This morning's commute and other commuting stories

rad jobtitle

Shit name unless they also give out them gold-wrapped chocs.

Correct form of address: "Your travel excellency".

Only if they're handing out Ferrero Rocher

Many people not happy about E&C

https://twitter.com/peterjohn6/status/673896901700419585

'Many people not happy about E&C'

I've always felt let down since I went there and there was no Elephant and no Castle

o rly?

Before I moved to London I wanted to live in E&C because it has a cool name and Wikipedia says Aphex Twin lives there. But then I went and I was like "nah mate you're alright actually."

Being from outside London (originally), my only relation with E&C was the dreadful Jim Davidson 'comedy' "Up the Elephant and Round the Castle", which curiously made me never want to live there, ever. Ever.

Before I moved to London I wanted to live in E&C because it has a cool name and Wikipedia says Aphex Twin lives there. But then I went and I was like "nah mate you're alright actually."

When I first moved to London, one of my mates told me about Aphex Twin and E&C and I thought "IT SOUNDS AMAZING I NEED TO VISIT". Never again.

I quite liked living round the corner from it for two years. Not sure I would again, but it was entertaining to say the least. I wouldn't want to commute through it though.

But Apex Twin? Do Not Want.

Cleaned many months worth accumulated brake dust and general road crap of my wheels today and was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in braking.

E&C on the way home was awesome sped round and through green lights until Kennington tube. Then had that moment of 'da fuck did I just go round E&C the wrong way'

Traffic seemed to moving much better then this morning. Probably down to the 'Travel Ambassadors'

How long until Google update their maps?

Thanks :-) such a rare delight

Sitting at a red light in Borough this evening, roughly a metre from the kerb. Gent on a road bike rolls up and sits on my left, but slightly in front of me. Sigh, annoying that now I have to worry about him as I'm moving off, but nothing too unusual.

Another gent rolls up on my right and sits slightly in front of me there. Now, having been first at the lights by a good 15-20 seconds I'm sitting at the back. Feeling frustrated I let loose a sardonic "Everyone has to be at the front..." which is met by surprised looks from both parties and a "That's the way it is these days mate."

Yeah, yeah, I know everyone on two wheels is a friend, and I'm making a mountain out of a molehill like the nitpicking dickhead that I am, but I've started so I'll finish.

Why is it that people who would never dream of jumping the queue at an ATM or at the supermarket suddenly feel that nipping to the front and denying the cyclist there the chance to move off quickly is OK? If you find yourself behind someone when you reach a junction, why not stay there?

OK, I know there are bigger things to be worrying about, and more dangerous issues, but y'know... What are these threads for if not for ranting to strangers on the internet? Fin.

I just remembered what boiled my piss on this morning's commute.

Adults, proper grown ups on bikes. Presumably cycling to their places of work. Get to a bit of traffic and decide to mount the fucking pavement and ride along that rather than filter like a normal person. Is this a thing now?

Yes and more often than not the pavement cycling is slow and they would have been better waiting.

Oh, but this 'gotta be first' thing is actually the quintessence of British road culture. Someone hasn't moved off immediately from the lights? Lean on the horn. A cyclist has held you up momentarily? Punishment pass. And I see cyclists cutting people up who have gotten in their way, stupidly racing people they think are inferior, mocking people who are less full kit wanker than they. Cyclists are learning to ride like car drivers - selfish, sharp-elbowed, dismissive and rude about 'lesser' road users. Like the 'nodders' thing.

E&C, it's the south isn't it?
I mean, I fucking forrin', thick as pigshit, always lost and I still know you don't go south of the river.
Fuckin' rookies >>>

If only we could convince all the aussies to follow your policy.

Haven't they all pissed off to Asia now they're no longer scared of people who look a bit different and since the earning GBP ain't all it's cracked up to be these days compared to the AUD?

South. Dragons.
North. Dragons.
East. Dragons.
West is best.

When you are on the ASL line and someone parks themselves in the ped cross, or park across you as they want to go left.

Drives me nuts.

Then they pull back into the road as the traffic starts moving. Great shout from someone last week when we were queued up at Kennington in the traffic loads of hi viz warrior on the pavement, bloke next to me shouts your not fucking kids, made me and the white van driver laugh.