This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Rode in on the MTB today, will be using it through winter as 'winter training'. Definitely felt heavier.

I saw a bellend run one light through a crowd of peds, then run a second one into the back of a plod car. HA!

Nice little birthday present for me there.

Because of road works on my usual commute, for the last while my route has crossed South Lambeth Road, where I see much fuckwittery from the Pillockton. This morning, I'm waiting at the lights, watching the ped timers count down from 10 to 0, and also a flock of nervous RLJers inching forwards and threatening to block my way. Countdown hits zero, I start moving and the buggers are still inching forward and actually accelerating. I do not yield and plough across their path, causing a pronounced wobble from the guy in front and some dismay behind him, while yelling "Get out of my fucking way, you cocks!". Which was probably more alarming given the current raspy state of my vocal cords. Hopefully they'll be even more nervous next time.

But really, the timers on that junction are visible from all 4 directions and the sequence of the lights never changes, so no sympathy for the idiocy. Don't they learn their route?

Regarding the timers, when it goes 03, 02, 01, then goes black, count: 1, 2, 3. On three the light will hit amber (i.e. go).

Good commute, lovely weather, hardly any sweat, some nodders (one tried to undertake, I let him go), lower regent st not as clusterfuck as usual, got all greens on regent st all the way to work ..

8/10 would commute again

Do you feel stronger after the training rides the last couple of weekends?

I feel much stronger until I start pedalling ..

Regarding the timers, when it goes 03, 02, 01, then goes black, count: 1, 2, 3. On three the light will hit amber (i.e. go).

Yeah, but by that time the bulk of the pillockton will have wobbled half way across the junction in a fluttering flurry of knees and elbows. Those countdowns may be aimed at peds but every nodder knows zero means go go go, like it's the start of a Grand Prix (only in this case you should pronounce the x).

Walked the 5.5 miles to home last night. Was really nice, got to see things I hadn't noticed before. One thing I did notice was the idiocy of most people who ride Carrera bikes.

Ha! Yeah. They're always carreraing about like loons.

Or just proliferating a very tired joke that is no longer funny.

It really is amazing how many more bikes there are on the road these days...

I did Brixstane > Whoreditch today, a much busier route than normal for me, and at times it felt like I was part of some weird bike army... Dozens of cyclists queueing at the traffic lights!

FTR: People in motor vehicles, as well as those on bikes, were much better behaved today...

I rode down green lanes to kings cross this morning and I counted maybe 6 people on bikes.

Conclusion: all the cyclists live in south and east london

Is true...

The Jamaica Road stretch today was the busiest I have ever seen it.
There were easily 30 riders at the lights on the corner of St James Road.

@bothwell they have secret north ways to get around using all the back roads, my not on here cycling friends in harringay avoid greenlanes as it's essentially a 20mph limit road that's popular with cab drivers doing 40mph. Look up the parkland walk/trail/thing if you are that way it goes from finsbury park to ally pally all off road/muddy gravel.

The Green Lanes is a bit shit for cycling. It's also a bit shit for getting to Kings Cross.

double spok foffa lady was up to her undertaking tricks again this morning.

basic bitches gonna basic.

@greenhell did you almost hit that?

Bad cyclists thread>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

^^ not with yours, mate.

Oddly enough I've actually found it alright southbound.

Northbound it's fucking hideous and I am seeking alternative routes, but Southbound has been a lot less unpleasant than 90% of the riding I'd do in south london to Kings X, so, y'know.

Edit: calling it "green lanes" is a hilarious piss-take though, I'll give you that

Look up the parkland walk/trail/thing if you are that way it goes from finsbury park to ally pally all off road/muddy gravel.

I have now looked up this walk. It looks lovely! It's only 4.5 miles and would take me in precisely the wrong direction to where I want to go, unfortunately. Nice spriggan, mind.

@bothwell if it helps coming back from my friends I do wightman rd right and along a little left into finsbury park and take the road down to the far corner, across seven sisters road and down finsbury park road and then it's a bit of a blur but you can if lucky do back roads for ages.

Check out my 19.7 mi Ride on Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/168579848

I've heard about wightman road on this very forum, and as i recall in one direction it's bloody awful, but in the other direction it's nicer than green lanes. I forget which directions these refer to, though.

I've been using green lanes until manor house and then fucking off down towards the Arse / Drayton Park, so I don't know what the bits between manor house and stokey are. Maybe they have more cyclists on them? Maybe they're full of madmen like on CS7! WHO KNOWS!

Wightman Road is a bit shit for cycling. It's a bit better for getting to Kings Cross tho.