This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Great commute home. Nice weather, bit of promuter racing, rocking out to the banjo music blasting from some guy's Mini.

10/10

Three swans flying overhead battling the same howling headwind as me.

Three swans flying overhead battling the same howling headwind as me.

Isn't that a portent of End of Days?

Hope so

Rode into aftermath of a Nasty looking collision involving a motorbike rider at the eastern end of OKR last night around 5.30, was being given emergency care by paramedics... I could barely look.

Hope the rider lives.

It's mornings like this morning that make me wish I lived farther from work, I reckon 12-15 miles would be perfect. Lovely bright sun, cold but not too cold, early start so quiet on the roads. Joyful stuff.

Pedestrian crossing goes red with no-one around. Little black cat runs across the crossing. Raised a smile.

first time back on bike for 6 weeks following snowboarding and required fractured elbow - it was glorious. even the constant creak from either my saddle, clamp or seatpost couldn't upset me.

E&C - quite enjoyed it. we'll have to see how well it works once the funding runs out for the hi-viz people shouting at pedestrians on their phones

Gawjuss. Overdressed and overheated a little. Rolled with a fellow forummer through RP. Such Vitamin D, wow.

Lace got wrapped around the pedal this morning....squeeky bum time for a second.
Otherwise, sunny/10

Nice to avoid the first light on the Northbound through E&C by using the cycle path (blimey it's narrow, especially when it loops around that tree). Zoomed through (at sensible speed), but then got held by the last light, until the traffic held up at the first light caught up. Bum.

Great fun on the new Blackfriars Bridge cycle route this morning.
Tons of bikes using it and the light phasing is good for bikes - much quicker than I feared.
Won't be long till there's a crash there though as it's too tempting to overtake on the other side of the lane straight into oncoming bikes.

E&C was so much more enjoyable when not getting thrown into path of pulling-in bus. Even with stop at lights further around, still way much quicker than road option. If they can just flatten the cycle lanes properly, I could grow to love it.

I don't know if anyone has chimed in yet, but you don't have to go up Page's Walk on the route that you have posted

Just follow Q1 past The Victoria, instead of turning up PW and you can pick the rest of your route up after the (cycle specific) lights without going onto Grange Road and the junction with TBR.

You may even find that if you continue to follow Q1 for its entirety, its a better and safer route.

EDIT - You do follow most of Q1, you just miss out the bit out I mentioned above.

Did you see any people in hi vis directing riders to the cycle lane?

Absolutely, about every 10ft. It's quite surprising how many riders still don't realise the lane's open, but it'll be interesting to see what happens when the 'helpers' stand down.

on this - why have they not painted it blue?

They don't want to upset any Tottenham fans maybe..

I tried out the new E&C this weekend. Generally impressed but its a bit dodgy riding from New Kent Road onto London Road. Unless I'm doing it wrong it seems that you have to cut from the left hand side across all lanes to make the turn right and you might get caught by the main phase changing to green.

Long sleeve tshirt and shorts today. New wheels and new bottom bracket. Silent and stiff/10

No idea, although I remember at Oval, they painted the lane with the icons, then scrubbed them off and painted it blue a week or so later. Perhaps they're doing it in a similar fashion, although it would've made sense to paint them earlier, considering they've been there for a good few weeks. Time will tell...

I think they are attempting without paint as the paint is 'an eyesore' but then many aren't aware of non eyesore routes so it just doesn't work.

late reply!! So I've been going over Lambeth bridge via Black Prince Rd, then continue a couple of blocks away from the river before taking a right so you go behind Westminster Abbey with the smaller roads before onto Horse Guards Road. from there do a left, right and left at trafalger sq and work your way up in between Haymarket and Leicester Sq onto Wardour. Tbh its pretty round the houses so you dont get a long stretch of road but the traffic is light when not at a major juntion

I think they are attempting without paint as the paint is 'an eyesore' but then many aren't aware of non eyesore routes so it just doesn't work.

that is amazing. especially when we're talking about elephant and castle, which isn't exactly a beauty spot

Fridays commute home after head wind morning was hitting a drain cover and getting a flat back tyre a quarter of the way into my ride. Had to be out for dinner at a certain time so jumped in a black cab who laughed as he hadn't picked up a bike before. Luckily no traffic so wasnt to late and didn't cost a future. Fixed Flat tyre on Sat. Sunday realised that my front was flat as well. Cunty.

This morning. fucking glooorious! Easesd back on the speed and cruised along in the sun and getting to work and seeing all the gumball cars parked outside the office. As cool as the Porsche 918 is I am a sucker for a lambo Aventador!

Pulled up to Old St roundabout heading west to the right of a left signalling lorry. An old geezer on a motorbike to my right starts lecturing me how I should be all the way on the left. "This is the most dangerous roundabout in London", he claims. He didn't like my reply: "I've been riding this route 15 years and you've still got your L plates on" and revved his engine extra loudly as the lights turned.

Further down Clerkenwell road, I slow down approaching the bit where the cars are always ducking from RH lane to the LH lane because there's a queue to turn right at the lights. Geared bike geezer I overtook a while back valiantly makes a push to overtake me - only for a car to duck out in front of him, causing much braking and swearing. There's a reason I was slower for that section, mate...

Gorgeous weather though. Yay spring.