This morning's commute and other commuting stories

He should be shot

He should play shot through the heart

he probably did.

If I did, you'd be to blame.

That short bit of segregated bike lane on CS7 northbound @ Stockwell is lethal! A little bit of rain turns it into a proper ice rink. Had two big step outs braking for the lights that nearly put me into the left turning traffic! New shorts please!

Have been caught out by that before- full on panic inducing accidental sideways Tokyo drift. Wouldn't like to tackle it when it's icy.

is this because the paint they use on le CS is made of otter's pockets and eel snot?

Pretty much.

Left work quite late last night, abnout 22:30. Encoutered group of phone snatchers on two motorbikes riding down the pavement on Oxford Street amongst busy pedestrians. Brazen as fuck.

Phoned the popo. Turned out no one else had.

Incredibly brazen. I assume it must be quite easy to get away in that area, but I hope the police had a chance to follow them on CCTV for at least some distance.

There's a screen at what passes for a bike route as I come from Leyton to the Eastway it gives stats on daily usage. When I passed yesterday it had been used by 380 riders (not sure whether that's a 24hr cycle or since midnight) - this morning 220... rain seems to knock a third of riders off the road.

Well that was unpleasant this morning.
I didn't peruse the weather forecast before departure. When I walked out the door it was sunny. Went back for sunglasses. 3 minutes later - not so sunny. Not sunny at all.
Was fully, spectacularly unprepared for the downpour.

Wet socks/10

Set off early this morning - good job I did. Was also unprepared, but got through the doors at work before the worst hit.

Wouldn't usually mind, but khaki chinos were not my finest choice of trouser.

Found out that those dyson hand dryers are tosh when it comes to drying stuff out. Also screwed up in weather preparedness and my trousers only really dried up fully about an hour ago.

I love a rainy commute. Completely unprepared - aforementioned khaki chinos are now pretty ruined - but it's exhilarating really. Throwing yourself in and not caring about being wet really works.

Drivers remarkably good tonight, unlike most rainy evenings.

10/10 Is that all you've got, rain gods?

Same, though very sketchy through some puddles. Arguement with taxi driver to boot so all is right with the world.

Was reduced to getting the train home tonight because my girlfriend found out I'd 'forgotten' my helmet which is a massive point of contention at the moment. Delayed as usual and still got soaked during the walk to and from the station.

Got a puncture just as I got to my gf's. One of the massive unavoidable puddles around Victoria park was to blame but ah well I much rather rain than wind any day of the week!

it was cold today, and wet...it was also wet today

I find if you just accept you're going to be soaked it's a lot easier to deal with. Idk, living in Manchester probably made me more zen about it.

Shoutout to the guy who stopped to chat to me about gear ratios at the lights today.

Dodged it like the king of dodge on the way in, got halfway home through normal rain and it lashed down, got drenched, less than half a mile from home.

I find if you just accept you're going to be soaked it's a lot easier to deal with.

That understanding extends to all things.

I find if you just accept you're going to be soaked it's a lot easier to deal with.

This.

I've been in some of the biggest downpours humanly possible and still come dangerously close to enjoying my ride adopting this mindset...

I hear ya. I've considered suggesting my gf to read the helmet thread back to front and then coming back to me, but then thought better of it. A conundrum, and no mistake!

I'd love a read of that myself actually. I have seen a few things online and shown her but its so ingrained she said "you can literally prove that it's not needed but I'll never change my mind"

I always enjoy riding in the rain for some reason - guess it is the same reason I enjoy being on a hill when its tipping down and blowing a hoolie.

What I didn't enjoy was getting a visit, and then finding out that my mini-pump (unused in two years) had bitten it. Flagged down ten people and not one had a pump..

Cue a long walk until the neutral service vehicle turned up.

Damp&chilly/10