This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Bitterbuffalo's post:

Quote:

Most bone-snapping, skull-bouncing tumbles are caused by the state of London roads, or the intoxication (booze, dope, fumes) of cyclists who believe that drink-driving regulations don’t apply to City Hall-approved, Big Society pedallers.

End quote.

Penis.

Hope there's a better way to read J.S. Dean's one than needing to read it through Issuu.

If you register with Issuu you can download a .pdf file. (I expect that probably costs money.)

I can lend you my paper copy if you want.

So I had my first near miss in ages. I put it down to the start of winter and change in the light. Some sort of traffic build up lead to a weird cluster Fuck at a 3 way in Lewisham off Lea. Some dozy cunt tried to pull into a half spot straight across my path. Fuck me... Evasive maneuvers like Maverick and left with my heart in my throat.

Tl;dr

You put on the brakes and he flew right by?

@mashton #rep

Preferred the Rockford Files myself.

Drafting e-bikes into an icy headwind feels a little like cheating.
But then again, I'm not racing anyone...

Jump the Red light day 2 day but only if your are wearing Hi-Viz. Also if you are going to jump the lights make sure you put the effort in to get a bit further up the road, gets a bit boring for those's of us waiting at the lights to catch you up in a few pedal strokes.

Yesterday crossing over Butcher's Row (that goes down to the Highway) going east to west on the CS3 the traffic heading south was at a complete standstill. The light was green but I filtered through, which although is not a great move, is not so bad as there is an island where you can decide if you want cross the next two lanes of traffice and rejoin the CS. But as I paused to check left for cars coming off the highway some absolute motherfucker pulled out of the stuck traffic, came around the island into the oncoming lane and flew past me by millimeters - their back tyre rubbed against my front tyre is how fucking close it was. I'm still too shocked to even know what to do with myself.

Although there are some high-end tossers in the LRB, one crap article doesn't ruin a whole mag. If that were true no one would be reading any British press publications ever.

Had a classic this morning. I'm never having grief with any of my four wheeled companions so this mornings completely stereotypical encounter with a taxi surprised me a bit.

I was in the bus lane on the NKR heading towards Elephant&Castle roundabout, two cyclists ahead of me, we're not spanking it because the right lane is stand still and we're weary of the suicide peds, but we're not doing a crawling, holding up traffic pace either.

I check behind to see a taxi up the road approaching my rear so I get out of prime and move over to let him pass, about 10 seconds later he passes (safely and considerately) but bellows "GET IN THE FUCKING CYCLE LANE". I politely declined "U FUCKIN WOT M8", a bus then pulled out so he slowed and I passed his window, he was still giving out so I flipped him off and called him a male reproductive head along with some other stuff.

He basically wanted to me mount the pavement where all of the peds are (no fucking chance mate), get into a "cycle lane" on the inside of the pavement, cycle for 50 yards to a ped crossing where the lane ends and then join the road again.

But no I carried on cycling, merged with the right lane then sat at the lights on E&C, I turned around to see who was behind and it was him, so I raised my arms up at the roundabout and and shouted "where's the cycle lane now?" I didn't get a response.

/csb

next time tell him 'i am in the cycle lane - also known as a fucking road'

then find out where he lives and do a poo in his letterbox. standard stuff really.

You ok dude, did you come off?

^^ lol

basically... Yes...

Except i was force to swerve down the outside side of the oncoming traffic...

but yes...

(fuck you... it was scary... you bastard)

Yeah I'm ok. I didn't come off, but if I weren't fixed I think I would have. I only saw the fucker as the bonnet flew past and it made my whole body tense - including my legs - and I think the down pressure on the pedals slowed me enough to only scrape the wheel. There was no way I could have grabbed my brakes in time, it was only instinctive fear that managed to slow me down.

But good to see you last night! Your new ride is fucking awesome. Well jell.

U FUCKIN WOT M8

Love it.

Well handled dude, glad you're ok. I'll drop the valve extender down to PS to!

Cheers! It looks pretty wet out so I'll put the mudguards through their paces tonight hopefully.

Haha. I think we were just being completely obnoxious to each other for the sake of it, the exchange was ridiculous. He's probably sitting in a pie and mash shop now with a load of geezas telling the same story and they're all like "naaaah maaaayteeee... shaaaaataaaap... unnnbelievable... jellied eels"

last tuesday (21 oct) I had a really bad fall from my bike on my commute (cardington st nr euston), trip to UCH A&E with kind stranger, x-rayed eye socket, vomiting, painkillers, stitches, yet i still made it to morocco on wednesday. albeit on a reduced itinerary. i cancelled car hire and planned trip to atlas mountains, aït ben haddou, ouarzazate, sahara.. still it was amazing trip with 38 deg C, mild fuzzyness and headache. I returned with gifts for my daughters, rugs, make-up, smelly soap, argan oil, goat skin slippers (teenage girls love this stuff, no?)

The moral of my story?

1. not sure if i have posted my collision with tarmac early, because i forgotten how to UTFS, due to either mild concussion or early sign of alzheimers
   
2. wet leaves, lack of concentration, no helmet can be lethal
   
3. life is too short
   
4. daughters quoted 'hero-dad with a a lovely scar above his eye'
   

stay safe everyone
x

goat skin slippers

Definitely concussion.

Glad you're (mostly) ok, Al - stay safe out there!

i read it as you received slippers AND a goat from your daughters...

Coolest daughters ever

Goatse slippers.

First commute back in clipless pedals today - I have no idea why I persevered with flats & straps for so long, they're rubbish!