This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I'm toughing it out on the bus at the moment because I'm having to run a lot of errands (getting married on Sat) and my bike's not the best mode of transport for that.

This morning my bus ground to a halt in traffic just south of Westminster Bridge. They were giving out free tube passes but I just walked in to work because it was sunny.

Bus home last night was busier than I've ever seen it (159 to Streatham).

all the traffic reports on the radio of a monring seem to be going to great pains to explain that it is the CYCLE SUPER HIGHWAY UPGRADE that is causing most of the delays currently being inflicted on the innocent motorist in and around london at present. Don't seem to recall other roadworks being referred to in terms of who they will benefit once they are complete. The frequency of angry, #bloodycyclists phone-ins seem to have increased as well.

Have a meeting in Oxford, cycled out here in glorious sunshine and empty roads, probably cbf with return journey.
Aided by the gf living here so I had somewhere to change and clothes here...

Three endos this morning.

I wasn't riding particularly aggressively, or trying to be showy. But for whatever reason it was a nightmare this morning. So many angry drivers attempting to suddenly squeeze through tight spaces (where a moment later I would be).

Three times I had to emergency brake = three endos.

Normally my daily endo count is zero. For weeks and months at a time it's zero. But this morning, three.

I hate having to rely on this latent ability, it scares the shit out of me. A morning like today might actually make me think about considering wearing a helmet.

And yeah, the new front brake is a little more grippy than I expected. But even so, if it hadn't been so grippy I would've had one bad accident this morning and a couple of softer ones.

This morning was very pleasant bar a spot of shoaling. Last night down Walworth Road on the other hand was one of those fucked cluster things.

Have been using Walworth Rd in the morning rather then going via Oval, like one long red bus snake.

Had the usual from a Van driver this morning saying all the traffic problems was due to us cyclist wanting more of the road. Told him I personally think it's waste of time and that if more people had cycle training and learnt to ride with other road users it would be much better.

Think I surprised him by that as he then wished me a pleasant day.

8/10 would surprise van drivers again.

you're still wrong. in fact you both are.

I had a great ride in on near empty streets. I had Erasure on shuffle and sang or whistled all the way along my 12 point something mile route.

I shall be riding home to the sound of Whitesnake.

A Sky branded car about to set up the Selling-Sky-TV-to-Cunts stand in the Peckham squarespace thing almost took out a bunch of us this morning. We crossed over from Rye Lane to the Squarespace/quietway bit, and the car driving through decided to turn in front of everyone. I almost got squashed against a concrete wall, and people behind me got mildly inconvenienced. MILDLY INCONVENIENCED, DAMNIT.
It's all Murdoch's fault, bloody tories etc.

^ cycle training will fix this.

Very heavy traffic this morning, and had to make a detour as the roads round Buck House were closed for the state opening of Parliament.

Bloody tories etc.

What exactly is shoaling?

However, that doesn’t mean you cannot annoy a fellow cyclist. One of my pet hates is cyclists that you have overtaken but then, while you are stopped at a red light, saunter through the waiting masses and stop in front of everyone. Generally everyone then has to try and overtake them all over again. The term for this is Bike Shoaling

What exactly is shoaling?

Going past everyone who's already stopped at some lights to get to the front and then setting off at glacial pace forcing most people (who've already overtaken them at least once already) to overtake them yet again.

Bonus points for going past the point where they can see the traffic lights so there's a further delay as they can't tell they've turned green.

[EDIT] It's only really a problem for 3 or 4 months in the summer whilst the fair weather cyclists are about. In the remaining part of the year the shoalers are too few in number to cause any real concern.

It's a bit like one of those bike piles you do at the pub, but at the ASL and with people still on the bikes

When I am King, these people will be first against the wall. Them, and fly tippers.

Don't forget the intolerant, you should shoot them first.

When I am King, these people will be first against the wall. Them, and fly tippers.

Just tell everyone to queue nicely behind a line, shoot anyone that wanders past the line. Shoalers gone.

Yeah, definitely those fuckers. Michael Gove will obviously be staying on as justice minister. Him and Ian Duncan Smith can find new and cruel ways to punish people.

That was the last time I bothered to say anything, waiting at a red, wobbly rider wobbles past and plonks herself ten feet in front, past the white line. I grumble bitch moan loud enough to be heard then when I overtake said "What was the point of that?" and got "IT'S SAFER" yelled back at me.

Hard riding already 6 days afterwards. Amazing op - just a local - in and out in a day - St Barts - respect to all who sail in her. BPM up to 120plus last night at the top of Archway - felt good - certainly less breathy. That's uncharted territory for my ticker! Will let you know as I start to measure against my riding buddies. But overall I feel much perkier! The Mrs looks v worried.

Word up.

It’s been an absolute joy since I swapped Walworth Road/Elephant for a straight burn through Burgess Park. No idea why I hadn’t make that change well before recent times.

Also, I keep seeing a worrying trend of single speed/geared bikes with no back brake – at least one a day now. It’s okay for areas such as Dalston where these riders not only look really cool, but they are protected by their cloak of invincibility (this is known as the wax jacket in the ye olde backwoods of beyond); down south they’re just asking for a sodding mischief. People are idiots.

It's lovely being back on the bike but I'm not enjoying the dog's arsehole of road that is Hackney Road, towards Hoxton Church from Queensbridge Road. Loads of building sites up that way, so loads of tipper trucks and skip lorries about. And loads of total wobbly morons on the above mentioned single brake singlespeeds undertaking them, overtaking them, pulling out in front of them, pulling out in front of each other, pulling out in front of me etc. Absolute fucking cluster.