This morning's commute and other commuting stories

sounds fully justified (the post not the driving)

Not really a commute but as close as I get these days due to WFH. Did a little loop of Kent during (extended) lunch break.
Just turned onto Pilgrims way from Clarks Lane, big houses on my left, vineyard on my right just in time to see two men in balaclavas jump into a sporty Audi and drive off at speed towards me.
Without evening thinking I bravely & needlessly swerved into a driveway totally ignoring the Audi’s number plate.
I did stop & support the distressed homeowner by phoning the police and providing very little details other then it was a blue Audi which the home owner then said was a BMW 🤷🏻‍♂️.
Apparently the two men tried to climb over / push though the impressive large electric gate to get to the shiny land rover on the driveway that was so long I couldn’t see the house, the homeowner saw everything on CCTV & went out & confronted the men which didn’t seem to put them off. If it wasn’t for the big gate could have been pretty nasty, she was quite shaken up.

Sounds stressful.

Got the torrential downpour on the way home. Not sure how much of my kit will be dry for tomorrow. Shoes filled with newspaper currently waterproof jacket did a decent job on the top half at least.

@Lampman
Fucking hell!

Presuming Buck Palace now clear of jubilee paraphernalia. That detour walk through Green Park last time was shit.

still blocked atm, I think it was going to be blocked for 6 weeks in total?!

Wonder if it's the same group that have been targeting cyclists at the top of Beddlested? Granted this is quite a big leap in terms of severity of crime.

BirdCage Walk is open, but the central park and Consitition Hill are still closed. I would work to next Monday (13th) at the earliest.

I’ve not heard about cyclists being targeted on Beddlested? Any more info?

I think the guys I saw in the Audi where maybe a level or two above bicycle theft but actually didn’t appear to be that good / well prepared for stealing high value cars if they couldn’t get through the gate of a property with very visible CCTV cameras.

There was a road.cc article about it but I can't seem to find it

Bit of chat about it here, and someone in a WhatsApp chat I'm in had a narrow escape near Botley hill farmhouse.

Unfortunately cyclists now seem to be seen as easy targets for a quick high value theft. There was another case of a bike mugging in Richmond Park this week. Bloody grim out there at the moment!

Blimey hadn’t heard about these bicycle thefts around the Kent Alps! Scary stuff but thanks for sharing!

Nearly got taken out by a banger sprinting across the road this morning, I'm sure it passed through the front wheel it was that close.

Had a fun one yesterday. Cycling through Manor Park I got left hooked by a couple of likely lads in a lovely silver Mercedes.

I was happily post-Long Covid pootling when said driver blasts past me and then immediately turns left.
I slam my brakes on and shout 'Nooooooooo' not unlike Marty McFly in Back to the Future.
Driver stops and passenger opens his window.
I say 'What the fuck are you doing?'
'Sorry mate. Last minute turn.'
'Oh it was a last minute turn? Sorry I didn't realise. That's OK then...USE YOUR FUCKING BRAIN'
Cycles off

No damage done but FFS.

a banger

1 Attachment

I can't remember how you actually commute. How did I use to fit all this crap in without a rucksack?

• tools
  
• tube and pump
  
• jacket
  
• D lock
  
• work clothes
  
• shoes
  
• towel
  
• lunch
  
• laptop
  
  

Will have to invest in some microfibre towels, a D lock and a pair of shoes that I leave in the office permanently I guess

Saw a sick Ritchey Outback this morning by Westminster square. Looked on here.

I used to leave shirts, shoes, trousers and lock and computer at the office. That might help your back.

Luckily I can leave trousers, washing gear and d-lock at the office and towels are provided. Still have to lug the laptop, pants, socks shirts and tools etc. Hence why now have a pannier and lots of gears.

• tools - pannier
  
• tube and pump - pannier
  
• jacket - it's summer, just get wet - in spring/autumn do the same - winter = wear it
  
• D lock - left at office
  
• work clothes locker but swapped every few days as needed via pannier
  
• shoes locker - never came home
  
• towel locker but swapped every 2 days via pannier
  
• lunch - pannier although office canteen wasn't that bad
  
• laptop fixed desk with desktop PC, laptop stayed at home
  

is there not a 'show us your commute pack-up' thread?

and if not, why not?

I found that rear panniers got so covered in filth in the winter (shitty lane on the commute doesn't help that) that despite them being waterproof, they made everything they touched when you took them off the bike absolutely filthy. Moved to a front basket with bag from @user71349 - brilliant. Lock strapped to the rear rack.

But you have to take them home at some point unless you never wash them.

I bought some packable towels on my way home last night. Now just need a big fat office D lock/chain and a pair of office shoes I'll be a lot better off

is there not a 'show us your commute pack-up' thread?

I would have loved that.

Near the end of my last job I was going in two days a week and playing 5-a-side near the office one night. The routine was:

• Thu am: Cycle in with panniers stuffed
  
• Thu pm: Play 5-a-side, pub, train home late
  
• Fri am: Run in
  
• Fri pm: Cycle home
  
  

I never got used to running with a big rucksack so I wanted to run in with the minimum of stuff on a Friday, this was simply keys/wallet/phones/work-id. And that all fit in a tiny 3L running rucksack.

I had a pair of Altura Dryline 2 (56L) panniers that were stuffed to the gills. On Thursday they'd contain:-

• Fresh towel - the old towel used after post-run shower on Friday was used for post 5-a-side footy that night
  
• Lunch for Thu/Fri (we had a fridge we could stick stuff in during the week but it was emptied at weekends)
  
• Two coffee mugs (No access to a sink other than in the toilets and that's hideously unhygienic)
  
• Clothes for Thursday during the day (also worn post 5-a-side but fresh socks/underwear), clothes/underwear for Friday *
  
• Tubes/tools/etc for bike
  
• Keys/phones/wallet/work-ID/etc
  
• 55L Kipsta football bag that packed down quite small (like this: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/55l-sports-bag-essential/_/R-p-309659?mc=8558317&c=GREY)
  
• Astro boots
  
• Football kit (shorts, socks, light and dark top)
  
• Set of Decrackalon bibs
  
• Football pump
  
• Two footballs
  
• Shower gel, deodorant, etc for post 5-a-side shower (office shower stuff stayed in my locker in the changing rooms)
  
  

It was a hell of a job packing all that stuff into the two panniers, but it usually just fit. If I really had to take my laptop in, or had any overspill, I'd just carry it in a rucksack.

It was also a hell of a job remembering everything I needed to bring in. I had spares of most things in my locker (socks, underwear, t-shirts, etc) just in case. That and remembering which towel to use and which to take later that day.

The worst day was forgetting my work keyring (bike cage key, locker keys, bike lock keys, etc). No way around it but had to do a morning call (luckily just audio) sat on a bench outside work then cycle 8 miles home, pick them up and then 8 miles back into work. Couldn't even dump the panniers at work as security wouldn't look after them.

* I had two pairs of smartish work jeans I'd alternate so they'd get washed every couple of weeks

The shirts I used to get cleaned (there's a locker service pickup thing in some of our offices and I had enough £5 M&S shirts to make the most of their bulk pricing) and the trousers are easily rolled up and light enough to be a non-issue.

I hate panniers but I also hate carrying stuff on my back so I minimised what I carried.

I love proper pootling in on a day like today, chilled out and just getting where you need to go without really caring if you're a bit late to the office.

Also appreciated the person playing Soundman - Greater Love out of their speaker for a portion of the ride, paused my headphones to listen whilst I was riding with them, aforementioned pootle meant that they got through a set of lights that I didn't so we parted ways there.