemed to affect me as much this year as it normally does, or indeed, as badly as I expected. It normally makes me weary, depressed and listless. Maybe because we’ve had such a fine autumn and summer, I don’t feel it this year at all.

Of course, it makes for a change to habits. The days of casually throwing a jacket into the bag are over, as are the days of fingerless gloves. Warm hats, thermals and scarves will soon be on the agenda. 

Lights are clean and fully operational, and at certain times, the hi-viz is on (although one has to consider that in low sun or bright days it’s worse than dark clothing for visibility).

Here at Green lane in pitch dark, the advantage and necessity of good ligts is clear. This image taken without a flash.

That’s a Hope R4 on low, by the way.

October 11th – There’s a type of littering prevalent at the moment that’s really annoying me. It consists of collecting the rubbish in your vehicle neatly in a carrier bag, then when full, tying it in a knot and just chucking it out of the window at your first opportunity.

If you do this you are a moron with no respect for others, and are beneath contempt.

I see bags of this rubbish blighting lanes and dual carriageways; urban backstreets and country verges. This was in Little Wyrley.

There’s something very selfish about a mentality that keeps their vehicle tidy, but can’t be bothered to do the same for the wider environment. Just how hard is it to wait until you’re home and popping it in the dustbin?

Scum. Nothing more, nothing less. Filthy, littering scum.

October 8th – The weather has really turned this week. From the warm, dry Indian summer it’s changed into a wet, squally October. Very, very heavy periods of rain throughout the day interspersed with sunshine made it a great day for rainbow hunters, but not for drivers, as many local roads were flooded.

Here at Green Lane, on the Walsall Wood – Shelfield border, the usual standing flood near the cottage. It’s not deep, but riding this on a bike needs careful observation not to be passed by a vehicle and splashed or worse.

Coupled with all this it seems very cold (although it isn’t, it’s just a shock). 

Oh hello winter. I wondered where you’d got to…

September 22nd – Cycling down Green Lane between Shelfield and Walsall Wood, I’m greeted by a discarded mattress. Clearly just thrown off the back of a van or truck, there hasn’t even been an attempt to get it to a gateway or lay-by.

Some people aren’t fit to live with pigs. Utter scum.

September 10 – Riding home along Green Lane between Shelfield and Walsall Wood. Just on the Walsall Wood side of the Mob Lane junction, I’m overtaken badly by 3 mopeds, or small motorbikes.

The first has three – yes three – hemetless neds sharing an unregistered machine, the rear one actually smoking. Bringing up the rear, two lads with helmets, but one on a bike with the registration deliberately blanked out.

To make matters worse, at the Black Cock Bridge they turned off and rode up the canal towpath.

I do hope they fell in the cut.

September 2nd – A better commute this morning. The sun was out, and it was a nice day. Spinning through Darlaston I was pleased to see Bull Street being resurface at long last – it was getting to the point where it didn’t need sweeping so much as ploughing.

I’ve been quite lucky this year; Green Lane in Shelfield and Bull Street both resurfaced, two roads that were nasty to ride on.

August 20th – In late summer, in an overcast moment, Coppice (or Goblin) Woods between Walsall Wood and Shelfield are silent, dark and beautiful.

I think this is probably the oldest oak and holly deciduous woodland for miles and miles around. This is very traditional British woodland, of which there is precious little left.

If you fancy a walk out this weekend, why not pop down and explore it?

August 9th – Green Lane in Shelfield is being, at long last, resrfaced. I came down there tonight, and It’s officially closed, but was ridable with care. Despite the numerous ‘No Parking’ signs and leaflets, I noticed this vehicle, around which road workers clearly had to plane.

These folk may have gone on holiday I guess, and not known about the works, so one shouldn’t be too harsh.

But it would be ironic if they ever moaned about the council never fixing the potholes…

July 31st – It’s not lightly or without thought that I feature this, but it is part of rural life that’s becoming increasingly common on urban roads, too.

This is a dead badger, spotted at the side of Green Lane, Walsall Wood yesterday. Adult, large, and in generally good condition, he had been hit by a car. Either carried or finding his way to the hedgerow, he looks like he died peacefully there.

There ain’t a whole lot of road sense in your average badger, and they’re becoming increasingly active in urban areas like Brownhills. Please take care when driving at night, as these creatures often stumble out of hedges and verges.

They are heavy, and solid, and will do damage to cars if hit at speed, but to those on two wheels, they can be deadly.

Watch out for Brock, please.