This morning's commute and other commuting stories

That is gutting both in itself and in its injustice :(

That really sucks. Can you get it repaired?

A page worth of tube strike related cycling stress and no one has used "strikealists" as a derogatory term. I am disappoint.

I love me a good tube strike - but if you try and ride like you normally do you are in for trouble. Of all the days, its the one to set off 10 mins early, and ride super chilled around the carnage, taking it all in.

Marvel at the machines dragged out of sheds/hedges and employed for this brief period as that individual's primary transport mode.
Wonder at the clothing choices, backwards helmets and arse cracks on display
Be amazed at the lack of road craft and perception.
Smirk at the other regular commuter's frustrations at their presence.
Rejoice when they return to their metal tubes.

Although I wholeheartedly agree, the environment of abuse and fear cultivated by many of Londons drivers is enough to fully put people off cycling / walking etc and into the perceived safety of their own cars. Quite sad really.

Of course the slower and more vulnerable you are the more likely you are going to be abused. As witnessed over and over when cycling with my son when he was growing up. And experienced more recently cycling with my parents who are prettty slow cyclists too.

I reckon repair is 100% possible, but would involve an entire new front end and a respray, which much as I love this bike is just time and money I don't have at the moment.

Work have offered to pay for something new, so I think I'll probly just cut my losses and hang it on the wall or something. 35+ is pretty old for Italian steel as it is, and we had a good decade run in each others company. Nothing lasts forever, innit.

Staggeringly few people have to. They choose to because they're already pricks

You can't get everyone on bikes or the Tube. The majority of traffic I see on my fixeh commute from Hammersmith to the West End is delivery & other vans, heavy construction traffic, taxis and private hire. Too many people dropping kids off at school by car, of course, but given the state of cycling infrastructure around King Street I don't really blame them.

That is very philosophical - you may be reaching a London commuting zen state. But seriously, rubbish thing to happen.

The Bike is fine! My back is a tad sore. Today was slightly better. Apart from the one thundercunt who want to undertake a lorry turning left. Despite me holding back and making sure that no newbies went up on the side of the turning lorry

I love me a good tube strike - but if you try and ride like you normally do you are in for trouble. Of all the days, its the one to set off 10 mins early, and ride super chilled around the carnage, taking it all in.

Marvel at the machines dragged out of sheds/hedges and employed for this brief period as that individual's primary transport mode.
Wonder at the clothing choices, backwards helmets and arse cracks on display
Be amazed at the lack of road craft and perception.
Smirk at the other regular commuter's frustrations at their presence.
Rejoice when they return to their metal tubes

Ogmios school of Zen cycle commuting.

Actually think this is a good way to approach the commute everyday.

Felt the rear tyre go soft on the way home last night. Took a corner way too quick and boom.

Tyre off the rim (tubeless), and me on the floor. Ripping the new bartape I had put on but a couple weeks prior.... nightmare.

new bartape I had put on

Thats your problem right there!

Gambled on an amber this morning, pedestrian stepped out into the road, eyes fixed on the light across the street, not even a glance left or right. Didn't hit her but gave her a bit of a shock.

Other guy on a bike pulls up next to me at the next lights and says "Did you not see that she wasn't looking at you, if you're going to jump reds, be fucking careful"
I say "I wasn't planning on jumping a red, it was on amber"
He goes "Wot"
I go "Nevermind"

He proceeds to fuck off into the distance through every red light in the visible universe.

Cycle in was weirdly fine today? Not that much extra traffic, not that much extra ago, little bit of drizzle. Quite nice.

Amber means STOP. Same as red.

Especially when it's flashing

pedestrian stepped out into the road ... it was on amber

Have you considered cycle training?

Not quite the same, it means stop unless it's unsafe to do so... but mostly it means stop.

Thanks, aware of that.

I did once very briefly consider it

If I'd have stopped, I'd not only have not stopped before the white line, I'd have also hit the dosey ped but thanks for the armchair road policing

If I'd have stopped, I'd not only have not stopped before the white line, I'd have also hit the dosey ped

Sounds like a shit piece of riding that you were rightly called out on.

Haha well since you weren't there, I'll completely ignore your opinion because it is both incorrect and irrelevant to me.

I'll completely ignore your opinion because it is both incorrect and irrelevant to me

Presumably that's why you posted the anecdote on a public forum for discussion?

Phildas can spook me at the lights any day x

Mine was hectic! It was like I was riding to an HGV convention. Highlights included to huge LGV with a number plate or scrawled characters on a piece of card, a coach that tried to sneak through a red and blocked traffic in every direction and a carpet of actual nails by the exit to an industrial site.