This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I am scrutinising my map and I'm calling shenanigans on both of you for trying to:

• get me on the wrong side of the Arsenal stadium
  
• get me to do something weird and confusing and scary on those big A roads around Holloway
  

Have you moved to North London, bothwell?

That area around Wightman Road and Green Lanes is a little like the middle of nowhere for cycling, it has to be said.

I used to live up that way. I used to go down Blackstock road, past highbury barn and highbury fields to Upper Street then turn onto Pentonville Road.

Don't go this way. Went to another friends and coming back ended up on what I think was the north circular for a bit between Highgate and Archway.

http://app.strava.com/activities/197567667

get me on the wrong side of the Arsenal stadium

1. There is no wrong side of the Arsenal Stadium.
   
2. I'm starting to suspect you're not actually heading to Kings Cross at all.
   

If you are running late for work and heading the right way into town you should see @middleofnowhere

That ain't the norf circular, I guess you mean the Archway Road just north of Holloway. Looks a bit bleak and urban but isn't really that bad. Probably want to take a quick glance upwards as you pass under suicide bridge tho.

I'm starting to suspect you're not actually heading to Kings Cross at all.

You're kind of right, yes. The bottom end of Caledonian Road is close enough to Kings Cross to be Kings Cross, though, so you can deal with it, hombre.

My route is similar to Kat's, except I use the London Cycle Network 7 between Caledonian Road and Finsbury Park, at which point I use Green Lanes instead of continuing along route 7 because continuing along route 7 there is mad and tedious and adds two uphill miles to my commute.

http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/51.5733/-0.1076&layers=C

I recon the most back roadie route would be something like this...

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6088735

That woman cracks me up... Is it even possible for anyone to be more up their own arse?

Isn't she internet famous for inventing the triangle or something?

I recon the most back roadie route would be something like this...

You want me to ride through a park, in my lycra, scattering children and guide dogs in my wake!

Waterloo Bridge, north side turning right to join the bridge to head south. I stopped at the lights that had just turned red with about another 7 riders, only for a few seconds later another rider heading from the left gunning it for the lights barrelled up, bell blaring, DING! DING! DING! expecting the waters to part or something.
The rider was only met with the wall of pedestrians with a "what the fuck?" expression on their face, an unexpected brake lock/mini endo and me shouting "red light...DICKKKHEAAAAD..."
Everyone laughed and you looked like a top mug, good work!

So I'm patiently waiting at a red light on Coldharbour Lane/Atlantic Road, there's a chap to my left with his foot up on the kerb and I'm in the middle of the lane... As the lights go green, I get my foot on the pedal and some twunt shoots right between the pair of us in her nobard (nodder tabard)... There must've only been a couple of inches to spare either side, this was made all the more remarkable by the twunt in question's barreling riding style...

I roll up beside her and call her out on what a dangerous manoeuvre that was and that she could've taken us both out, I asked her if she'd heard of overtaking and if she'd ever considered cycle training... "I know what I'm doing!", she puffed... "Yes, dear... Of course you do..." I replied before pegging it up the road while counting to ten...

No winners in that particular exchange...

rider heading from the left gunning it for the lights barreled up

by the twunt in question's barreling riding style

The Illuminati.

Bristol people - please tell me the Bris/Bath track gets quieter in the winter...?

Green Lanes is my everyday commute and it's a lot better than Wightman Road. Green Lanes isn't that bad southbound (although it could be a lot better) but Wightman is full of pinch points and drivers desperately trying to get past as you belt up inclines.

Northbound they're both shit.

Yup. Fuck Wightman road. It's a nightmare.

Is cycling without mudguards a bad etiquette towards other cyclists?

Oh man, Dulwich Village before and after school lock-down. It is gridlock mixed in with swarms of local kids on bikes trying to pick their way through irate Range Rover drivers and the HUGE coaches wedged into the rest of the traffic. It's a total mismatch.

I say yes. Bud then again I ride with guards.

Is cycling without mudguards a bad etiquette towards other cyclists?

In group rides, yes.

On commutes? Get the fuck off my wheel.

hmm .. I ride with guards and on places like CS8 it isnt easy not to be on someone's wheel .. what do you do then? Just take the road muck on you as collateral damage?

I don't ride on people's wheels.

I'm either ahead of them, or far enough behind / to the side for it not to be a problem.

If I do happen to be bukkaked by road spatter, I HTFU and don't cry about it.

Unless my hair is mussed, in which case all bets are off, motherfuckers, it's KidneyPunch™ teim.

Ride harder.

Rode in, got filthy, bought mudguards.