This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Mischevious crosswind, that. And there were hardly any cars in Stamford Hill or on Lordship Park. Was like that episode of The New Avengers were they put London to sleep.

9.7/10

In on the train today, seemed unusually quiet and comfortable. Realised at the end of the journey that I'd inadvertently sat in first class.

Commuter train first class, so good you barely even notice.

Very potter this morning.
The antlers on the deer in Richmond park are getting really big, which is nice.

Would accidentally stick it to THE MAN again

First chuckle of the day! Thanks @Vanneau

Apparently I was blocking a massive lorry from squeezing through on Marylebone High Street today. A clusterfuck at the best of times and today was no worse. Courier vans all parked up, a massive lorry in front of me and another one forcing his way though the other direction and everyone comes to a stop. I'm waiting patiently, Adison lee van up my arse, flowed by a long stationary queue. Lorry driver who's got himself stuck yells out his window at me to get on the pavement so he can get through. Erm, yeah - how about a word to the cars all cramming themselves in behind, to the left and around the corner and you for thinking you'll barge your way through. And why exactly are there still many of these behemoths on tiny fucking roads grrr.

It baffles my mind why they're allowed to move about the city at busy commuter times. It just makes no sense, and the deaths sadly prove this.
If they are to remain on our roads at these times when are they going to force more safety features. Some of these lorries have massive blind spots and open wheels and arches that stand almost as tall as me. Madness!!!

I got caught up in that this morning. Not sure what the benefit is for the E&C+ group but will give it another go tomorrow morning. Maybe. Can't wait to see what they do with the segment at the Brixton/Camberwell turnoff.

You do realise there are plans on the Web for all of this? The consultation was last year and the plans published then...

^ After posting, I remembered that.

For anyone that's interested - https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/oval-locations-map.pdf

right. so once you get spat out onto the A23 heading north it's back to fighting for space with buses, taxis and lorries. hurrah.

tfl. solving a problems that don't exist.

Pretty much this - a vague reference to separate phases for straight ahead cyclists and left turning traffic.

Are left turning cyclists and the traffic going to be on the same phase? If so they're going to be pushed into one lane, with whatever bus coming round too attempting to get into the bus lane that's now full of cyclists.

Colour me another one confused about this new Oval path. It seemed to work pretty well before. The interim stretch on the A3 between the two split bits of the A23 was OK because you'd be joining it between phases so it was fairly traffic free anyway.

Maybe I should have raised my concerns during the consultation phase but I don't usually make it my business to personally assess all changes to London's road infrastructure.

Are left turning cyclists and the traffic going to be on the same phase? If so they're going to be pushed into one lane, with whatever bus coming round too attempting to get into the bus lane that's now full of cyclists.

Looks like there is a green lane for the left turning cyclists and a blue lane for the superhighway cyclists, which will look pretty. I assume both cycle lanes will be on one light phase with the motor traffic on another.

Pretty much this - a vague reference to separate phases for straight ahead cyclists and left turning traffic.

Are left turning cyclists and the traffic going to be on the same phase? If so they're going to be pushed into one lane, with whatever bus coming round too attempting to get into the bus lane that's now full of cyclists.

Left turning cyclists are held on a red with pedestrians, with the motor traffic given their normal priority. I can't see myself ever using the blue-lane as a) there's a hard left (which may change once they remove the cones) and b) you go straight into a holding pen to wait for the light change. I'll just stay in the main lane, thanks.

Of course, this infra is not for me, it's for everyone who would like to ride a bike whilst feeling safe, but I think that a better move would have been to have put an island between the cycle lane and the motor-vehicle lane to stop cars and lorries cutting the corner, and leaving it at that - both lanes stop for the pedestrian crossing, rather than shoving the bikes in with the pedestrians and making both groups wait for the cars to stop for them.

Looks like they expect cyclists to hug the left kerb when taking the right off Brix Lane onto the A3. My instinct would be to take the lane through the junction, but that would mean I would be likely to miss the ramp onto the cycle lane.

Of course, this infra is not for me, it's for everyone who would like to ride a bike whilst feeling safe

This is true, unfortunately the infrastructure's presence makes some drivers think you have no right to be on their part of the road. This is what happens around the Tavistock Sq excuse for a cycle lane where I regularly get abuse from taxi drivers for not staying in "my" lane.

makes some drivers think you have no right to be on their part of the road

meh. that's their problem not mine, until such time as someone decides to make it my problem, in which case it very much is their problem.

I think it's in Brighton where they spent ££££ on a cycle line which no one uses as apart from it having trees/letter boxes, phones boxes on it there is no way to get on to it if you come out of a side road as the kerb is about half a meter high which means having to get off and pick the bike up to put it on.

Some how I think it was more a little what we are doing effort rather then lets think about what's needed.

I think you're talking about near Preston park. It is rather silly and I do just use the road as it's one of those lanes that's up and down from the kerb, round trees etc, so just too much hard work.
Having said there are some very bad and very good cycle lanes in Brighton, as with all parts of the UK.
Vogue Gyratory has been improved a lot for cyclists, at the expense of cars but I haven't come across any ill feeling from drivers.
And there are large parts of Old Shoreham road at the Brighton end that have excellent segregation. To be fair though, it had plenty of space to achieve this. None the less it's a pleasure to ride.
Oh, and Lewes road now is pretty awesome, again decent segregated lanes.

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Would add myself to the list of people confused by the Oval improvements.

Saw lots of people undertake a lorry as it was entering the bit straight afterwards going towards Waterloo.

Also featuring Brighton's other awesome and unique thing, genuine still-alive elm trees.

Worth a visit by any professional or amateur tree-huggers.

first ride to work in Milton Keynes from Northampton..........28miles.....lovely!!

The council tried to cut one down around seven-dials during road improvements.
Huge local opposition, a bunch of tree-dwellers and one man's clever re-jig of the road plan layout saved it!

Think that's the one.