This morning's commute and other commuting stories

At least it wasn't snapped or something. Did it happen gradually or did it pose a proper crash risk?

It failed catastrophically.
My left leg shot out and down, and I was coming up shooters hill. I pulled over and walked to the other side of the road. Where I attempted to fix it. And failed. And thought fuck it, and got the train.

Glad you didn't come away with stitches or something ...

Failed maintenance story <----

So I had a click. Queue me cleaning, re-greasing and tightening BB, cranks, chain ring bolts, pedals, chain cleaned etc as well. In the end still clicking. I give up and bring it to the shop. He does the whole thing over. Then, in the end, pops the front wheel off and puts a dab of grease on the skewer ... fixed ... LOLz

Had a nasty close pass by the driver of a private hire ambulance this morning just as 2 lanes merged into onto one forcing me right into the curb. I move back out from the curb to give myself some space so the van driver behind goes onto the other side of the road to get past and gives me the "what the fuck are you doing there?" look and i give him the "why the fuck are you trying to pass me when there's lights coming up?" look. 50 metres down the road he's sat in line at the red he should of already seen with his passenger window down ready to engage with me. He's young and a fair sized unit so before he gets going i say to him as calmly as i can "Listen, i just had a nasty close pass, it wasn't the first of the day and there was a big (actually quite small) drain coming up on my left. I moved over to avoid that, regroup and give myself some space ". He replies "er, yeah i saw that, she (the ambulance driver) got way to close, are you ok?". Me "I'm fine thanks", him "did i give you enough space?", me "yeah plenty, metre and a half is ideal", him "OK, cheers". Lights change "have a good one", "you too mate".

Now wandering if i just dreamt that.

Jeez, new one for me today - had a moped rider try to cause a collision to make a point. I'm approaching a junction with green light ahead, it changes to amber at the point where I can't safely stop. This guy is waiting to turn right coming from the other direction. As he thinks it's gone red and I've jumped it, he pulls into my path and stops so I have to slam on the brakes to avoid smacking into him. I'm sure this self-righteous twattery made him feel just huge.
Then on the way home I come eyeball to eyeball with a driver coming the wrong way down a one way street. This is all way too exciting for my liking.

Barbican overpass - that'll buff out with a bit of T-cut...

Hope the Westminster incident isn't too serious, strange morning on the roads today.

All I saw when I went past barbican about 7.15am was the crossing outside the station taped off and whole road covered in sawdust what happened?

ahh, I was so focused on getting off my bike to get around it that I never noticed that. was pissed, missed a sub 50-min commute because of it.

There was also an overturned car on East India Dock road at about 5.40am today.

I think you have to try pretty hard to get a car upside down on its roof

I think you have to try pretty hard to get a car upside down on its roof

Someone did that in the 20mph limit outside my house. #amaze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BcPko1RYv0

Would guess Barbican tarmac is covered with hydrolic fluid from the now broken lorry crane, must have ripped some hoses off.

Reports say cyclists were hit but police do not believe anybody is in a life-threatening condition.
"The car went onto the wrong side of the road to where cyclists were waiting at lights and ploughed into them.

Westminster

I went through there about 10 minutes prior - scary stuff.

Used to commute into soho and enjoyed my ride in through Chelsea but now working a new job out in North Acton and my commute consists mostly of close passes, HGVs, and a lot of works trucks - cement mixers and the like. Feeling really shit about it and really considering packing in riding to work which makes me terribly depressed.

Going to try a longer route home to see if I can keep off the main carriageway a bit more on cycle paths and through parks etc

was pissed, missed a sub 50-min commute because of it.

Moral: Don't drink before riding. :)

Douevenguinessridebro?

Isn’t guiness now vegan?

I would now that Guinness is vegan. :)

Getting into a commuting routine now, so time to start tweaking the route.

Car transporter driver I was not having a good day this morning, he must have gone round a corner too tight because he'd totalled the rear drivers side of the one hanging off the back, whole thing was ripped and hanging off.

Usual kamikaze basket riders undertaking trucks and buses.

What was up with the two police cars immediately after Old street roundabout. You couldn't have pulled into the gas station???? But no just sit there where the cyclists are so they have to cut back into main traffic sending Kamikazee cyclists into a bunch riding while they teeter and yank they're front wheel unexpectedly. Thanks.

Almost flattened on my way home by an SUV driver turning right at a junction when I was coming from the other side going straight on. Gave him the finger and he screeched to a halt, leaned out in a wifebeater and screamed 'FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!'
Nearer home though I had an extremely courteous van driver trying to line up to a driveway who spotted me waiting to get past, immediately moved right out of the way and beckoned me through then gave me a thumbs up which I returned, so it felt a bit balanced out.