This morning's commute and other commuting stories

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  • Rode to work with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Handed my notice in at lunchtime and rode home with a smile on my face via a pals to pick up new Garmin sensors and hrm strap

    9/10 would resign again

  • Crossed paths with a cyclist that's almost ridden into the side of me by pulling out of a side road without looking before, today he undertook me and scowled at me presumably because I'd just floated past him on the offside of traffic as he struggled to make progress up the nearside. Oh and I was at the stop line when he undertook and sat about 3 bikelengths into the junction. Twat.

    Ride home was much better. Strong headwind but warm enough for just my tshirt and hoody and didn't need my lights either.

    7/10, bring on spring!

  • Confession: I hit a pedestrian a few days ago at the 6-way Leicester Square junction. Well a light nudge but if it was a car you'd say "hit", so, hit. Stepped out to cross with other peds on red light without looking, I aimed to pass behind instead, they looked up at the last second and stopped dead in my path. Queue shoulder/chest bump and weary sorry + sorry, carried on. First time in 5 years commuting.

    Should have stopped and glared instead. And get a bell.

    In other news, just seen a sign that Wandsworth Rd northbound to be closed for five weeks (!)

  • He was driving right on my shoulder, as in just about over-lapping, as we approached the roundabout and then made to overtake when the opposing traffic cleared. I signalled to him not to, i.e. Waved him back, he complied, I signalled and moved from left to right in front of him. He then overtook on the left as I went around the roundabout honking merrily as he drove straight into a car park.

    You must know what it's like to have a car desperate to get past you, driving very close to your back wheel. In this case his position was preventing me making the manoeuvre I wanted to, and his impatience made zero sense since 10 seconds later he would be pulling up and parking. It's the idiocy of drivers' decision making when faced with a cyclist ahead. 9 out of 10 favour the get ahead at all costs, despite the road ahead or any other consideration. We know cyclists cost drivers a lot less delay than they perceive, it's a message I would love the government to try to drive home, rather than Boris for example, using a spot on the radio to urge cyclists to wave their arms about at junctions to make sure lorries know they are there. Instead they seem content to let the media whip up tribal mentalities on the road, re-in forcing divisions and increasing aggression.

  • Not sure if it was a tail wind or just a lack of the usual Monday morning head wind and achey legs but I flew in this morning.

  • Got DAS'd on America Street this morning (little cut through off Southwark Bridge road)

  • We know cyclists cost drivers a lot less delay than they perceive, it's a message I would love the government to try to drive home,

    Well bloody said mate.

  • I couldn't get to an advance stop line / bike box today because there was a policewoman standing in between the two lanes of stationary cars I was filtering through, ticking off a driver about protruding into the ASL. Luckily I was able to brake in time not to hit her. I thanked her, but liked the irony.

  • Left work early, headwind home and I was fucking freezing as it pissed down for the whole of the job I was doing. The day started so well.

  • Heading up the last km home I was fairly hoofing it up the road, despite numerous humps. Nonetheless the black smart car behind me decided the appropriate behaviour was to sit on my back wheel and beep continually. Gave the appropriate signals as the woman hurtled by me.

    Gleefully I continued up the road and, as fully expected, she was caught at the roadworks directly outside my apartment. Not only did I get to go what I call "full-Begby" at her, but she then decided the roll out the old "you don't pay tax" line. Does she know how long I've been waiting to unload my tax explanation/rant? She fucking does now.

    Glorious.

  • Wish you'd had a go pro on. That sounds funny.

  • Luckily I was able to brake in time not to hit her.

    :/ hoping it was more than luck...

  • Not sure if it's a placebo effect but since changing from rickety old spds to speedplay frogs I've gone from 16 to 18.5mph average on my 8 mile commute through central.
    Good ride in this morning though I did get stuck briefly behind a slightly larger lady whose lycras went a lovely shade of see through in the sun, no undergarments in sight. Wasn't all that pleasant.
    Back to the pedals though, didn't get on with them at all at first but now I've gotten used to the free spinny feeling of the non centering float, they're not bad. And my knees are thanking me for it.
    8/10

  • Road tax quip from probably VED-exempt or low-band Smart Car? Oh dear...

  • That was me, not long after was involved in a v slow pile up just on the north side of the bridge when a ped on her phone ambled across in front of all the cyclists who crossing upper Thames st where it goes through the bollards and it becomes a bottle neck.

  • Tailwind glory on the way home tonight, pedals felt so light, at 7pm roads fairly quiet so potholes your greatest enemy. Felt glorious, a salve to a day of drudgery, had I strava'd it records would been broken, swords shattered, spears sundered. A glorious, high speed romp on a brilliant, willing machine (fixed, steel, vintage track bike, 52 x 19). The ride in had the equally strong headwind, that while sapping left the legs revealing in their power to cleave through it. 11 out of ten, commutes to remind the soul why we ride bikes.

  • Coming back home from work after night shift had a MTB behind me going downwards... All I could hear was he shifting down until he had no more gears and than I couldn't hear him anymore. At the very end I started to slow down to let the lights turn red and it was totally worth it, he caught up and delivered a "f*cking good legs man!"
    Made my day (Night)

  • Hai!

    Traffic is so shit around that whole area now.

  • Must leave earlier more often.

  • Left late, and had to stop loads to adjust my new improvised saddle bag. Spent the whole ride worried everything was gonna fall out and felt utter despair when a roadie breezed past me at a whole new level of pace. Bah.
    2/10

  • First London bicycle commute, didn't die would ride again. Going to have to throw in some Regent's laps I think, 4 miles ain't worth bothering with. £50 beater actually rides really nicely.

  • Minicab again.

    Boredom/10

  • Beautiful day, some nice warmth coming off the Sun now. Still, Full-Winter™ Weather clothing for many Nodders. Hardcore.

  • Today 50% of the cycle paths were cleared of the gravel flint stuff that my local government uses to salt the cycle paths and pavements.
    much smooth, very flow, wow.
    7/10, get on with it.

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This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Posted by Avatar for RikiBanger @RikiBanger

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