This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I was in a bad mood when I set out for work and I was in a worse mood by the time I got there, thanks to every car on my commute being driven by the blind and the stupid, most notably a woman who rolled her car into me while "stopped" at some lights. We had a massive shouting match. I didn't feel any better afterwards.

Used to ride a motorbike. One day, pretty steep downward incline, I stop at lights. Car behind me nudges my back wheel. I complain.

'You rolled backwards into me!' was the screamed response.

Brilliant understanding of physics, there...

Plates first then argue.

Then bonnet shit.

Plates first then argue.

I know, I know. I was too dopey to get them and then to caught up on her inability to utter the word SORRY. I thought I'd get them when she went past, but she never did, either because I was too fast for her or (more likely) she went another way.

I might tape a small notebook to my handlebars so I can write stuff down in future. I'll be like a low-tech traffic droid.

Go hipster traffic droid and cover your bike in polaroid camera and old Leicas

Saw a few cyclists sail through a red light (pedestrian greens) from my right to left. Heard someone shout 'YOU, STOP NOW' as they disappeared to the left.

Rolled forward a bit and saw a bicycle cop talking into his radio and then giving chase. A few seconds later a police car, sirens blaring, blasts past from behind me to aid in the pursuit.

Boom! Love the smell of schadenfreude in the morning..

Saw a few cyclists sail through a red light (pedestrian greens) from my right to left. Heard someone shout 'YOU, STOP NOW' as they disappeared to the left.

Rolled forward a bit and saw a bicycle cop talking into his radio and then giving chase. A few seconds later a police car, sirens blaring, blasts past from behind me to aid in the pursuit.

No need for all that pantomime. Just change the law to let pedestrians kick red light jumpers off their bike.

No need for all that pantomime. Just change the law to let pedestrians kick red light jumpers off their bike.

Only if we're allowed to kick the faces off the peds that run into the road.

If anyone finds a LMNH water bottle on CS7 between Clapham and Tooting, please retrieve and keep for me. Thanks Tacx bottle holder, thanks a bunch.

So many squeaky drivetrains this morning. I think tomorrow I will put some Finish Line in the bag and offer it up at the lights.

+1

Only if we're allowed to kick the faces off the peds that run into the road.

I thought most of us already did...

Spotted this guy on a gear bike (black specialzed/boardman) with yellow reflectors on both legs and a red t-shirt rolled up to as a tube top as he felt it was too hot to ride with a t-shirt but not too hot enough to take all off.

Nevertheless spotted this guy riding like a twat from canning town to king's cross. Jumping every red light that he could and if there was not enough space to ride through the traffic he would hop onto the pavement and then hopped back onto the road. This continue for a while on commercial road and I was really disgusted with his riding style and eventually lost the sight of him approaching old street roundabout, but to my surprise I spotted him again at the bottom of Pentonville Road but standing on the pavement and with a police officer giving him a ticket for riding on the pavement! =) I never wish bad luck to people but this guy had it coming! SERVES HIM RIGHT!

#karmaisabitch

I thought most of us already did...

Depends how quickly the rats scurry into the gutters.

Depends how quickly the rats scurry into the gutters.

Don't pedestrians have right of way, whatever happens, anyway?

Saw a mad, tattooed, shirtless MTB rider on Peckham Road yesterday bunny hopping up and down kerbs and drafting inches (maybe less!) behind a bus. He was trying to push his face as close as possible to the bus. Mental.

Don't pedestrians have right of way, whatever happens, anyway?

In cities we all should ride with caution because a pedestrian could step into our path at any moment. They have every right to wander into the carriageway - however foolhardy it may be on their part... but in the same way that we argue HGVs have a higher duty of care to look out for cyclists sneaking up their inside (however foolhardy that may be on the part of the cyclist), we as cyclists have a duty of care towards the more vulnerable (foolhardy) pedestrian.

Did I say foolhardy enough?

In cities we all should ride with caution because a pedestrian could step into our path at any moment. They have every right to wander into the carriageway - however foolhardy it may be on their part... but in the same way that we argue HGVs have a higher duty of care to look out for cyclists sneaking up their inside (however foolhardy that may be on the part of the cyclist), we as cyclists have a duty of care towards the more vulnerable (foolhardy) pedestrian.

Did I say foolhardy enough?

Preaching to the choir here, dude.

I get annoyed when pedestrians walk out in front of me. Worst bit I've seen so far is when I come up King William Street to the big junction in front of the Bank of England (the one where the bloke parked his car and walked away, a few weeks ago), to turn leftish onto Poultry. You get utter cretins crossing from Bank Tube station to Mansion House, going to and coming from Cannon Street station (I presume).

I'd still support a kick to the back wheel of cyclists going through red. Or better still, hire some long time unemployed to stick steel broom handles into the spokes.

I'd still support a kick to the back wheel of cyclists going through red.

enjoy your knuckle supper lol

enjoy your knuckle supper lol

Oh-oh ... looks like we have a red light jumper...

Don't pedestrians have right of way, whatever happens, anyway?

Cuntributory Negligence

http://www.bikelawyer.co.uk/mcn-law-columns/pedestrian-walking-in-front-of-bike-causes-accident

Oh-oh ... looks like we have a red light jumper...

Oh-oh ... looks like we have a red light jumper...

looks like we have a conclusion jumper.

how about not suggesting the hitting of anyone for the doing of anything, you melon.

^This.

looks like we have a conclusion jumper.

Yes, indeed.

'enjoy your knuckle supper'.

Indeed, indeed.