This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Ped'ing back from E&C along NKR, police had put up another bike-register tent. Kinda odd placement, right in the cycle lane (by the broken phone box). Genius, "Get off your bike and register it, or risk being caught cycling on a pavement and fined".

Body (bike) cameras are, sadly, the future.
You can't slash budgets in policing (and other services) and pretend everything will be dandy.

Just found the cheapo spare set I bought the last time I got stuck at work late unexpectedly without lights. Thanks me from last summer - could really do with the ride home tonight.

I hope you high-fived yourself!?

I thought bromptons were for taking inside?

Er yes that came out self-congratulatory, just meant very happy to be riding home when I thought I couldn't.

I meant it genuinely. I would have definitely high-fived myself. But I seem to do that quite a lot.

This morning I saw a pirate on a bicycle and a tandem. Two beacons of light in a fog of appalling driving.

Wha? What's a bike registry tent eggzactly???

Wet feet, wet bum, where did I put those raceblades?

Ambulance at the new bit of the CS7 at Oval today. Anyone got any idea what happened?

Oh no, not again

That's what my wife said :(
TBH I usually do but I am not sure if the cloakroom attendant at the Lyceum checks in bikes.
Next time better lock. It was a pretty unusual spec so will keep my eye on the usual sites and see if it makes an appearance.

post in the stolen thread!

The Po-Po do a free bike registration, the thing where if your bike has a code on it and they recover it, they have your details on file...

http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Cycle-marking-events/1400005859885/1400005859885

https://www.bikeregister.com/

Ok so not the next coming of the Stasi then

If anyone sees a pair of red light jumping jerks on a matt black scooter with no plates, they're wanted for a bag snatching.

I clocked them skipping the lights on St Paul's Road/Essex Road and arrived on the scene just after they'd whipped a rucksack out of the basket on a lady's bike.

I stuck around to give the Popo a decent description but lack of plates and full face helmets were a hindrance.

Nope...well...yep...

Incidentally what is the correct form for calling out RLJers? I am afraid I will spout some long winded rebuke that will make me look insane as the offender will be long gone?

"Red light, Gapshite!"
Mostly muttered under my breath. Mostly.

Had my closest NDE so far today on Old Street when a flatbed cut through a gap coming the other way and cut across me. Pleased that my cat-like skills got me round him. Equally pleased to see the shock on his face as he got out at the building site laughing with his pals to see me coming back up the road to have a chat with him. Did my 'Begbie-in Trainspotting' impression which did the trick. Wanker.

OT but I had a touching moment yesterday when my mum held my hand and told me who I reminded her of... Begbie. I'd like to say I've gone all soft inside but I'm seething with rage.

Here's an effing annoyance: Tesco vans delivering to offices which are about 10 feet away from a Tesco.

That's most offices in London, at current Tesco density rates.

They pretty much all stock nothing people actually want, it's a well balanced thing to make people spend slightly more than they would if all the product range was available. Some offices it's easy to make up the amount needed for free delivery just getting lunch for 1/2 the office. Email receipts for expenses and stuff too. It's one of them weird ways our shopping has evolved for the worse.

Commute home was fucking nuts.

-1 for the car waiting to turn right for ages, seeing me coming then swerving across my path AND telling me to fuck off at the same time for some reason

-1 for the stupid bitch on Loughborough Road forcing me into the gutter

-1 for the tosser who sped into the oncoming lane 20 seconds later to park, nearly running me over

-1 for the white van fuck overtaking me with an inch to spare ON A MINI ROUNDABOUT ON HIS PHONE (number plate BN58 ECZ)

+1 for the nice staff at Tulse Hill Co-op who didn't tell me to get out when I brought my bike in

+1 for the weirdos walking past me up Leigham Vale who shouted "I know who you work for I applied for a job there girls chewing her hair in the queue!"

I'm glad to be home where I don't have to interact with the public.

A taxi driver complimented me on my cycling. By Monument Station. Almost had a heart attack.