This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I thing the nodder routes were packed (crossing CS7 it was VERY busy) but my regular route was probably quieter than usual for cyclists.

Busier for cars tho.

Did anyone else spot the fox on the side of the road on CS7, coming up toward Elephant and Castle, just after Kennington Park Road this morning? Had clearly been hit by a car, but was still alive :(

Because of the light drizzle Canal towpaths out east were joyously free from joggers, mums with prams, dog walkers or other people with a complete lack of spacial awareness.

Not really a commute, but I went out for a quick 30 mile ride this morning and on Crockenhill Lane the road was blocked by a police car and, just round the corner, was a Ford Focus on it's roof. I slowed down, thinking I'd get set back up the hill, but the copper just waved me through.

/csb

gentle pootle around stationary traffic for the last five miles in. the office is barren. no wait to get to the tea station. bliss.

The usually ordered wait at the lights on the north of tower bridge (southbound) this morning was a clusterfuck of impatient srtikelists squeezing up the left to plonk themselves across the front of riders and drivers alike. The subsequent move off once the lights went red led to a mass undertake forcing me into traffic. Particular credit to the genius bloke on a very hefty drop framed aluminium shopper with a face mask and massive anorak who just blundered into my path and seemed astonished when I told him he was a plumb and asked whether he did this regularly.

This morning I wasn't commuting but I found again this sticker (saw different times now) that usually is placed on the pedestrian crossing button... wtf?

^^ Haha did this this morning, smacked a tube strike nodder in the face on a left signal onto Black Prince Rd. Also another tube strike nodder on a touring bike with handlebars the size of a small bridge got wedged in between a bus and a 4x4.

Long shot - those handlebars weren't green were they?

I can't compute the above image. It reads like it was written by someone on crack, and in the process of having his leg amputated while his eyelids are forced open to watch.

I can't compute the above image. It reads like it was written by someone on crack, and in the process of having his leg amputated while his eyelids are forced open to watch.

pretty much this yes

Was really enjoying this morning's strike ride till some buggering shit-bucket in an Addison Lee put my rear wheel out of true.

Same here, all fine and dandy, until I got within site of the office, for reasons only known to the dick on the hybrid bike, he decided to ride straight into me and I don't mean bump I mean full pelt. I now have a lovely tire mark up my left leg. Not sure why he swung from the left hand lane right across the road, think maybe he'd missed his turning. Not one word of sorry just rode off into the on coming traffic.

Not really a commute, but I went out for a quick 30 mile ride this morning and on Crockenhill Lane the road was blocked by a police car and, just round the corner, was a Ford Focus on it's roof. I slowed down, thinking I'd get set back up the hill, but the copper just waved me through.

/csb

I went out on Sunday with Brixton CC, we stopped at the junction of Skid Hill* road and Fairchildes Road to re-group.

It became apparent (two large skid marks) that a car had left its braking a little too late coming down Chelsham Court Road, and had clearly gone up and over the border of the field, narrowly missing the sign.

Moving a bit closer it turned out to be a silver Subaru WRX- still in the field, with three lads looking at it in a "how the fuck do we get this back out" way.

*Nominative determinism?

Huge increase in bikes this morning but it was actually fairly pleasant along Walworth Road. The faster group rode very well and the slower didn't push to the front at the lights. Even the drivers seemed to be in a better mood.

We're all in this together. It's the blitz spirit!

Have to say it was fairly chilled this morning, even in the hotspots like Brixton.

Had a strange one this morning. Scooter rider at Waterloo with some very sketchy lines almost took me out and he got a "Dude, that was a bit close" comment form me, no effing and jeffing.

Chases me down to Blackfriars where he offers me out so I gladly pull in and unfold myself from the bike.

"What did you fucking call me?"

"I called you dude, dude"

"Oh, I thought you called me a Jew"

WTF…

That's hilarious.

That's brilliant.

HA!

Reminds of the time I offered a barman out when ordering a gin and tonic for my then girlfriend.

"gin and tonic please mate"
"Sure, do you want ice for the slag?"
"you fucking what pal?"
"ice and a slice mate... do you want ice and a slice of lemon in the G&T?"

I love those sort of situations. A few months ago my girlfriend and I were walking home from town and there happened to be a long queue of traffic that we were walking past. She was carrying our baby in a sling and I was busy, puling faces and laughing, trying to make her laugh.

Suddenly some bald melt pulled over and wanted to fight me (despite not getting out of his car) because he thought I was laughing at him being stuck in traffic. I think I just laughed him off and told him to 'do one' in the end.

Should have shit on his bonnet.

The one he was wearing to cover up his baldness?

riding into work this morning, through richmond, past the school runners, and there's a dad with one of those small roller suitcases, the carry on kind running pulling it behind him, as his son maybe 3 maybe slightly older, scoots along behind him chasing him, helmet on, wrapped up like its winter. Dad looks forward to check where he's going, son isn't so aware and super over excited runs straight into a sign post and knocks himself backwards. Cue dad turning back to see son sat on floor about to bawl his eyes out, and his face turning from joy to fear.

kept me giggling all the way into work..

Similar situation happened to me, I very naughtily avoided a one-way system in Camden by wheeling my bike over some pavement and got on with the aim to cycle into the road.

Checking over my right shoulder for traffic and since there was some coming thought I'd cycle along the pavement while I waited for it to pass before joining the road.

Que me riding into a lamp post and, amazingly, while I got wrapped around the lamp post, my bike stayed upright and carried on going without me and joined the road as I had aimed to do. I managed to catch up to it while a pedestrian was struggling to ask if I was alright as he was bent double with laughter.

Sheepish.

One of these was in a queue of traffic on waterloo bridge this morning:

Twizy