This morning's commute and other commuting stories

My office has moved, and my new commute requires me to use the Greenwich Foot Tunnel on a daily basis.

Cycling is CLEARLY prohibited in the Foot Tunnel, which is perfectly reasonable and understandable. Subsequently each day I walk my bicycle through the tunnel, as is required. Most days, I am the sole cyclist who walks their bike, the rest seem to think the perfectly reasonable and understandable requirement does not apply to them. This irritates me a great deal.

I think I will probably drop somebody soon, just to get it out of my system.

Left bike at work last night in preference to extreme wobbling. Train this morning. It's still dark, surely won't be too busy - will it?

Sardines/10.

I love my new bike
it rides like silk
very slow, very silly silk
supershopper/10

I used the tunnel for years late 90s when they had Liftmen/elevator operatives at each end and if they captured you cycling in the tunnel you were refused entry to the lift.

Now its 'automated' lifts and barriers.

Do you still get people 'scootering ' down there ?

Thought I was going to witness a mass KSI at Oval tonight; going s/b, following a group of cyclists on the new cycle lane approaching the junction for Brixton/Stockwell. We were waiting on a red, lights change to green (for cyclists) and a twat in a Chelsea tractor thinks the change of lights means it's his green and carries on through the lights towards Brixton. It was only good luck that whoever was at the head of the group spotted it happening and halted the group, otherwise would have been carnage. Be careful out there folks.

Greenwich and Tower Hamlets councils are apparently plotting to permit cycling in the tunnel by means of some new 'intelligent system'. I don't know details yet, only saw it here:

http://modgov.towerhamlets.gov.uk/documents/g6204/Public%20reports%20pack%2005th-Jan-2016%2017.30%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10

Don't be angry, be smug in your exalted position of righteousness

Filtering on the inside of queued cars last night, thankfully at appropriate speed, when woman pedestrian walks out from between the cars without looking.

Hit the brakes, started uttering "Shiiiiii...." and prepare for what is a guaranteed collision. She then contorts her body one way, prompting me and the bike to do the same the other way and we miss each other by millimeters.

Big relief all round. I yelled back a thanks for her excellent reactions. Hopefully she will check next time before stepping out.

Had the misfortune of having to continue going along the CS7 towards Stockwell/Clapham/Balham last night, as soon as you go past Oval tube it's a whole new bred of cyclist, everyone trying to smash it between lights and so many close passes by cyclist.

Also feel a bit of the odd one out on the CS7 into town now as I don't have any bright yellow hi-Vis garments on. Was very bright this morning.

Matrix time...

Rode in on MTB to check some work done - set 40psi in 2.3 in tyres - as my son would say - like cycling through hummus - so middle class my kids - Lord knows where that came from.

Have to get the train to Basingstoke today. Victoria line was fucked so missed my train. Tube was so full that I couldn't even read my book, train I'm on is now delayed.

Rush hour public transport can piss right off.

Taking part in the regular dash up to and over Southwark Bridge this morning, as you do, going at a fair old clip when a taxi decides that he wants to pull out from where he's been picking up passengers. Completely disregarding the fact that there are a couple of us bloody cyclists travelling at speed in the middle of the road, he begins move across us (with his blinker on at least - what a nice gesture). Cue much shouting, braking and swerving.

I, pretty pointlessly, have a word with him when we reach the red at the other side of the bridge. His defence:

"I think you were going more than 20 miles an hour, mate. That's the limit over the bridge. You were going like that Bradley Wiggins" - Um, OK... thanks? So you decided to pull out on me to slow me down...

"If I waited for a gap in the cyclists I'd be waiting all day."

And finally, in response to 'Your indication doesn't give you priority.':

"What priority do you have?"

My adrenaline is still going. Didn't think to get his Taxi ID number or whatever it's called. The guy that had been drafting me told me (once I gave up on having a word) that there had been a group of police officers watching on the other side of the road.

Need more zen.

/rant

Sleepy sleepy courier, sitting in his van at the lights n/b at Oval Station. I couldn't give a shit, except that 1 minute earlier in his quest for eternal slumber, he drift all the way across bus lane and would've run me off road.

Strong words of condemnation coming towards http://www.glh.co.uk couriers.

Got the tube again. Can't wait to avoid being a sardine next week on my new commuter. Whoop.

Slightly faster commute than I was expecting thanks to the tall chap on the black cinelli pulling me along A23 and A3 before ripping me up on London Bridge.

Mardy face right back at the ped in Borough High Street who stepped between cars on his phone without looking - Lord knows how I missed hitting him.

Snow turned into sleet which turn into drizzle. Nice to not arrive at work dripping with sweat as I was late and had a meeting to go to.

Completely frozen forehead upon arrival to work.

This is what winter/botox feels like.

Guessing you head northbound? I do that route s/b and noticed that Tempo cafe. Never really looked inside before today because of all the road works.

Yep, northbound mornings and southbound evenings unless I've opted for a different route which is rare these days.

There's a separate thread about the Tempo cafe you should check out.

Should have reminded him that speed limits only apply to motorised vehicles!

I considered this - but I wasn't confident enough in my knowledge of the law. I didn't know for sure until I googled it at work.

Besides which, I imagine insisting that a law doesn't apply to me (even if it doesn't) would only invite an accusation that I think the law doesn't apply to me.

The thing is, I can think of nothing that can be easier to police / control than stopping people cycling through tho Foot Tunnel.

If the combined might of Greenwich and Tower Hamlets Councils can't stop a few self-important middle-aged fat blokes in bright yellow cycling through a tunnel that's about 6' wide, we don't have a chance of stopping the Jihadists!

I managed to join the back of the Jamaica Road peloton this morning. Until Tower Bridge it was a fairly cohesive 'unit' of about 20 cyclists of all creeds, with a smattering of Tinko-Saxoff-esque fluro. Completely owning the bus lane. It was a thing of beauty.

The thingis, how many incidents have been caused by these cyclists? How many injuries? Is there any evidence that people don't use the tunnel because of the menace of the cyclist? If not, perhaps a few people considerately cycling through isn't that much of a big deal and they would be better off letting them do it?