This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I need this commute.

Got into a conversation this morning with someone who was trying to lecture me about "representing cyclists" by my actions on the road, from someone who then sailed through a pedestrian red light.
Maybe he meant just me?
Full disclosure I shouldn't be representing absolutely anybody ever!!

Obviously he undermined his own position with his subsequent actions, but there is some logic to the idea that all cyclists suffer [the effects of dangerous driving] because of the reputational damage to cyclists as a whole caused by bad riding by some (plus media bias etc). Shouldnt be that way but it is

Yeah but just riding along at a certain speed, taking the lane or filtering through traffic is enough to boil some driver's blood while they are sitting there bumper to bumper.

Yeah but just riding along at a certain speed, taking the lane or filtering through traffic is enough to boil some driver's blood while they are sitting there bumper to bumper.

which is especially frustrating when the deliveroo fuckwits on their illegally motorised throttle powered bikes with no lights, riding through reds, on pavements, into oncoming traffic etc. are also seen by the motoring set / media as 'cyclists'

when they're plainly not cyclists. they're just cunts.

And there is the problem. More people that drive don’t see themselves as drivers, just as most people that use washing machines don’t see themselves as laundry workers. Yet anyone on a bike is a cyclist.

Funny how there are no Deliveroo fakengers even though, apart from the electric bikes (which we would have used, had they been a thing back then) they are doing the same job, in the same way, as 'real' couriers were. Even down to giving other cyclists a bad name. Hard to put a finger on why that is.

Cuntiylists?

A lovely surprise on the way in this morning.

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nice! it was lovely out this morning.
i saw a kingfisher, which always makes for a good start to the day.
unfortunately it was a bit too far away to capture on camera properly 🤡

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Now that is so cool! A fabulous way to start the day.

This afternoon on my way home I headed off into the Norfolk Mountains ™️ as windy as fuck out there today, but I was awarded with this view from the summit. Well worth the effort.

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there's nowt better than a norfolk sky.
looks like a painting.

snapped up a bit of autumn this morning.

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There’s lovely. But it’s brought me out in shivers, I’ve been clearing leaves from pitches and tennis courts for what seams like years.

Dark, but lovely morning past the abandoned boat.

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Wow - great pic.

cool

Tis the season for thoughtlessly mounted, megalumens, wide and high beam floodlights angled directly at one's eyeballs.

I get it, the thought process is actually "this is fucking bright, I'll just light up EVERYTHING in front of me to be safe and be seen" rather than "I'm actually creating quite a dangerous situation here by temporarily blinding everyone and everything coming towards me"

See also the strobe enthusiasts.

So much this. Also the massively bright rear lights.

I don't mind wide and high so much as small and intense. Some of the tiny rear lights are extremely bright and with a very small illuminated area, that's quite uncomfortable with laser-like scattering across the retina of those behind. The same amount of light emitted over a larger, more diffuse area is more tolerable and simultaneously more visible. But I suppose a broad rear light is less aero or something.

That said I stick Moon lights on my kids' helmets at this time of year, because on kids' bikes the possible attachment points for lights are often below the eyeline of drivers or obscured by their saddles from the viewing angle of a car seat. They're not excessively bright but I want to get something up in drivers' faces.

On my bike I use a dynohub with Schmidt Edelux front and rear. I also have 'to be seen' lights integrated with my helmet, but again they're not too intense.

Early start last week took me over Ally Pally at dawn

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That's damn good picture.

Was cycling home through hackney, leaving London fields and going along London lane following what was the Q2. Just as I joined London lane I stopped at the junction by the railway arch as a van was turning in. It had to correct the turn not to hit me and it still came a bit close but fine what ever I probably swore under my breath but had my face covered and other than that didn't react and carried on with life. There was also a cyclists behind me don't think they did anything.

As I cleared the junction, the van screeches to a halt and starts to turn around. It then speeds up and starts coming in our direction down London lane towards mare street. Not really sure what was going on the other cyclists suggested to to "get out of here" and we were then chased at speed by the van. Luckily on mare street there are bollards in the middle of the street and the road was clear so I got on the right side of the bollards just in time the van driver shouted something and gave up. Not a fucking clue why that happened, was a bit scary to be honest.