This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Yesterday was my first day commuting to work since I've been finishing off this year of studies over April and May.

Since yesterday I have encountered quite a few douch-bags.....yesterday evening one guy mounting the cycle lane CS8 on Cable Street trying to cut a corner in a Smart car....and this morning a 38 bus in Hackney central entering the bus garage, he just pulled up and stopped while blocking the pedestrian crossing and blocking traffic from behind.

It's been a while since I've commuted regularly so I've got to remember to remain calm.

Any advice on the route?

http://connect.garmin.com/course/6748300

P.s. Had to wear my bibs today as gooch is all tender from lack of saddle action!!!

1 x punctured Marathon Plus (!?)
1 x non-operational hand pump (mine)
1 x vandalised floor pump (outside Halfords)
1 x trudge home

Puncturing a Marathon Plus - you must've been a very, very naughty boy in a previous life.

P.s. Had to wear my bibs today as gooch is all tender from lack of saddle action!!!

That sounds like you've been riding a bike without a saddle. Bound to leave you with a sore gooch.

That sounds like you've been riding a bike without a saddle. Bound to leave you with a sore gooch.

"Ooh, nasty"

Puncturing a Marathon Plus - you must've been a very, very naughty boy in a previous life.

That'd explain a thing or two.

It was a thorn right it in the middle - unbelievable. Ripped a fingertip open on it as well. Roll on Monday.

Fatality at Vauxhall, wide area around this is badly effected, mental drivers in Kennington/Camberwell etc.

Also Parliament square approach from Millbank is closed.

Just got caught in that.

Horrible, horrible business.

I tried the Milkwood Road Brixton avoidance tactic which, on balance, was a waste of time.

On another note, what are those bikes that are made of very chunky round brushed alu tubes? The top tube extends slightly beyond the head tube for some reason and has a light embedded into the end of it. Very commuter functional.

van moof.

ugly as sin.

That's the one!

I think they're OK looking. Presumably quite good for what they are.

mind you, my esb has a wee little vestigial tail going on so i should shut my cakehole.

They sell them in bon Velo in Herne hill.

Made by lazy Dutch welders who can't measure a tube.

That sounds like you've been riding a bike without a saddle. Bound to leave you with a sore gooch.

If there was no saddle, would the gooch be the natural position for the seat post???

Made by lazy Dutch welders who can't measure a tube.

I love the venom implicit behind this!

Those lazy Dutch welders...

The Dutch - YouTube

Just had a minor incident which arose much white liberal guilt.

Aggressively driven at and honked at my black BMW 4x4. Gave it dirty look. Car pulls up next to me with 3 black youths barking "WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT?!" at me. I stare at them and wonder whether said youths are complete poseurs, in which case call them out and have a pop OR keep mouth shut in case they are dangerous. By the time I've thought it through they speed off through the lights, on the wrong side of the road.

Not sure if massive racist or sensible cyclist or a bit of both.

Does race come into it? If they were white would I have reacted the same way? I'd probably be more inclined to think they were posing if they were white.

Didn't get the registration no. in any case.

I've thought about it and it comes down to this:

Was it right to assume that their dickish behaviour was due to being dangerous gang members (or whatever)? If they were white, I would have probably assumed they were acting like that because they were entitled pricks who had somehow managed to borrow a BMW off one of their rich parents.

Maybe I should ask the Guardian's moral dilemma page.

So racist. You should have beaten them all up.

Believe me bro I was about to but they drove off.

I caught up with them on my sweet fixie tho but one of them threw drawing pins out the back window so I had to stop and fix my tyres.

Wiley motherfuckers.

Wiley motherfuckers.

I thought he said they were black.

Oh, 'Wiley'

Who the fuck keeps drawing pins in their car?

*Apart from geography teachers.

And I've never seen a black geography teacher.