This morning's commute and other commuting stories

In my experience there’s only so much you can put up with before you get off your bike and threaten to stove them in with your Kryptonite. I’m sick to fuck of being treated like shit because I happen to be on a bike.

I don't often post about bad riding, because, you know, we all had to learn at some point, but honestly, that bloke just now, riding an ofo bike, with an open umbrella as it started to rain ...

Little human up at five slightly ill, missed the time frame to cycle in so opted for the train... full colour matchy match! Trains bloody late... this is why I cycle in!

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I'm done with the hurricane now!

What was with all the 'traffic management' flatbeds everywhere yesterday evening?
Seemed a little like a fake civil action on behalf of the police. Or was it just a test for TFL?
Anyone know?

Two brown trouser moments this morning on narrow, car-lined residential streets. Both times oncoming drivers drifted offline and only looked up from their mobiles at the last moment to avoid me. Much that I'd love to bemoan modern attention spans, this is reality now so don't be like me and put your life in the hands of the idiots: make eye contact (and be prepared to bail out).

what was the thing with all the mopeds and motorbikes yesterday? I was at junction on the strand at the north side of waterloo bridge and there were shit loads of them all beeping and high fiving each other; even a smattering of cyclists in there too... Police presence too..

Gig economy protest? Ie deliveroo and uber eats

Nah, bit hung over so the ride gives me some fresh air. Had meeting with Canadian who'd flown in so didn't want to miss it.

That would be it. The comments on the articles reporting about this are so cynical.

NEVER read the comments on news sites

UberEats coureirs protesting as Uber has reduced the minimum delivery fare in London from £4.26 to £3.50. The couriers are demanding a £5 minimum in London.

Brave man riding in this morning with a disc wheel.

Not the best day for it.

You might say his bike was inappropriate

Travelling at speed down seven sisters road and a bus is pulling in ahead of me, so I start pulling out. Driver in the next lane (who is well behind me when I start to move over) fails to slow or even move over slightly to give me space but instead leans on their horn and blasts past me as I'm alongside the bus. Slightly lost my shit and did some ineffectual yelling when I caught up with them at the lights, which I'm not proud of. And then started doubting whether I was in the right. Off to check the bad cyclists thread!!

I hate that road. :(

I've spoke to drivers who do this before and a number of them will say they feel you should stop/giveway to everything as you are cycling and they should never need to slow down ever as they are driving. I wouldn't stress about it, moving over a bit or slowing for a couple of seconds to let someone out is reasonable and what they would most likely do for other drivers.

I had this just a few days ago when I was fully loaded on a tour.
I put my arm, signalled, looked over my shoulder and saw the car. There was tons of room but as I started moving out to go round the bus I noticed the car behind had not slowed at all and was just bowling down the road. I stopped my move an put my arm down but the driver still leaned on their horn as they came past me. Presumably infuriated I had even contemplated moving out.
They don't have to let you out but I'm sure they would bang on their horn if this was done to them.
Shit drivists are shit.

I think they do have to let you out, if there is time and space and you are signalling.

I always think, if that was a driving test, would they have just failed? If the answer is yes, you were not in the wrong.

Would be interested to know definitively.
Not letting me out was one thing but to sit on the horn just goes to show how furious people get behind the wheel when literally nothing had actually happened.

Some mad bikes being used for commuting today on Old Kent Road; £5k worth of carbon Di2 disc Trek Madone with flat pedals and saddle about 4 inches too low, and then an S-Works Tarmac with a pannier rack attached to it somehow

£5k worth of carbon Di2 disc Trek Madone with flat pedals and saddle about 4 inches too low

Look out for mad bargain on gumtree this avo!

I saw something similar ish this morning, a massive tractor and agricultural trailer pulled out of a side road, they were in the wrong as there was something coming, but the oncoming car made the point speeding up and then slamming the brakes on and hitting the horn just to try and manufacturer a confrontation.

Been years since I last saw her but once again outside Waterloo Station the mad lady who pretends to film anyone who encroaches the ASL box on a phone with no camera and then pretends to make a call to "report" it on the phone that also isn't switched on.

I love her.

It's an astounding level of confrontation for confrontation's sake.