This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Did my ride to work this morning (SW8 to Old Street) without a stop - it was like I was Moses parting the waters.... and mostly legal.

What's your best Moses ride?

Brett

Mine was the one when I rode away from a cafe without paying the bill...

(have Jewish girl so Jew humour is permitted)

Yesterday I was asked if my bike had any gears, I said yes one. He said isn't it hard pedaling, I said it's slower to start maybe, he then asked why are they called speed bikes then? I have literally just realised that he meant single speed.
I haz a speed bike. Awesomes.

Cold. Clear. Empty roads. That tiny bit of uniform wetness that seems to make rolling easier. A cheery bloke on a lefty making fun of my socks. Beautiful.

Apart from the socks bit, that's quite poetic, Balki. Anyway, what was wrong with the socks? Knee high and checked?

Go Saints!

bloody rabble...

Ah...I see.

I've just moved to SE4/14 borderland and did my first new commute up to bloomsbury/holborn today. Took OKR from New X to Bricklayer's Arms then did Great Dover St (lovely bit of tarmac on that as SE beers bods will know) to Southwark St by way of Marshalsea and Southwark Bridge Rd, then over Blackfriars, left up that little cycle way to Holborn Circus and all the way along High Holborn. Got there in about 30 mins. Nice direct route, but I have to say coming back I noticed the terrible surface on OKR much more than in the morning.

I used to go up from southern end of Peckham Rye by way of Camberwell Green/Walworth Road/E & C and then over Waterloo Bridge. Queens Road/Peckham Road is a better surface than OKR no doubt, but it'd add another ten mins on the journey to go all that way west from New X before heading north from Camberwell. The only roads that provide a little shortcut are Southampton Way or Peckham High St/Trafalgar Ave, and they're all shocking surface wise.

Anyone ever gone through Burgess Park and up the middle of Walworth? I believe there's a numbered cycle route that goes that way...

I do the exact same route (and yes, Southampton Way is pretty guff, but a good section of it has just been repaved), but it's undoubtedly slower than taking the OKR. Was thinking of trying the Deptford/Surrey Quays/Bermondsey route and getting into central via Tower Bridge, but I've got a feeling that would be an even longer ride.

[Guess this could be used as an intros thread in case one doesn't exist already...]

Joined this forum a while back but have been living and riding in the East Midlands, despite being a Londoner of birth. Been putting together a new FG from parts mostly purchased from this very forum, in fact mostly purchased from Pistoffski ;) ... a bike that should be FINALLY ready in a week or two once I've put a front brake, front tyre and pedals on it. Which I'll probably never ride because I'll consider it too precious ... especially with the carbon tub wheel up front.

Anyway - finally moved back here a couple of weeks ago after my six year banishment and have been on the bike to work this week. Apologies for any poor road use witnessed between Maida Vale and Kensington as having only ridden in Nottingham & Derby the last few years I'm not used to this level of traffic - especially the two wheeled kind. Don't think I've ever shared an ASZ with anything other than a plank in a motor vehicle until now!

toasty!

I'm not sure what your route from Maida Vale to Kensington is, but I highly recommend using Kensington Palace Gardens. It's essentially a private road (has all the embassys on it) but the guards always seem to let cyclists through, much nicer than the high traffic Kensington Church St.

.

The roads were quieter then usual this morning, but those who were out seemed a little shouty.

Taxi drivers, peds, cyclists, lorry driver - everyone seemed to be having a shouty old time of it.
I even saw a MAMIL proper screaming in the face of an old man on a mountain bike telling him to get off the road. WAC>>>>>

When I was riding home from work on Tuesday morning a man riding some black Carbon featherlite pulled up next to me at the front of the lights northbound at Monument in the middle lane. As the left lane lights turned green I heard a parping and then felt a nudging of my back wheel - just some motorbike having a go at a pushbike eh.

"You're in the wrong fucking lane you dickhead" was my immediate response. The Milk Tray man however made after him as he struggled through the throng yelling....

Our lights turned green and I had to move on into Bishopsgate. Milk Tray Man caught up with me somewhere around the Heron building to check my bike was okay then he sped off in to the City leaving my bad breath and grey eye bags to marvel at the worn out arse patch on his black leggings...

Anyone else slide off this morning ?

Oooo my arse, shoulder and neck are hurting.

Right onto snow covered frozen glacier mud !

Where was everyone this morning? it was so eerily quiet out there I thought I was an hour or 2 early. Very strange commute

They were all in bed with your wife.

^^ Not guilty.

I was with his mum!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2013/apr/25/cycle-commuting-sarah-storey-paralympics

Anyone ever been chased down the street by a load of dustmen trying to hit you on the morning commute?

I've had the odd swipe from a pedestrian but mostly I tend to not get too close to bin lorries due the smell. What happened?

There was a bin lorry and loads of 4x4s. None of which seemed to want to give way and the general traffic chaos that they cause on side streets. I shot through a gap which kind of wasn't there forcing bin lorry to break. The driver hurled abuse at me, I gave him a quick fuck you. Next thing they all dropped their bins and started chasing me trying to swipe at me. it was hilarious. Luckily the traffic behind was clear and I could ride and abuse freely in my wake.
It was like a scene from a film. An absolute classic

Sounds awesome.

Congratulations.

mikeystonecops?