This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Your getup sounds nice, but if you put your helmet on your head you'd be able to fit a bag of chips in your basket instead.

helmet in a basket I know, I know, it's serious.

...............What's your problem with summer dresses and sunnies, while we're at it?...........

I just can't get my style in my size!!!!!

That's not creepy at all....

Chips in a basket - nice idea - kind of scampi in a basket without the scampi - for those of you who recall those oval shaped red plastic mock wicker receptacles so beloved of early gastro pubs circa 1970's

I was in my teens then. And working on the docks in Sunderland tax free as a student. Had money then. Took the GF out on a Friday night to The Hare and Hounds in Gilesgate Durham and treated her to Scampi in a basket and a portion of Black Forest gateau. We walked to the bus home and I'd smoke a Hamlet upstairs! Livin' the life.

In thirty years and we'll be looking back with the same nostalgia at today's little metal buckets o' chips.

By then it will probably be a solitary sweet potato fry in a thimble.

Those metal buckets are an abomination, I've actually seen ones with rust in them. Iron oxide with your fries Sir?

Dunno, I though iron oxide was good for you, isn't that what makes your blood red?

While we're on this little branch line, can I express my loathing for jamjars, with handles on, for drinking out of.

Can't abide tall Ice cream sundae glasses for milky coffee - especially when served in a saucer with a different shaped recess than the glass and it feels like it will fall over and I long for a mug - WTF? And I reckon there's an untapped market out there for Camp Chicory flavoured 'coffee'.

Dog shit under the door handles and/or bananas up the exhaust a la Beverley Hills Cop.

Imagine their faces when the garage explains why the car would not start.

We have a bag of chicory powder to add to the coffee pot in the office.

Tastes nicer than camp.

I had a cocktail the other day that was served in a miniature version of those soft gardening buckets that come in different colours and sizes. It was perched on a square of AstroTurf.

End of days.

Anyone know who was the originator of the "in a basket" concept? I know it was a a staple of late 70s pubs but I wonder where the idea came from originally?

Oooh, get you!

Little red riding hood I think.

Or the Montgolfier brothers.

Or Buffalo Bill in Silence of Lambs.

One of those.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CQokgv0dQw

Last night on Bricklayers round about, cyclist (didn't look very 'on here') pulls up alongside a Fiat 500, whose driver is on his phone.

Cyclist: "Put your phone down, you could kill someone"
Driver: "I have NEVER hit ANYONE"
Cyclist: "You will."
Driver: "NO I WONT".

Unbelievable.

Like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X-C8lfDuc

TFL are variously saying that there was an incident and also roadworks causing the nightmare on Old Kent Road this morning but it was terrible yesterday too and I saw no evidence of either?

Bottleneck seemed to be Tesco lights, have they buggered with the phasing?

Amazing! He was a cock, glad it's on video.

A twitter question actually gets a reply; yes they have buggered with lights on approaches to E&C roundabout. I noticed they had definitely done that at the Bricklayers lights a few weeks ago but looks like it's rolled back all along OKR.

TfL Bus Alerts ‏@TfLBusAlerts 1m minute ago
@dubtap There are roadworks at Elephant & Castle so to reduce the flow of traffic and avoid >gridlock to all approaches they're controlling the flow of traffic up to the roundabout. Craig

Last night could possibly count as the best Monday night I have ever spent in London. Took a gentle ride over to Regents Park from the city and met my daughter who is a keen tri-athlete. 16 circuits of the inner circle later (about 10 miles) and we stop for a coffee in the park. Then a blast across the West End and down to The Bedford in Balham for a couple of pints of Wandle and some great live music. Long chats with friends til late outside the Bedford and then an almost traffic free push home to Crouch End against a stiff easterly breeze and bed by 1 - legs tingling. 40 miles in total including the morning commute. The Bedford puts on 3 or 4 live performers on a Monday and I can thoroughly recommend it.

I love playing in the Bedford too. The sound's good and the space is great.