This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Yeah you have good points.

Sometimes I feel like the embankment is a bit mindnumbing. I prefer winding routes with lots of back roads, crossing bigger roads not using them.

Rode through Dulwich park to get to work. Heard a "woah" ahead and looked up to see a cyclist had been hit by a car as they pulled out of the park. Cyclist was quickly on their feet checking bike over, driver was apologetic. Traffic was generally very heavy. 3/10.

In that rain, called off training due to rain then had to cycle in it as you do to get home.

I thought the same but on reflection I think that its just the general increase of cycle commuters. I looked around at the lights at Westminster the other night and it was like the pro peloton at the start of Flanders - gabba's, overshoes, gillets and winter gear as opposed to people who were just wearing 2001's ski jacket and rugby shorts.

Putney to Southbank is my commute and came to the same conclusion.

Putney Bridge, New Kings Road, Embankment and I go over Lambeth Bridge, Lambeth Palace Road, York Road, Chicheley St, Belvedere Road, Upper Ground.

Coming back I continue along Belvedere Rd round the back of County Hall and over Westminster Bridge, Parliament Sq and Abingdon St...

For Liverpool St I'd go over Lambeth Bridge, Lambeth Road, Borough Rd (bikes can get through by the roundabout), Borough High St and then London Bridge. But I've only ever done this at 5am at the weekend when riding up to Cambridge and I can imagine Borough High St being a industrial sized bag of stab. No idea what it's like during normal commuting times so take this bit with a huge pinch of salt.

Nice ride to Euston and a £2 coin on the train seat.

Hello winter! Lovely crisp and dry ride in.

^
this!

Totally lovely ride in, including an agreeable pause for a huge artic reversing into the wood yard at Brockley Cross, no stupid driving, no stupid cyclists undertaking me, and it felt as though the photons bouncing off the newly applied reflective tape (thanks @adroit!) were giving me a sub-atomic tailwind.

Arrived at work and, as I was locking up my bike, remembered I was supposed to be starting the day with a hospital appointment back south of the river. Doh! I'll have a quick coffee and head out in a mo for more entertainment.

Puncture on the way in. My tyre had more glass in it that the average crack house. New tyre time. I might upgrade from £5 Vittoria Zaffiro to £11 Vittoria Zaffiro PRO because I'm worth it.

That was really strange commute, saw more then double the number of cyclist between Dulwich/Brixton all the way to E&C then I have all week, then not a single one from Borough to Moorgate. Where did they all go, am a little slowly today after last nights club ride but not that slow.

Lady at Oval jumped the red and nearly got taken out by an Uber driver - would have been nasty if he hadn't been on the ball.

Undeterred, the same lady jumped the red in the same fashion at every set of lights from Oval to E&C.

Suggested she might want to be careful in order to avoid getting killed. Sarcastic "Thanks" in reply. Sigh.

choose a sprint along CS8.

to bikeradar with you!

WFH ftw

Loving the new segregated bit at E&C when you come round pass the tube station an onto Newington Causeway, straight into the buses stopped at the bus stop. Another great planning idea, luckily for me I didn't noticed it had been opened so was still on the road, not sure luck for the people who used it and got stuck behind the bus that was blocking the exit point.

Feeling a bit sore in my knee, and wanting to be able to do tomorrow's club ride, I took it easy this morning.

Had to fight every urge to hammer it after anybody who overtook me, a.k.a. "the twat instinct".

I used it and got lucky - no buses at that moment.

Saw that this morning- the lane came up and my reaction was:

Looks like the whole project is a farce for drivers and cyclists.

The bit that really needs to change for cyclists is the bit coming from Kennington/Walworth Road going northbound (outside the shopping centre). Currently it's usually a choice between a risky filter or a significant wait. Are we getting a cycle lane down the left hand side of that mess?

Bleurg - spirits dampened by motorbike and rider down just after Queens Rd Peckham station.

Next time complement her on her work towards becoming a stain on the road ;)

It's tricky sometimes though, you try to be nice and helpful and get a shitty response back. Then when you don't say something when people do something Stupid you feel guilty.

Hell is others etc etc ;)

@JWestland Yeah. I don't usually say anything, but but was her persistence that got me. Having been almost knocked off (and entirely in the wrong) once, she behaved in exactly the same way when presented with the same decision again. Humans are strange.

I get that tho. Having risked your life jumping one red light you feel daft waiting at the next as it makes the first incident pointless, plus all the people who saw you be a cunt might catch you up and that would be embarrassing.

Denial is best.

Yep, I get this with people stopped and off their bikes on the (remote-ish) cycle path. I tend to slow down a bit and give them a cheery 'got everything you need?' In case they're stranded. Tend to get blank stares, frowns and even a 'prick' once :-)

If I don't say anything, though, I get wracked with guilt and assume they later died of exposure.

a cheery 'got everything you need?'

Tend to get blank stares, frowns and even a 'prick' once :-)

Are you sure you're not inadvertently coming over as sarcastic?