This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I believe that was me. I too was a little tired to make further convo, but the feeling was definitely mutual. Nice bike!

Shouted "oi idiot!" at guy on MTB going off the kerb, around a crossing ped, onto the road on the wrong side...

Felt a little guilty but I consider going on the wrong side just plain dumb.

Very hot and a bit clammy in sunny Belfast... everyone is out cycling and drinking but not too many nodders.

What is it about De Beauvoir Road/Whitmore Road/Pitfield Street that gets people racing along it like absolute twerps? It seems that whatever time of day I'm along there, there are people racing through junctions, dive-bombing on the inside of left-turning cars, over taking cars at 20mph etc

Soz. Mine dries out and creaks in the sun. I need a good rainy day to wash some soggy road filth back into it and then things quieten down for a bit.

^ me too - although to be fair up 'ere if i were to ride the carbon only in summer it would be 4 days in August - so i ride it all year. ps. clearance sale on DuraAce BB in wiggle at the moment ;-)

Had to ride a tandem across London to a friends, very fun but so many weird looks riding it alone.

https://twitter.com/ClockwiseCyclin/status/869619959936282627

unusual looks/10

A bit, did help my friend learn to ride a tandem once I got to hers tho. Apparently it's scary if I'm at the front.

This morning's euph.

Some guy thought overtaking (coming towards me) on a narrow, blind corner of the cycle path was a good idea last night. I struggled to agree with him as a flew off my bike into a patch of stinging nettles. lots of loud swearing ensued, but only superficial damage to knees, hands and bike so I eventually calmed down and we parted amicably.

Then I get home and get the rage again - guy had a child seat (empty) and I often cycle with my 2yo along there. not sure how I would have acted if a child had been involved in that.

Did the big commute today, 27.4mi in. Was going well until I got a puncture about halfway in to London. Forgot it was half-term too, relatively clear roads and a hint of a tailwind allowed for 17.9mph moving average, which was nice :)

Also solo'd the tandem to work this morning. Lots of sketchy leaning into corners fun!

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Dat paint.....

New camera time - need to take the protective film off the case and work on reducing the noise of the chain tensioner!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Site8MVT56g

RELEASE THE SUMMER HORDES!

Nice out, innit?

SE London / Kent drivers. Take the keys out of the ignition, exit the vehicle and step away. You are not qualified to drive anything more dangerous than a plastic tricycle.

Managed to go fully Basil Fawlty on CS2 between Whitechapel and Stratford tonight. Three epic bell scrubs in 500 yards. Rage/10.

I take this route too

Are you the fixie lord with narrow risers whizzing by at 0.03? Thought he looked on here.

Lol, no, I did a double take but naht me. Similar colour bike.... you wouldn't catch me in trousers in this weather!

Filtering down the right hand side of traffic, on wandsworth road, just before wandsworth road overground station, see traffic is slowing so a car can turn right into side road a couple of vehicles ahead. I slow down as well by the rear door of a people carrier/suv thing. Car ahead turns right, traffic starts to speed up, except the people carrier/suv thing I'm beside, something doesn't feel right, it's not doing what the traffic ahead appears to be allowing it to do (speed up to get to the next set of lights in the clear road thats appearing in front of it). Next thing you know I get the indicate and turn right, no time to do anything but shout out and put my hand on the front door/wing as the car pushes me right as well.
Lucky not to get pulled under the wheels, as the hand on the wing somehow stabilizes me and I pedal round the front of the car, cursing and shaking my head. Female driver waves an apology, but I've got the shakes, both of a disappointed head kind, and the shock kind.
I slowly ride away, up Wandsworth road, and lorry driver behind me slows down and asks if I'm okay, which raises my spirits a bit, not all professional drivers are cunts, and he leaves plenty of space when he pulls past at the next set of lights, which I'm grateful for.
I then spend the next twenty or so mins in my mind replaying the incident as I compose this post, trying not to get too angry about it, and the inability of drivers to check in their wing mirrors before turning the steering wheel.

the inability of drivers to check in their wing mirrors before turning the steering wheel.

I had a near-miss caused by a similar bit of negligence on Friday - also in Wandsworth.

Rolling down the bus lane on East Hill towards Wandsworth High Street when a white van in the slow-moving traffic on my right decides he wants to suddenly turn left. He swings out of the traffic jam into my path, I yell out "WHAT THE FUCK" and manage to evade him by a couple of cm, he buggers off round the corner.

I didn't realise how hard the adrenaline was pumping until a motorbike rider pulled alongside to check I was OK and I tried to speak. Shaky-voiced as fuck.

People just don't check properly.

Similar story for me this morning.

Filtering down right hand side of traffic stopped at red light by Tooting Bec station. All of a sudden driver opens door and I swerve out of way. Driver gets out, crosses road sticks bit of rubbish in bin and gets back in car. Stick yourself in the bin next time. Cheers.

Driver on the cut pulled his car across the road to put a coffee cup in the bin on his right without getting out of the car on Friday afternoon. I wasn't on the bike at the time but realised with the speed of traffic, I would have been filtering on the right hand side given the speed of traffic and the clear oncoming lane.

Glad you're OK, that sounds close.