This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Yikes I nearly lost my best beret on Waterloo Bridge this evening.

bestret?

berest?

you choose.

He would've been beretved if he lost it.

Worst commute in a very long time last night. I was out in the rain all day yesterday but got wetter in the space of about 30 seconds immediately after starting to head home than I did for the rest of the day combined. Proper biblical downpour. Decided I could see better without my glasses because they were so wet. Combined with occasional massive gusts of wind threatening to blow me in front of cars made me wish I'd got the bus.

Yeah I’ve been there with glasses!

Same, need some mini window wipers

Rep

That deluge at the end of the day was something else! Glad I WFH yesterday.

Berexit.

Touché

Been commuting in London every day from London Bridge to Euston on a regular basis for a few months now, thoroughly enjoying it BUT, a little spooked by the vision of being hit and dying...(morbid, I know)-can anyone give me hope that we're safe in the city as cyclists?

Will continue to be optimistic about my commuting by bike!!

Think we got caught in same shower!!

I would have missed it if I hadn't stop for essential pizza and coffee run...

ltc doesn't live in London, so that would have had to be a shower covering a mahoosive area. :)

Much better commutes both ways today. Shout out to the cyclist I saw this morning who appeared to be wearing some sort of santa skinsuit. Aero gains significantly reduced by matching santa hat though.

Mile by mile, people in the UK are actually more likely to die walking
than cycling, according to figures from the Department for Transport.
For every billion miles cycled last year, 30.9 cyclists were killed,
while 35.8 pedestrians were killed for every billion miles walked.

https://ig.ft.com/sites/urban-cycling/

Which is fine, till I calculate how far I walk down roads compared to how far I cycle. I've done 100 miles on roads this week already and probably walked less than 1 next to a road.

Stats like that might seem more comforting than they are.

I still think cycling is safe.

I reassure myself by trying to cycle quite well, and then imagine that all the idiots sliding up the side of indicating trucks and blasting through busy junctions at unnecessary speed etc. are more likely to be in the crash statistics than me.

Touch wood.

BUT, a little spooked by the vision of being hit and dying

Statistically, being a cyclist makes you live longer.

Look at it this way: it is entirely possible to choke on a piece of apple and die. This is not a good reason to give up eating apples.

Yes statistically cycling is safe and you’ll be healthier and happier for doing it. Make it safer for you by doing cycle training, I did it and it deffo improved how I ride :) (If you haven’t done so already!)

Plus cycling in central London is pretty safe due to the speed traffic is forced to move at and most people are hectic traffic savvy.

I get much more wary when I reach the 'burbs.

Slipped on a patch of black ice this morning. Snapped my mech hanger and landed heavily on my hip.

Worst part is I made a hole in my new pro team base layer on its first outing.

#dontlean

My normal single speed has a tyre bulge which I've probably ridden too much on so took my tourer into work.

The mudguards are so poorly shaped they were just dumping mud and slop onto my legs.

Did vote tho.

Grim ride in this morning. Have picked up the sickness bug my daughter had, but given today is the chirstmas meal and I've paid my £25, I thought I'd make an effort to come in and see if I felt up to it. 12.5 miles in freezing pissing rain at a speed so slow I never really got warm. Had to stop to throw up as well. Stupid decision.

Edit: did vote though.

shit.

had a very near miss - both wheels slipped sideways but I miraculously managed to stay upright. very overcautious on the rest of the ride in.

maybe it was some kind of election metaphor? - big slide to the right but managed to get back on track rather than a heavy crash...

Ran to work this morning. Have to say, bicycles are a miracle of efficiency.