This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I fucking hate the bridge st / westminster bridge / victoria embankment junction

I suffer similarly on the Westminster Bridge / Parliament Sq / Abingdon St phasing. I won't RLJ, but depending on the light phasing I'll either stay in the bike lane (if it's going to be green soon) or I'll hop over the dividing barrier to where the cars are and use their green phase to turn onto Parliament Sq. Some drivers beep, but ICNGAF.

Similar along Chelsea Embankment at Albert Bridge. If the traffic is backed up (it usually is at 6pm) or I see the lights ahead are on green then they're usually red by the time I get there, so I nip onto the shared use pavement (NCN4) by the end of Royal Hospital Road and bypass the junction completely, rejoining the road opposite the Sir Thomas More statue.

People need to get their noses out of their phones around the road. It's getting kind of silly.

They've done similar with a traffic light in Belfast. After works on the Waterfront, everybody just crossed a 4 lane road with no lights due to the detour.

By the time the light was in, the works were done and the thing takes forever to go green as you need to wait for both car lights to be green first.
[so now people still run over the road when it's red...!]

Banged on the rear quarter panel of a car with driver on the phone this morning.

After making the 'put the phone down' gesture he swerved twice to try and intimidate me. (I was tempted to let him hit the Boris Bike I was riding, just to make the point).

Cycled on as I wasn't interested in an immediate confrontation and a cyclist behind caught up and offered to be a witness as she had seen it all (thanks).

Driver came past a minute later and pulled up whilst I was taking photos of him and the car. No cross words from either side but he span some bollox about his daughter having a fit and that he has got Bluetooth hands free he just didn't think to use it because of the 'emergency', been driving for 23 years and never had an accident, etc. He didn't swerve at me, he was trying to pull in as he thought he had hit me.

I politely told him that whilst I'm sorry for his problems, it doesn't excuse being distracted like that and driving holding a phone.

His story sounds likes bollox to me. I guess he took a minute to compose himself, come up with something and then tried to charm me out of doing anything. He quite obviously swerved after I'd gestured that he should put the phone down. Then he swerved at me again and tried to cut me up. He wouldn't have known what the incoming call was about before he answered it, so the 'emergency' call without hands free bit seems dubious.

Have number plate, witness (another cyclist though) and photos from a few hundred meters down the road. No video.

So, report to Police directly or via Roadsafe London?

Even if true, having to contend with causing a road accident on top of a daughter having a fit is hardly going to improve his day. Report that mutha.

Person in the other lane suddenly in front of me.

Head-on collision / 10

liveried vehicle?

^ Errybody is ok tho.

And I feel bad for calling them a bad thing.

Although my Garmin mount was snapped.

A bat flew straight into me on my way home the other evening, didn't even stop to apologise! Bloody bats not looking where they are going.

It was actually pretty cool as I've never come that close to a bat before.

Oh an I saw a woodpecker yesterday on the way in, which is nice because I hear them all the time but rarely see them.

Fucking pedestrians crossing the junction of Oxford Street and TCR, the risks they take there fuck me. Almost saw a guy get hit by a bus as he just ran out straight in front of it.

Also saw a guy almost get run over by an Addison Lee cab jumping the light on a pedestrian crossing. Should have got his plates.

You need a length of hosepipe.

Farewell Hendon Wood Lane, I'll never ride your way again. Hometime after 15 years commuting the same route. 12/15.

Just to warn you all, I swapped my knackered old Durano Plus tyres for ultremo zx tonight. I fully intend to win tomorrow's commute (unless I puncture).

Are the sirens in my music or behind me?/10

Eventful morning - must be the rain.

1) Sorry to the moped rider I nearly moved into because I didn't check my left shoulder before moving in after overtaking a bus. That one's on me - your gesture of disbelief was completely warranted .

2) To the lady who stepped out in front of the riders slowing to a stop in the ASL outside Brixton station - cross at the actual crossing and we wouldn't have this problem. Don't get shirty with us for trying to move into the box specifically designed for us. Thanks.

3) I think a group of us got prayed for by a nice lady at the lights outside Brixton Cycles. I think she asked Jesus and/or his angels to protect us from any accidents. You don't get that every day.

4) Caught in the Oval bus trap again. Something needs to be done about that.

Damp at my desk/10

For the woodpecker or bat?

#dontgetit

Needed Lights at 6.00 this morning, it's very overcast on the south coast today.

Did some fast bits.

Strava / 10

Wore waterproof jacket, wasn't really raining. Boil in the bag/10

P.S. If there's a guy on here who's got a black Dolan Pre Cursa w/ drops and a "Stuff" courier bag, sort out your saddle angle. You crotch will thank you.

Turns out Ultremos really are free speed, compared to Duranos. Shame it was pisswet and the tyres were rock hard and a little squirmy (especially over raised white lines). Don't lean/10

Wonderful ride in. Just enough rain to clear the roads and keep me cool; not so much that I couldn't still ride at a decent pace.

Forgot my towel though, so had to dry myself with the front of my t-shirt and a bunch of paper towels after my shower.

8/10

Took the tube. N Line. Bagged an arse rest at one end. But at 5' 7" I'm just not engineered for getting my butt cheeks on the cushion. So I go one leg up on one butt cheek dangling a foot and the other foot on the floor which should look cool but feels fucking uncomfortable. So I try straightforward standing and nudge the thigh of a chick on an iPhone with my folded jacket. She shifts edgily away. I feel bad. Want to explain that it was my jacket and not my hand. All this time my freshly ironed shirt is turning to a dish rag. Jeans were a mistake. I know I will have to John Wayne walk at street level. I consider getting out at Old Street and walking to Bank. I'm late so stick it out and emerge gasping for air on Lombard Street, looking like I've been out all night on a bender. My meeting is cancelled. I'm cycling home. I'm fucking cycling home.

I've seen it everyday and have also hit a lady there as well. Its a shocker of an intersection. The cut out of a man saying wait for the lights doesn't do much.

Yesterday's commute. Overtake a guy on an SS langster heading west along the new bike lane along Embankment. Get to the red lights in front of Parliament. He pulls up on my left, really, really close. Attempts to trackstand in a group of 30 plus riders. Fails. Luckily for him he was so close to me that he just half fell/slumped gently onto my shoulder so I had to support the weight of us both. Mutters an apology and disentangles himself.

I lol'd.