This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I saw someone with very narrow bars the other day, too, but he looked more as if he had just bought a bike that someone else built years ago when the 'trend' was still on.

Best for filtering

Was waiting along side a bus for an ambulance to go past. I was to the left of the bus but in an adjacent lane, and we are a right hand turn filtering into a two lane road that goes up to Temple Meads, surrounded by roadworks.

Ambulance goes past, I pull away and immediately get honked by the bus, utterly confused as to why, I am a couple of metres away from him on the outside of a right hand turn. Get into the two lane road. Traffic lights ahead and some cars in the right hand lane, I am on the left of the left hand one. At this point I sorta know what is coming. Sure enough the bus driver I somehow annoyed catches me and decides to overtake me. Thing is he like me is turning left into Temple Meads and he is running out of road. He's rage-overtaking and starts to indicate he is moving over to the left. At this point he is maybe three-quarters past me. I get a blast of the red mist because he is being a massive douche so hold both my pace and my line. He honks again because he can't move over to the left because I am there and eventually has back off.

Bit dicey playing chicken with a bus but fuck him, I do not see what I did to annoy him and his overtaking was purposely intimidatory. Plus there are signs saying no overtaking cyclists in the roadworks. Really wanted to stop and ask him a) why the fuck he honked to start with and b) as a professional driver why he decided to overtake me so dangerously and pointlessly, but I would have missed my train.

Fuck Bristol buses, 4 sketchy overtakes from them and counting.

Fuck Bristol buses

I endorse this comment. As a passenger too - they’re ducking rubbish

Just remembered this morning I saw someone carrying a complete bike in the basket of a hire bike at Clerkenwell Rd/ Old Street/ Goswell Rd junction, unfortunately to quick for me to get a picture.

this will make @NurseHolliday very sad

I was trying to ignore it!

@NurseHolliday ... because you love wheelie bikes or because you love golf?

Neither, I just like doing wheelies

Great! Would love to be able to.

I fucking love the wheelie kids.

Went back to Warwickshire for an interview, was humbly surprised by the amount of courteous drivers, waiting till it was properly clear and giving me on average 2m space. Moving back whether I get the job or not/10

Been trying to use Richmond Park early before work but the sheer stupidity of single occupant cars clogging up everything inch of road space in the roads around SW London is grim. Just seeing people sitting in massive SUVs in long queues as if that's somehow a normal, rational thing to do with your day is depressing. Not exactly a revelation but I'd kind of forgotten that so much of London is like this...

Yeah, think it's just just because my commute is longer now, but it's starting to get me down more and more. Breathing in the disgusting fumes at every single junction for a solid hour, filtering through constant queues of stationary cars. Doesn't feel like a very healthy way to commute.

I know the rise of electric cars has its downsides, but will be so much better taking the pollution out of the city.

On a lighter note, the breakfast smell outside the Bank of China on Princes St every morning... 👌

Doesn't feel like a very healthy way to commute.

Just remember it isn't any healthier for the people sitting in the cars either.

We get off pretty well in the grand scheme of things apparently.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/13/cyclists-exposed-to-less-air-pollution-than-drivers-on-congested-routes-study

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Looks like cycling is actually the worst in terms of particles per minute, it's just a bit quicker so less time breathing in pollution.

Wonder if train (not tube) is any better. Generally the rails are away from traffic and surrounded by a bit of greenery.

I don't know, sometimes they're pretty useful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4HAVmMQXhQ

Pretty close to the car, and better than walking, no?

This morning was fun to say the least, some utter dickhead decided to intentionally launch his half eaten apple at me "might have turned round caught up to him twice he didn't want to explain his actions and he then drove like a compete c*#t to get away" and then now going back on myself a driver decided I was a human polishing mop and polished the completes rear half of said mercedes. Still alive thou.

Ha ha - butt hurt video poster wishes he was rad enough to do that :-)

Sick.

That was essentially the consensus. I really wanted that lift up the hill though.

CS2 this morning

Had laser eye on Tuesday and went out for a ride last night. SO MUCH PERIPHERAL VISION.

I can actually see all the drivers on their phones as they drive past...

Excellent article today on this whole issue:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/07/cars-killing-us-driving-environment-phase-out

Good article. This bit is what's getting to me the most:

Yes, the car is still useful – for a few people it’s essential. It would make a good servant. But it has become our master, and it spoils everything it touches.

It's just the fact that they are everywhere, constantly. Every city completely divided up to make way for them. It's mad (except when I'm driving my car, when it becomes completely necessary obviously).