This morning's commute and other commuting stories

People are cunts.

#rep

I'm glad you're ok and I'm just genuinely impressed you could memorise a numberplate in such a stressful situation. I doubt I could remember one even on my most relaxing rides.

What a prick. Good on you for handling that situation so calm, I'd have lost it.

"did he have a weapon?" "yes, a two ton car"

First day back after two weeks 'holiday'. Someone has added a few kilos to my bike but I've checked the frame and I can't work out where.

It's gone past assault into battery since he laid hands on you; I think you're well within your rights to make a fuss and personally would not regret mentioning the knife at all if I was in the same situation.

Man Paniers?

Wait.. how did you know my nickname?

Been doing the queen of the Suburbs to City via CS7 for ages, Richmond park has benefits but I find the Putney/Fulham bits worse than Tooting and CS7 is quicker.

Use the new Mew Malden - Raynes Park (? not Motspur), equal on time to heading via the A3/Krispie Kreme but continuous and will chill you right out.

In short, bike lane through Green Lane Rec from Surbiton to New Malden, Elm road (level crossing but who cares if held up), right onto the cut, cross New Malden High St, new bike lane all the way to Raynes Park, get off in front of the station and just walk through the tunnel, remount, ride up Kingston road, at the end go straight on up the bike path behind Wimbledon Chase Primary then out onto Kingston Road which becomes CS7 once at Colliers wood 3 mins later.

Can add a map if required.

I would agree with this. I used to go through Putney / Fulham and CS7 is faster. I don't mind Tooting really - Putney was probably slightly worse, but didn't go on as long.

Clean forgot - I was riding down the cycle highway on the north side of the river from Blackfriars to Westminster on Friday evening, on my way to meet the wife in Pimlico, about 3/4 of the way along the riverbank and a woman steps out in front of me from the pavement without even looking. Locked up and scrubbed off most of it before I hit her. Her husband does his nut and starts bawling at me in a broad Northern accent that I’m a fookin twat. His wife is looking shocked and holding her chest but he’s more interested in having a go at me, despite the fact she stepped off the pavement right in front of me. I get off the bike and he comes at me, and I remember that I’m on my first week back on the bike after hand surgery and now have a right paw full of pins, plates and screws and punching a Fat Yorkie is probably not the smartest thing. So I square up and point out it’s a fucking cycle lane and he should be looking out for his wife rather than looking to act the hard man. He was properly red-faced and about to have a stroke, too.

@Hamham is right. People are cunts.

Well done avoiding physical altercation but with that cyberfist you’re packing if you’d landed one on him it’s be like getting a whack from Iron Man Tetsuo.

Anagrams. Or addakilograms possibly:)

What happened to the traffic today? Almost no cars or bikes around.

Sorry, was on the allotment.

Saw two bike cops give a scolding to a driver parked on the bike lane. Nice start of the day.

Today a man on a hydro modern Cannondale road bike started talking to me about the Brompton and that he'd like one of those. So we had a wee chat for 5 mins or so about bike until we went different ways.

Ended up in a mini bunch of 4 commuters, cheapeau to lady cyclists with panniers and a shitty hybrid giving it full pelt for a decent speed.

Bloke walking along the towpath this morning swinging his arms at people going past him on bikes. Not quite trying to hit or push people, but putting his arms out as if trying to stop people going past.

Near Mare Street. Seemed drunk, I didn't fancy confronting him tbh so carried on and warned people heading towards him in the other direction. I was a bit later than usual, anybody know if this is this a regular character?

I'm not entirely unsympathetic, the towpath is entirely unsuitable for anything much above a pedestrian trundle yet the number of whazzoks about is very high.

I agree with this. I do enjoy riding towpaths but they're not appropriate and people don't know how to behave properly. I wouldn't be upset if it was banned for bikes.
I remember some toolbag came screaming past a friend and I once. We were riding too but both commented how unnecessary and fast he came past. As we turned the next corner we saw him fishing himself out the canal. Much joyous later followed.

Agree that some cyclists act like bellends on the towpath. But that's a separate discussion.

If it becomes banned for bikes it might be worth talking about appropriate punishment for those who flout that ban.

For now I'll stick to thinking pissed up flailing isn't an appropriate response to people harmlessly going about their commute, quite dangerous actually.

For now I'll stick to thinking pissed up flailing isn't an appropriate response to people harmlessly going about their commute, quite dangerous actually.

I agree. My comment has kind of moved away from your original post.
A ban would be almost totally unenforceable and probably disproportionate but I still would be ok with it.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far by how seriously Avon and Somerset police have been taking my incident. I’ve already had a few phone calls to check over details and to ask if I wanted to pursue matters. Plus a follow up email to confirm details.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens. I’ve thought about it quite a lot since it happened. I know worse stuff happen to people, but it’s shaken me up more than I thought it would.

There's always worse things happening but that shouldn't diminish this at all. You were chased and threatened. This could have ended even worse for anyone of you that were involved. Fuck him, fuck her, and chase a conviction.

Yeah cheers - I appreciate the solidarity from here. It’s helped me kind of galvanise my attitude about it.