This morning's commute and other commuting stories

@casey http://youtu.be/rn-wrPf5Ls0

Ride in had a close pass from a tractor unit, the air wake pushed me to a nice empty bus stop, the second unit following was switched on and held back and gave me a nice safe wide berth further down the road.

Work shift was ace, ordered back to base for a cup of tea as nothing happening tonight :) first time that's happened, must be because it cold.

Ride home was looking around 0.2 Oc on the vehicle temp gauge, cold but bareable.

All 4 bottles are in the fridge, number 2 is about to cracked open with pizza.
Labels changed over a year ago, old style was more style, the Nigerian's have not messed about with the contents just the label, pizza is nice too, ears still tingling from cold :)

1 Attachment

@h2o thanks lol.. Still a nice morning https://goo.gl/photos/u5x3ddr3kLfzzFzc9

Had a Range Rover Evoque drive 2cm behind me whilst revving his engine and hooting, whilst I was taking primary at 20mph (the speed limit) on a single lane road that was too narrow for him to pass me safely. Stopped in front of him just before the end, and asked him what his problem was. "GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU C*NT" was his reply. Charming. Made sure I kept him there just that little bit longer, just to make my point, and then went on my way, before overtaking him, and giving a little wave 20 seconds later at the traffic queue he had been so desperate to join.....

Heard about the lights out at Oval this morning, so did the Stockwell-Vauxhall-London Bridge route instead. Won't be doing that again in a hurry. I'd ride through 100 E&Cs than endure Vauxhall gyratory right now.

I heard about the lights at Oval but took the risk, to be honest couldn't see an issue all seemed to work when I went through about 7ish.

Am lovely the half term roads, even E&C was a breeze.

Looking forward to the snow tomorrow....

Pumped up tyres, freshly lubed chain, perfect layering, and not a dingus in sight.

9/10 would commute again.

Yeah, Oval wasn't too bad for me at 8:30.

Snow tomorrow? That's bound to be fun.

Read his plates and mouth them back to the driver just to make sure they know you know that a V888 form and a brick to their face while they sleep is in their future...

His problem is that he owns a Range Rover Evoque...he may as well plaster "I'm rich, but I am still insecure" on his forehead ;)

Yup - ditto - happy times..................

The new north south bit to the bridge seems quite pleasant to me, I guess you were aligned more East-West though.

Absolutely, although just getting around the gyratory before the bridge was hellish enough. There's probably a cycle-lane somewhere, but fucked if I could find it.

There's a bunch of stop start shared space nonsense on the pavement to the North, other than that it's head down and charge.

And TFL are planning this: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/vauxhall-cross
Removing the gyratory and putting in two way traffic, with bi directional segregated tracks North and South and West connecting to the tracks on the Eastern arm.

The garage of my office building was visited by those travelling bike servicing guys today.

Shiny new chain to test out on the way home. Can't wait.

Evoque

Not even particularly rich... still just as much of a c*nt though.

I actually have a story tonight! Not just my usual ramblings about the weather and getting overly annoyed at being shoaled by nodders.

Coming down Cavendish Road in Balham tonight, past the primary school, when I get passed really close by a little hatchback. I yell and raise my arm, as you do, but wasn't going to say anything more about it, sopping wet and close to home as I was.

However, little hatchback decides that he's not had his fill of dangerous driving for the evening and blasts through the zebra crossing - just as a chap steps out with his shopping. Understandably enraged by the bloke who nearly killed him, zebra crossing man hurls his shopping at the driver's side of the car.

Oh shit. Right, hatchback is pulling over. I'd better stop too, this might get nasty.

I couldn't give an exact transcript (it's times like this I wish I had a GoPro) but the driver gets out the car and proceeds to attempt to verbally and physically intimidate the pedestrian into submission. There was even a 'Do you know who I am?' (I bit my tongue...) followed by a light slap in the face. That's not OK.

Ped points out that the driver had just nearly knocked me off, and the driver offers me a hand and a cursory apology, which I tentatively accept in an effort to calm everyone down a bit. He says he didn't see me - I guess my rear light and my hi-viz jersey weren't enough for him.

I open my mouth to suggest that he might consider an apology for blasting through the crossing too, but couldn't get the words out before he was off on his rant again.

Ped makes a move towards the car mumbling something about 'teaching him a lesson'. Fucking tempting, but I suggest escalating this might not be the best way forward.

A few more words are exchanged. Ped tells me I put up with too much. Probably true.

Driver goes back to his car, ped storms off back towards Sainsbury's, presumably to buy milk to replace the bottle currently leaking all over the road. I make a mental note of the registration plate, make sure I can describe the driver and go on my way.

Fin.

At the point of the driver slapping the ped.

i expected the ped to kick the driver in the nuts, get the car keys and drop em down a drain or lob them.

Probs best to keep cool as you did Skidlidsid and watch with interest.....

? :)

that's assault. the pair of you should report the cunt to plod.

I agree - I would have supported the ped if he'd wanted to take it further but he'd already stormed off by the time I'd stopped to think about it.

^^ this. DD + assault might actually get a punishment.

Edited: meant GH's post - too slow

No, he got out of a car, so it can't be assault. It'll be a charge of careless hand waving, or something

Must have been something in the rain tonight - I have a surprisingly similar story.

I was coming down Essex Road, and what looked like a van slamming on its brakes whilst swerving into the curb caught my eye as I passed a side street. Looped back on myself and found the van driver out of his vehicle squaring up to a ped.

Ped claimed that the van driver had nearly knocked him off by driving dangerously fast/carelessly, van driver was pissed off cos the ped had allegedly thrown something at his van in retaliation.

Van driver was making it quite clear what he'd do to the ped, and how lucky he was that I was about to stop him doing it. Ped wasn't having any of this and kept antagonising the driver, and they were both getting more and more irate.

Ended up I think with the ped legging it and the van driver doing a very aggressive three point turn and then telling/asking me to follow him?

All very confusing.