This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Glad to hear you're ok and good work to stand your ground and also not escalate it.
Fingers crossed plod get their finger out.

I should stop reading this thread, it gets my blood pressure up to unreasonable levels.

Well done on reporting and staying calm, hope you're ok. Fingers crossed there will be some comeback for the driver. WAC.

See also road.cc's Near Miss of the Day feature/the innumerable slaps on the wrist for naughty drivers (read: lunatics, psychopaths, and the wilfully incompetent).

I’ve found a gravel path to replace Putney hill! It’s amazing!

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Positive #content for the thread, good stuff

Putney park lane. Lovely, if you're aiming for Hammersmith bridge. I never am, so rarely get to enjoy it :(

Switching it up a lot recently as Hammersmith junction is just a mess since the joyous bridge closure.

Had a big grin on my face all the way up yesterday. Had no idea it was even there! I just need a decent route along Wimbledon common, and I’ll be very happy.

I just need a decent route along Wimbledon common, and I’ll be very happy.

Up Putney Park Lane, across the mini-rab into Telegraph Road, right into Heathview Gardens (some of the most expensive houses in SW15 not counting the ones down by Roehampton Gate), Right onto Portsmouth Road, straight on onto Putney Heath at the end of that road, pass Scio Pond on your left, through the A3 underpass and then head South down Inner Windmill Road. Fork left and you'll eventually come out by the Fox & Grapes.

https://www.wpcc.org.uk/downloads/information/wimbledon-and-putney-common-map.pdf

Good map. It boils my piss that you're not supposed to cycle by the cemetery. I do regualrly, but would rather not feel guilty. The alternative is the grimest cycle path alongside the A3.

I've been tutted at a few times but only stopped once. This was by a ranger on a horse - the only horse I've ever seen using this section it is supposedly reserved for!

Consider me jealous. That looks great!

@Greenbank

Thanks for that map. I never really looked into my options inside Putney Heath / Wimbledon Common, partly because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be cycling on any of the paths there. I'll give that route a try. Now my issue is connecting it up with going over Putney Bridge... I'm almost tempted to go via Lower Richmond Road.

I'm almost tempted to go via Lower Richmond Road.

Its a carpark at rush hour but you benefit from heavy cycling traffic too so you can join the flow and safety in numbers etc

I run along that bit quite often. Probably see a ranger on a horse about once every 10 runs.

(It's not reserved for horses, it's just no cycling because it's not wide enough, too steep in places and not a reliable surface. It'd be horrible if everyone cycled along it. Luckily most of the year it's too boggy to use on a bike.)

As an alternative I'd probably look in to using Chohole Gate in Richmond Park (by the Golf Club) that will then take you on to Robin Hood Gate. Either by using the top part of the grim cycle path and then going under the A3 using the Subway part way down, or by avoiding the A3 completely and going through the back of the estate in Roehampton all the way down Alton Road or Bessborough Road. (But it looks like the path to get from Alton Road to Norstead Place is signed as No Cycling.)

Aim to use as little of LRR as possible. To go over Putney Bridge I only join it from Bigg's Row by the Half Moon.

If you're coming down Putney Park Lake you can turn off and wiggle your way down to LRR using the back streets.

Plenty of options, e.g.

Turn right by the back of Granard School to the end of Westleigh Avenue, turn left down Grandard Ave, follow that round to Hazlewell Road, left at the mini-rab down Luttrell Ave, right at the bottom and all the way along Howard's Lane until left into Carmalt Gardens (don't go as far as Gwendolen Ave as it's no right turn on to URR at the bottom). Right onto URR, 1st left onto Charlwood Road and then through the barriers and SO, R-imm-L to keep on Charlwood and SO into Bigg's Row. Careful round here at school times as there are 3 primary schools in close proximity and whilst most of the children (my daughter included) have reasonable road sense it seems very few of the parents have.

Alternative is to turn right on Felsham Road and continue all the way to Putney High Street, which avoids LRR completely but can't be done in reverse.

Coming back I do Putney Bridge, LRR, Bemish Road, Redgrave Road, Charlwood Road, URR, Gwendolen Ave, ...

No cycling down Quill Lane no matter how good a route it looks.

Sort of see what you mean, there are a couple of steep bits but I don't think that many people would use it (certainly not in the winter slop). It's wide enough for a 4×4 most of the way. It would just be nice to not feel guilty when riding along what can be the nicest part of my commute.

I don't like signs, but a couple of "cycle consideratly - pedestrians, dogs and horses have priority" might help appease walkers and dissuade people from cycling like a nob.

Did not know there was a gate by the golf course. Will go find it tonight!

Aim to use as little of LRR as possible. To go over Putney Bridge I only join it from Bigg's Row by the Half Moon.

I live between the two so don't have any other option :)

Doing my usual route up the OKR

Not as direct, not perfect either but Q1 does help avoid this kind of aggro.

Glad you’re ok, relatively. That sort of shit is why I always carry my messenger D-lock hooked onto my bag strap, close to hand.

Cheers all. TBH i'm well over it now but it just seemed wrong to let this slip, people can't behave like that and expect to get away with it. It's fucking depressing to see a grown up act so pathetically so i'm quite content with how i handled it.

Question, If nothing comes of the investigation is it normal to send a "stern" letter to his employer as they look to be a fairly large company that a company like the one i work for could have dealings with?

100%

Oh definitely do that.

i'd suggest hitting up his employer would bring more satisfaction than bothering with the plod. why these idiots feel it's a good idea to get shoutyfists in a liveried vehicle is utterly baffling. hey ho. enjoy getting this fucker in a job center queue asap.

^^^Why wait? Name and shame here, and on social media.
Cause as much trouble as possible for the driver.

Personally I'd have very little faith that anything positive will come from the "investigation".
But happy to be proved wrong.

agree! - deffo tell the company, preferably on a social media platform.

absolutely no excuse for anyone to act like this fucking waste of space did!

Not really a social media user, I'll send an email to his employer, see how they deal with it, if it's wank i'll bring on the Twitter storm.

Any reason why this can't be done during said "investigation" or is it better to let the Po-Po deal with it first?