This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Actually it is that we have an absence of rules mandating the use of a cycle lane.

#pedant

Riding with pizza, very good ride and ended with pizza.

pizza/10

Well sort of.. It ended with Pizza Hut.. #pizzasnob

Rode home with four mini cupcakes for my daughter in my saddlebag. It's her birthday. After a delumptious spaghetti carbonara i got the cakes out. Opened the box. Can't tell how many cakes are in there or which smear of icing belongs to which cake. Sadface. Carradice will be getting a stern letter soon.

Yep thanks. I was saying cycle lanes are mandatory in some other countries and i worry with all these new ones that people will clamour for that here.

I'm sure the whole cycle lanes being make mandatory has been looked at relatively recently in the UK (last 20 years or so) There used to be a good article about it on the CTC web site about it. It was rejected at the time, thankfully.

Looked like an incident on the CS7 between Stockwell and Oval this morning. Police in attendance, many cyclists gathered around so I rode on.

From what I could see, I'd guess someone had been left hooked by the pick-up that had stopped at the scene.

Hope it's not too serious.

Last Highway Code redraft. Someone tried to infer mandatory use of cycle lanes. HC is not law but if it gets accepted there then it's closer to becoming law in the next road traffic act. It was successfully slapped down in the HC redraft.

Yeah that was it, it's amazing isn't, mandatory cycle lane in the HC would have been used as a stick to beat cyclists with. By juries are regularly telling by judges to disregard the HC if it helps the defence of a driver for careless or dangerous driving.

Saw a pedestrian walk out in front of a cyclist on the Westminster Bridge cycle lane today as they didn't look both ways. Luckily at low speed so nobody hurt. Then another pedestrian who witnessed this decided it would be wise to just go and do the same bloody thing. I'm sure natural selection will get him one day.

Yes I saw this too, it did not look like there were any injuries from what I saw thankfully, there was a bit of a row going on between cyclist and driver though which perhaps explains the police presence.

Also props to the PC for not checking his mirror before opening door into road/oncoming cyclist in front..

-Moaning mode ON
Very bright car driver on Shakewell Lane this morning not leaving enough space when overtaking. Think it was about 5 centimeters away from hitting myself and few fellow cyclists in front of me.

Went to his window to let him know he will hit someone carrying on like that. the guy pulled his window up and completely ignored the whole thing
What a twat.

-Moaning mode OFF

Nice day for a ride! Bit of a breeze so it wasn't to hot either. If it stays like this its the long way home I think.

Went for a ride with new solar panel on my bag. Not sure how to tell if it's charging the battery pack I had plugged into it as it's only got 4 little lights and can take 16,000mAh which if the 1,400mAh charging my phone said is correct is 12hrs to fill it. Still should be useful for charging the phone.

Went for a ride over to Tooley street to see the changes. Really very few signs so I can understand if it turns to chaos, sticking wands down with no instructions makes it confusing, noticed a couple of cyclists filtering into the contraflow to pass traffic which could make a head on crash with another cyclist but then from that side it's not signed as anything. Pedestrians are indeed flowing across at the crossings but then it's temp traffic lights and I don't think they have a red/green man to tell them to wait so it's a free for all but slowing down once a couple of people spot you they stop and everyone seemed to stop, will have a look at video later for anything I missed too.

sunny/10

I had to read your post three times to understand it.

Still easier than my posts.

I read your post four times for fun.

Pretty shitty one today, not because of the weather but I swear Fridays is the day people are super lax with using their indicators (I know that it's already terrible!). I got cut up twice by (non indicating) vans suddenly pulling out on me; only to then be called "cunt", "selfish cyclist", and "prick" by the workmen standing where the vans pulled out from.

still better than the tube/10

report them to their foreman. why people think it's good for your career prospects to abuse people when you're covered head to toe in / driving a vehicle liveried with / standing in the vicinity of your company logo is baffling.

Some good today; BMW driver waited for me to complete right turn onto Lea Bridge Rd.

Less impressed by the Bates Laundry HGV using Rendlesham Rd as a cut through. I suppose technically nothing wrong with doing that but driving was a tad lively for a 20 tonne lorry on residential streets.

InBefore8/10.

Slept well. Left later than usual from E Finchley - 7.45 - Muswell Hill Wood Green Tottenham then in to the city - surprisingly light on traffic and misdemeanours. Got the bike gear spot on - long sleeved merino top and shorts. Double espresso at The Dutch Church. Quiet in the office. Something's gonna go wrong very soon......

Bit hungover, still at home drinking coffee. Have to go to the old (empty) office today so will be carrying an entire change of clothes, towel and everything else. Putting it off as long as possible.

Parliament Square cycle lanes are a right pain in the arse. Took about 5 minutes to get from Millbank side onto Embankment today when it used to take about 30 seconds. Hope they speed up the sequence of the lights...

I find it hard to understand how people can bare the choices they make in life. When I'm riding, i can't stand anything to be flapping around hanging off me. In much the same way a badly attached pannier rack would be so unbearable I'd just get the bus.

Today a gentleman cruised passed me at a red light to just the point he couldn't see when the lights changed. One shoe lace was untied, his baggy waterproof jacket and jersey were unzipped, his rucksack belt was undone. His pannier rack, leaning jauntily to one side due to ineffective tethering of the non drive side stay, resplendent with two mostly empty pannier bags complete with shoulder straps trailing worryingly close to derailleur/spokes. A top his head, a helmet, with the chin strap undone!?

As he moved away under the power of his e-bike, there was so much flapping of stuff I decided I couldn't take it, and turned off to go the long way round...How can people live like this in 2016?

Parliament Square cycle lanes

Are built with cars in mind.

"£170 million those bike lanes cost, and nobody is using them" said every taxi driver

It's almost as if the lanes are a bit shit, and not really what is needed or wanted