This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Rolling along nicely down Vanbrugh Park Road at safe distance away from the parked cars on each side of the road I am aware of a car close up behind me. At the pinchpoint of a speed hump and traffic calming narrowing of the road this driver decides to repeatedly honk the horn. As he passes I note the make of the car and say loudly "OH HELLO - ITS A BMW!
Cos it is.
The car windows are open.
BMW driver and his female passenger stop abruptly ahead of me.
At this point my front brake cable snaps* and I gracefully stop by the side of the road.
They don't know this*.
I was prepared and expecting to 'have words' but they drove away.
Two completely unconnected events happening at the same time.
True story.

Are you riding fixed, you will be ok with brake cable snap, if yes.

Next time spit in their face and ride off in opposite direction.

Spitting is crude and disgusting. Shit on their bonnet like a gentleman.

Make sure to not do it near any vents otherwise it is just rude.

Saw the aftermath of two separate accidents this morning.
Motorcyclist and a Sainsbury's Lorry in West Dulwich and then Audi head on into parked scaffolder's lorry in Balham. Hope all involved are ok!

Lots of aggressive close passing too.
Horrible start to the week.

(In both cases there were already plenty of passers-by helping out so saw no need to stop myself)

Some really shitty driving on the roads this morning. I had to human Tetris my way through a couple of disappearing gaps coming up to Vauxhall when vans suddenly decided to change lane without indicating.

Anyone know how long that road between Oval and Vauxhall is going to be fucked for?

Anyone know how long that road between Oval and Vauxhall is going to be fucked for?

Ever.

Think it's time to find an alternative route :(

Mr Taxi Driver doing his usual "one foot for overtaking is plenty". Signals not in the highway code given.

Aside from Foffa bikes, mint green Leaders now have also arrived in Belfast. It seems whenever old trends come here, they come complete with everything ;)

So in 6 years from now everybody here will build touring bikes ;)

Rode up the Lea to Hertford. Nice. Very bumpy in places. Did judder. Glad of accidental 28mm tyre.

10/10

Unlocked my bike from it's usual spot on a railing opposite Victoria train station to find my rear wheel wouldn't spin. No worries though, it was just my brake had been pushed round a bit. It happens from time to time, so I wasn't bothered.
Then I jump on the bike and my drive side pedal feels weird, look down and it turns out its snapped and is now just a mangle of sharp spikey bits. How's that happened? I thought.
Riding off I notice my bar tape is ripped up on the side that I put in the fence. Again, that's weird.

Assuming that these three issues occurred from the same action I'm guessing someone tried to wrench my bike off the fence with nothing but brute force. Points for trying though as It's D-locked to a Victorian wrought Iron fence.

Luckily there was no damage to the frame, but annoying all the same.

p.s. My commuter is more of a pub bike and not anything worth crying over.

Got passed very close by a Grundon bin lorry this morning, I was on it and just focussed on the road ahead and pedalling hard, had that 'oh shit' moment as I looking right and up to see a massive lorry about a foot away and then moving back over already. Cue pointless arm waving and more sense of injustice to add to all the other sense of injustices. Drama over back on it, a pleasingly brutal ride after a weekend of doing sweet FA.

Got reversed over by a guy in a car today while waiting stationary in traffic. He drove off before I could crawl out from under his back bumper and stand up.

Rage

Shit. Bike OK?

You and the bike ok?

I'm fine (played dead so he left) but the bike needs realignment.

New route through Clapham Common and over Battersea Bridge rather than Oval > Vauxhall Bridge and it's so much better! A bit lumpier, but free moving traffic the whole way, apart from Battersea Bridge its self. I'm never riding through Vauxhall / Oval again.

B+ / 10

Those old wrought iron railings are surprisingly brittle and can sometimes just snap under enough pressure. Might be why he had a go.

So a hit and run? Geez, hope you got his plates and report it. Glad you are okay.

No plates :(. Still reported and double reported today at the station. Almost pointless but at least it'll add to the stats.

Is it a black single speed with bullhorns by any chance? Always looks pretty secure, although probably not difficult to cut through those railings, I expect.

It is indeed J.B.
I've been locking my commuter bikes there for about 5 years now. That particular one for two years so far, and always in the same spot.
I've always said to myself that if anyone cuts through the fence or D-Lock I'd be more impressed than anything else.
Good spot sir!

I've finally nailed it after a week but the new commute sucks, even if old one was through all of London town. Paddington is grim.

To make it super special, t'other day some cunt in a Merc decided he didn't feel like waiting in traffic any more and I didn't need a working left shoe and crashed into me. Thanks cunt.

But @scherrit gave me his old cleats so... fucking silver linings innit.

starts maniacally singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Clearly I spend too much time looking at bikes... I should probably point out that it wasn't me that tampered with it! Nice bike anyway.

Got reversed over by a guy in a car today while waiting stationary in traffic. He drove off before I could crawl out from under his back bumper and stand up.

Rage

WTF?!?