This morning's commute and other commuting stories

freaking cold this morning, 24 miles, two pairs of wool socks, winter boot, overshoes and still got cold feet.

forecast was for -6deg , dressed as such, actual temp was 4 degrees - sweatbag central - still , dry, great sunrise, 1 duffus driver today
8/10

Left gloves at work yesterday- rode in this morning, oh my poor hands. Have just spent the last 15 minutes at my desk trying not to cry from the pain as they came back up to temperature.

Need to buy spare gloves/10

Anyone else spotted the Mamil who commutes in along Jamaica Road playing cheesy '80s funk from somewhere inside his backpack? For someone who's doing so much to get attention on himself, he seems surprisingly cut off and never makes eye contact.

Gloves are so last winter

freaking cold this morning, 24 miles, two pairs of wool socks, winter boot, overshoes and still got cold feet.

Sounds like you're putting too much on that ends up being too tight and cuts off the blood flow.

I used to do that with gloves. Silk baselayer, wool midlayer, winter glove outer. For some reasons my hands were still freezing. Took the wool midlayer out and suddenly I was a lot warmer.

A single pair of wool socks, winter boots and overshoes should be getting you through sub zero temperatures. Hell I was doing that in Finland at near -20 with regular touring shoes.

I take my youngest to nursery every morning by bike. It has a lovely cycle path and footpath right outside and a small bit of road where residents always use up the available parking spaces. That doesn't stop a few parents/carers parking on or just off the cycle path blocking the way and doing dangerous u-turns in front of walkers (mainly kids on their way to school) and cyclists.
Recently, cars parked illegally there are being given parking tickets. This morning I saw 2 cars get tickets. I told the deputy at the nursery who told me it was all the fault of cyclists because some had complained to the council and had even taken photographs.
Had to bite my tongue.
I pointed out that plenty of parents - not just me - don't feel the need to drive our kids to nursery.
But anyway it's all the fault of evil cyclists.

Just scrolled on to this post and my phone decided just at that instant to tell me that ian.batt had started following me on instagram. It's like i'm in a scene from Black Mirror that didn't make the final edit :-)

I don't think it effects blood flow but the tighter or more compressed the layers become the worse the insulating properties will be as it creates a "bridge" for the cold. Trapping air inside a confined space is the key so if you are squeezing out the air you will not get the insulation.

What route do you take for Kennington to Leyon? I'm just going on main roads, just wondering if you know a nicer way.

Dunno if same bloke but def seen the same attitude - backpack blaring, not looking like he wants to share love for music, just share his music without my permission.

Pollution essentially. I feel polluted.

Here's what google recommends from Kennington to Lyons.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Kennington,+London,+UK/Lyon,+France/@48.5387096,-1.8278208,6z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4876049103b39bb1:0x27a6cd830f527961!2m2!1d-0.1115584!2d51.4879638!1m5!1m1!1s0x47f4ea516ae88797:0x408ab2ae4bb21f0!2m2!1d4.835659!2d45.764043!3e1

Heading westbound on Peckham Rd this morning, lady in front on a Charge Plug with gumwalls and another person to my right. A bit tightly grouped but someone ahead (in blue jersey with blue overshoes, very français) is pulling across the road to turn right. Blue Toyota Prius (HJ61 VLZ) refuses to wait behind the turning-right cyclist and veers into the cycle lane, causing the Charge lad, me and several others to slam on the stoppers.

This never usually happens but it riled me, so I sped off to catch him up as he got caught at the lights opposite Seabass. Knocked on the window, told him he nearly knocked someone off, to which he looked perplexed. A few seconds pass, waiting for an answer. Lady arrives at the lights and calls him a prick, he nods and still looks confused. Nothing happens.

Anyway, the lights change, he drives off and so do I. Should we have done something different?

Might be my least favourite place to cycle around/through. I live in Peckham btw.

Green lights the whole way from work last night and back to work this morning. me happy even though i couldnt feel my ears this morning.

Do you drive?

Ah I see, this has saved me a few hours, as I take the main roads. Thanks!

No, but I can in America! Well, at least I could until my licence expired.

Is there a reason you ask - other than the obvious inference that as parking is free the streets are incredibly tight and the urban planning around roads is badly need of a re-think?

Some total nutters driving around peckham.

I live in Peckham btw.

Do you drive?

Sometimes 2 plus 2 does actually add up to 4.

Probably, which is NO excuse, they genuinely didn't see you all, cos he/she wasn't checking their blindspots/mirrors and that's why they were perplexed.

You can also report to the police I suppose...then they can confuse the agent too with their confusion :)

[at least you didn't get blamed for THEIR fault, that only happened to me twice]

@middleofnowhere gets the prize! I was wondering if you were secretly owning up to something :) The driving in Catford is atrocious too, but nothing to do with me gov, honest.

@6pt and @middleofnowhere thanks for your patience, I'm having quite the off day

There was no collision or CCTV which I've heard means it likely won't be touched. But I hadn't thought about his reaction meaning he was clearly unaware, you're quite right. Bloody idiots.

A lot of drivers aren't deliberately knobheads who are out to get cyclists, they just aren't paying attention (obviously no better after one of them drives into you). I had a car trying to pull in to park whilst I was riding alongside one time, they looked as surprised as anything when I banged on the window.

I find that the junctions blocking some turns make the drivers trying to rat run just snake around taking really dodgy clunky routes. It does great stuff to the 99% but that 1% trying to get any speed taking other routes just are even more nuts about it.

I was a bit sleepy so started riding the south circular after tulse hill like I was going to ladywell wfw instead of along to herne hill and then down by cycle ps and on to woolwich. Made my route turn off down Barry rd and around the rye a bit.

Found myself warming my hands on motorbike exhaust fumes at the lights, refuse to dig out my full finger gloves just yet.

pipe fiddler/10