This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Destroyed front wheel of ultra bike.
Riding Inbred now which is kinda fun, kinda meh.
Seems to be more people on bikes.
Seems to be more cunts blasting past when I'm stopping.
Seems to be more peds running across roads plugged into headphones, staring at phones or diving through what they assume is stationary traffic.
Basically think I've got PTSD from riding to work.

Think I rode over that last night on the way back from bikram yoga. /csb

I rode through that yesterday, smelt it, then realised I was going through it far too late.

I collided with a pedestrian crossing Westminster bridge last week. he was looking (while crossing) but in completely the wrong direction. Think it was that and a combination of bad luck as I was doing a quick shoulder check so by the time I turned around he was literally directly in front of me, didn't have any time to brake. Thanks to all the pedestrians and cyclists who stopped called an ambulance and were generally great.

We're going the pub?

To my dismay, whilst heading to Crystal Palace last night, I realised on Borough High Street that I had fallen foul of the Rapha Black Chamois curse. Like the gent @dancing james spotted in RP, I was styling my Core bibs inside out! Oh the indignity!

Did the big commute again today but took the A1055 instead of the 1010. It's definitely not what you'd consider a pleasant route, but it is faster and I didn't have any issues with close passes or anything. According to Strava the first 17 miles was at an average speed of 20mph, but then once I got to London it slowed down a bit.

Stopped to check on a scooter guy who'd fallen off due to a proper oil slick on Seven Sisters Hill, I rode through it without realising, guess I was lucky not to come off. Then I got lost in Central after trying to find an alternative to riding straight down through Oxford Circus, so overall time was only 5 mins quicker than the 1010 route but I think I can improve on that...

Running late this morning so had to put the hammer down a bit, 12/13 strava segment PBs! Also shouted at some deer as they wandered out into the road very casually and weren't looking like they were bothered about getting to the other side before they were turned into roadkill jam. They soon got the idea and made it through the hedge.

1st day back on the saddle without feeling and riding like a fool.... had a little crash last Friday and although I got straight back onto the saddle the next day... been riding so nervously... I am glad I have found my old self again this morning... please stay...

Just want to give props to the woman wearing a blouse and leggings, riding a pashley princess, absolutely destroying everyone on the way in to work today.

Chapeaux.

Felt lucky today. Rear tyre a bit soft, in spite of being pumped up only days ago, quick refill before leaving the house, chanced it, got away with it. Lucky, lucky, lucky.

FFS

Gave a wide berth to a bunch of 15 yr old urchins who were dicking around at bus stop at Clapham Common, followed by plastic bottle thrown at me. I stop to see which one it was, then they all hood up and come over, hands down trackies etc. None of them willing to admit who chucked it, but trying to escalate it to something I didn't want any part of. Rode off thinking I should've just kept going in first place, but what the fuck? Kids eh?

The night before last someone went home on their bike and instead of leaving their D lock attached to the bike stand, left it attached to my top tube. Gave it till yesterday afternoon and didn't want to leave my bike in central another night so had to ask some tarmaccers down the road to remove the lock with their steel saw. Have a feeling if i'd asked them to remove the lock wearing trakkies as opposed to a shirt and trousers they'd have contacted the police instead.

Came off yesterday after contact with a car. Minor concussion and dislocated collar bone. Gonna wear that helmet every ride from now on.

And to protect your collar bone? One of them sumo wrestling suits?

Ouch, heal up!

Leyton. My right of way. Bloke pulls out on me. I have a word. Next lights, his window is down and he shouts "you had plenty of room". I said - "you don't like giving way then? Not sure the cops would agree" (pointing at cop car directly behind us). Minutes later the officer had him pulled over...

I did a lol .

I may have filtered through stationary traffic into the path of an emerging tipper truck.

Squeaky bum time - lesson learned.

myhelmetwouldhavesavedmeanyway/10

Heading merrily down Museum St when I see a van reversing down West Central St about to emerge onto Museum St in front of me. I slow, then see them slowing to a stop, assuming that they will stop and wait for the road they are reversing into to be clear. I head on and they begin to accelerate again, scaring at least 5 shades of shit out of me.

I gave a pretty loud "OI!!" as I went past, probably a bit louder than I intended but, fuck 'em. The driver then leant out of the window screaming something about reversing lights. Apparently having reversing lights gives you free reign to reverse out of a side street into traffic.

Lots of police on the way to work. Including a few on the iron horse no doubt enjoying the nice morning sun.

There must be some big visitor coming...

Pretty decent commute since having 3 weeks off due to daughter #2 being born. See bicycle copper at the junction of shoreditch/kingsland high rd

Not sure where to post this. Some f****r has put down black tacks on the pedestrian/cycle bridge just after South Bermondsey station (Quietway 1).

Luckily a rider who already had a puncture warned me. They really are close to invisible on the black tarmac so watch out - I cleared the ones I could see but there are probably more lurking around.

I got my second puncture of the year this morning, it was a flint rather than a tack though.

Bit of a crash this morning on the north bound section of the "superhighway" (CS6) at the top of Blackfriars Bridge.
Southbound guy was knocked off by a northbound cyclist who'd been overtaking the long queue.
The Southbound guy was spitting chips and the northbound guy's attempt to apologise clearly wasn't working.
That section has got busier and busier since the summer. The light phasing doesn't help because if you get stuck on the red at the north end of the bridge you wait there a loooong time, and there's always a big queue.

A10/ Bishopsgate/ Gracechurch St/ London Bridge was a death wish this morning.
Traffic at a standstill, just walls of metal or glass crushing you. Bloody lorries and buses. Peds jumping from everywhere. I think the London Bridge/ Tooley St situation is getting worse.

Safest option was cycling facing oncoming traffic and maybe run the occasional red light. Really scary morning.