This morning's commute and other commuting stories

This one?

https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/lambeth-bridge-northern-roundabout

Very minor changes as you say although they do claim they are analysing further options.

They finished the work about a week ago. Not sure if there is any real difference. I'm cool with the zebra crossings though. It's fine by bike as you can always safely filter your way through and it slows up the cars. I ride it every day on my commute. I also rarely see people cycling on the pavement (unless you're talking about the south side, in which yes, a cycle lane would be useful. The traffic is worse on that side, probably because the roundabout is controlled by traffic lights ;)

Yeah, I was talking about the south side. It's pretty normal to see people either riding along the pavement or pulling near-death manoeuvres to get down the left hand side of buses, coaches, tippers and so on (it's on my commute as well but I often rat-run from Black Prince Road to Lambeth Rd through the old Lambeth High Stret).

Some yellow boxes on the roundabout on the south side could help the traffic flow a bit as well. Generally London drivers seem to respect them (especially if they have cameras!)

I heard someone shouting behind me as I was coming around Parliament Square today. Turned out it was a scooter rider, shouting about me not riding in the cycle lane. I explained that I wasn't under any obligation to use it and he replied "oh yeah, so can I stop in the bike box at the traffic lights then?". I explained that no he couldn't, as that'd be illegal.

He then rode off shouting about how cyclists want it both ways and calling me an arsehole.

I'm ashamed to say I called him a cunt in front of lots of tourists.

You haven't been to London unless you've heard someone get called a cunt, I'm sure they were expecting it.
¯\ (ツ) /¯

To be fair, he does sound like a cunt so you had a point.

And to be fair to the scooterist cyclists do want it both ways.

Eh?

Cycle lanes and to be able to ride on the road.

I don't want cycle lanes. I don't like cycle lanes. Or ASLs. I'd rather just have car drivers not driving like cunts. Or scooterists. Or taxis, and buses, and lorries. Or other cyclists, for that matter.

so much this

But other cyclists do.

So rootin tootin scooter dude was right.

That was my point.

If cyclists can have it both ways by law, scooter dude should just shut up.

Being allowed to drive on the roads and also tell everyone else what they should do is wanting it both ways.

Seems to play into the myth that roads are there purely for the convenience of motorists.

Oh I should note he had L-plates on his scooter. If he'd stuck around I'd have maybe suggested he take a peek at the highway code if he hoped to one day pass his test, but never mind.

You haven't been to London unless you've heard someone get called a cunt, I'm sure they were expecting it.

¯\ (ツ) /¯

I rode through London last week for the first time in ages (Barnet - Lewisham) and had a black cab driver call be me a "Farkin Cahnt". Nearly hugged him.

Other observations :-
Lemming like nature of most cyclists to ride to the front of queues - past cyclists who've overtaken them, undertaking buses/hgv's, through narrow gaps between hgv's with no line of site etc etc
The shit track stand to a wobble through a red light brigade.
Buses suck.

That logic requires seeing 'cyclists' as a homogenous blob. Some people on bikes want 'segregation', some want an 'on carriageway' provision.

It's bizarre to suggest that all cyclists want to ride a bike in all places.

Exactly - we already have it both ways, so bad luck scooter.

It's that pinch point that irks me, and it happened when I cycled to visit @Scrabble actually. Coming from Vauxhall and turning left onto the bridge can be a little tight if vehicles are turning left too, but have they addressed that?

The south side is a crock of shit. Strange bike lane that cuts across the roundabout is my favourite. The drag between Vauxhall and Lambeth bridge just needs sorting out. It's a wide boulevard of a road so how they can't fit a cycle lane in is anyone's guess. Perhaps they are waiting for all the tower blocks that are being built to be finished before digging it up again. Here's hoping.

L-plated scooterists are more of a danger than nodders (only because they're faster).

He sounds like a total cunny so completely fair.

However, I think scooters and motorbikes SHOULD be allowed in the bike box at traffic lights. They accelerate so much quicker that i think it would be safer for all.

There, I said it.

Perhaps an area to right of the box should be reserved for motorcycles.
I too hate cyclist that come from behind and rather queue in an orderly fashion they go to the right and bunch up only to go back to left seconds later after the traffic begins to move.
Obviously those turning right will be an exception.
In slow moving traffic or narrow roads cyclist should be able move freely to the safest place.

Yeah, i wouldn't mind it so much. I find it irritating when they get as far as they can then sit just at the back/sides of the ASL, blocking cyclists from entering it.

Some do. Some don't. Some drivers be cunts. Some aren't.