This morning's commute and other commuting stories

everytime I see someone with a mechanical I stop and say "Do you have everything you need?"
someone said this to me once, I think it's the perfect mix of helpfulness without condescension

Some £10 neoprene ones (PX?) with belgian booties underneath.

Yep, I do the same usually. I'll confess to occasionally cycling past when I see someone looking pretty competent pumping up their repaired tyre as they seem to have everything under control. But if someone has a flat and isn't doing anything to repair it, chances are your help would be pretty valuable as they're likely lacking a tool or an inner tube.

I do the same (or I at least slow down enough to say it and hear the answer). I’m always amazed at how often the response is unfriendly, though!

Last time I did it I got a full-on Kevin and Perry style sarcastic ‘yeeeesss I’m fiiiine. GOD!’

Yeah that's not very nice, though probably due to people being annoyed at having a mechanical. I mean I know I'm pretty pissed off when I get a flat. Though I'd try not to take that out on someone offering help - if anyone ever did!

Can recommend these ones from Decathlon. They're a bit of a PITA to get on and off as they don't have a zip or anything, but they have kept my feet completely dry and, if anything, too warm.

I use similar to these, less hassle than overshoes and keep the toes warm in any shoes (cos that's the only thing that gets cold)

Neoprene Toe Warmer Booties https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00QW10ZHO

Haven't posted here in quite some time, but have the urge now.

My current commute takes me down Vauxhall Walk - which is one way for motor traffic, but two ways for bikes, with a line of parked cars along one side. There are give way points which the cars never fucking use, expecting oncoming cyclists to be bullied onto the pavement because "it's just common sense, innit?"

Problem is, I'm a stubborn arse and won't be bullied onto the pavement as a point of principle. What tends to happen is the oncoming driver sees me, ignores me, proceeds past the give way point and we end up nose to nose around here

I usually stand my ground for a bit to be purposefully inconvenient and then eventually roll my eyes and give up - which is what happened this morning even though we were at a point on the street with no parked cars where there was actually space to go round me.

This morning's absolute delight of a human being told me he was driving "very respectfully" (perhaps because he didn't run me over?) and that I "wasn't being respectful to drivers" by using the pavement. Hmm...

Am I The Asshole..?

Exact same issue, the only way I had success is driving right by the parking cars, providing there's no opposite bike traffic. Loads of dangerous speeding there too in the evenings...

It's not all bad - I once got challenged to a race along there (in the direction of the motor traffic) by a group of kids from the local estates on their mountain bikes.

"Fam! Fam! Wanna race, fam!"

I was on my Dutch bike and lost, but it was great fun...

I find the issue with a lot of those contraflow routes is drivers don't realise they're two way for cyclists and think it's some cyclist going the wrong way and won't give way as a point of principle.

Very pretty commute this morning (away from cars).

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Very probably - but definitely not the case today - he acknowledged that it was two way for bikes.

this happens a lot on the cycling contraflows around here - a lot of cyclists riding in the direction of motor traffic on the cycle lane, against the flow of cyclists.
presumably they can see that it's a cycle lane but don't understand how arrows work?

a lot of time they seem to be 'people on bikes' or deliveroodboyz rather than 'cyclists'

This evening was just perfect for cycling!

That may have been me.

Or one of my mates.

Or someone else.

So many people in cars with no lights on this foggy morning! Twunts

Was it this chap? Riding a Brompton? https://justmyshorts.com/

Used to see him on the tube sometimes from Amersham before I moved back to the smoke.

I thought pointing and laughing was acceptable?

All the fucking time in the Chilterns. Drivers will never slow and use the passing spot, they just carry on and then you're forced to squeeze past their wing mirrors. Dickheads.

Crash into them.. SMIDSY... LOL and ride off.

At least he's wearing some gloves in the pic, I think not doing that would be a bit unsafe in really cold conditions. Admirable determination though.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/342914/
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To be fair, if I saw a giant airbag come riding towards me, I'd probably throw all caution to the wind, too.

Longtime listener first time caller.

Going up Loampit Hill in Lewisham, ped runs across the road when the lights on green - missed him by a hair! Then 50 meters further up the hill - On coming Van driver starts to turn off totally misjudging my speed and ends up stopping half way across the lane - then 50 meters further on a Merc driver does the same but actually makes the right turn.

I must remember not to wear my invisibility cloak when riding!

Everything after that was fine except for a slipping Thomson seatpost that I can’t seem to fix 😞🤷🏻‍♂️