This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Bit shit how he refers to men as 'friend' but women as 'love'.

Tailwind.

Cock, so I'm no fitter then?

Found out the pavements/paths/trails to the sides of the nasty road are shared use so much nicer rides today.

Witnessed an irate mum interrupt her school run to pull up on wrong side of road on zig-zags near a zebra, storm across road and berate young teens who her dear and blameless child was having some sort of beef with. Much swearing ensued.

Street theatre 10/10 Lack of consideration for other road users 4/10. Headwind 2/10.

Pedestrian lady jumped out from between two cars and ran across the road into my path, I was shouting a warning with rear wheel locked up whilst she did that stop/start running forward then stopping then running again in front of me. Missed her by inches. Proper 5p/10p moment.

The crossing at the northern end of Southwark bridge was open again this morning.

Silly cyclist with all the gear and clearly no idea, following bus in front to close, bus brakes...hilarity ensues.

Further down the road,

SMIDSY mum in big VW people carrier, pushes me out of the lane, slapped the door and watched her phone drop into her lap. Many words exchanged, passing Police Officer sadly had no evidence to charge her with driving while on the phone.

10/10 need a GoPro

Yup - was clear when I went through about half an hour ago.

Lovely ride in actually, considering the threatening weather.

Watching the rapha clad prat on my right, rolling down a shallow hill. Before I know it some trakkie bottom wearing, mtb riding tosser darts between us and while making for the pavement touches my front wheel. Both stay up. WAC. Not a fuck given. Further down the road Mr Rapha tries continuously to take me out by wandering all over the road without looking over his shoulder. (nb. I love rapha).

Further down the road I am in the ASL. The light goes green for a single second and the chap behind honks me so I ride nice and sloooow to the next lights where I query his honking. Apparently I should be ready to go at a moments notice. "It's not a race" I say. Proper fuming guy with his poor kid next to him. Best of luck for the future with a dad as abrasive as that.

Oh. And it was raining.

Lovely to roll with @goonz this morning! Nice to actually ride with someone from east to central! Definitely brighten up my day despite the weather!

8/10

New jersey fuzzy feeling. 10/10.

Damp. Much damp. 4/10 (already wet before cycling from walking the dog in squally weather)

Surprisingly decent ride in as the rain had abated somewhat, nice chat with @multigrooves about this & that on the way through Borough , and having a job to go to 8/10

Absolutely chucking it down when I rode in. Glorious. Only saw two other riders which was nice, both of whom had decent mudguards...bravo fellow early-doors commuters.

Riding up Knights Hill today, passed the first other cyclist I've see for several months heading up that hill in the morning commute. Had a quick chat.

5 minutes later, spinning down Grange Road, saw a lot of diesel spots on the rain-wet road. Saw even more. Saw a near complete coverage of diesel on one short section. Slowing down not an option. Survived, on bike and upright, despite the impatient driver behind me who was trying to force his way past me through the pinch point and the ped who stepped out without looking (and then flipped me the bird as if his stupidity was my fault).

Interesting morning.

You ride past my house then (Grange). I can't bring myself to ride down Knights though. Bit steep with my shit brakes and the road surface is fucked. I head out over Crystal Palace then down Fountain Drive to get North.

Aerospok front?

Mum with a pram in Hornsey crossing between traffic standing on the centre line with traffic moving in both directions when there was a zebra crossing at her left by 10 yards and a light controlled crossing to her right by 20 yards.....awesome.

//tho it would be super awesome if RLJ'ers would stop forcing responsibility for their well being onto those around them.

But those around them share responsibility for the RLJers, donchaknow

I managed to catch the green wave all the way from peckham, over the vauxhall bridge, with a small wait to cross into pimlico. I got green lights pretty much all the way from there into work at south ken.
No rain but LOADS of traffic though. Basically a wall of buses and lorries from Camberwell to Oval but still managed ok.
Days like that make you love the cycle!

I can't bring myself to ride down Knights though. Bit steep with my shit brakes and the road surface is fucked.

Dodging the holes in that road while not being tail-ended is a daily joy of my ride home. Last time I fancied a change I went South Norwood Hill -> Church Road -> Gipsy Hill. Moar steep but nicer road.

Yeah, I head down Fountain by the toll road round the back of the college and through Dulwich as it's a bit more gentle and usually quieter because of the toll. I come home via Gipsy Hill. Short and sharp but not the long slog of College/Fountain.

I come from the direction of Victoria and keep missing the turn right for the front of the station. Ended up hurtling under the tunnel and entering station from the back. Which is annoying as my platform is close to the front .....

Not for the first time, this morning I saw a squirrel using a zebra crossing on Colebrooke Row, Islington. Safety first, everyone! A nice day-brightener after a pothole-related puncture on Essex Road which my balls did not enjoy.

^Ouch.

Bishopsgate is a bloody mess at the moment. So much heavy plant from all the building works.