This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Guy at E&C Roundabout last night trying to track stand. All he did was managed just to track stand on the crossing so peds had to walk around him.
Slowly rolling forwards and ending up track standing sideways in the ped crossing seems to be the norm on my commute. Maybe I should start handing out stabilisers.

Thing was he managed to do it just until the lights changed and then everyone just charged past him, so was forced to put his foot down.

At least you resisted the temptation to shout "amber ... green!" at him while the lights were still red.

All the hardmen were out this morning powering their way at epic speeds up the er, Peckham Canal Park path. Pedestrians cowering in terror as some muppet (spilling out of his Orbea shorts, head merrily bobbing to left and right) overtook wildly on a corner. Someone else cutting across bits of grass in a frantic attempt to shave 5 seconds off his arrival at the next junction. What a bunch of nodders.

Mind you at my leisurely pace I arrived to find all the work cycle racks full...pah

^ 5 seconds too late?

Actually yes :(

Today I was on my old commute route, from the time some years back when I was working on Portobello Road, because I had to visit the Westbourne Grove Evans store. I encounter more cyclists than on my current route, once I cross the river. There are a lot more full-kit wankers on that route than there used to be. Quite slow full-kit wankers on expensive road bikes. Interesting to see them posing at the lights like they're waiting for a race to start, then going nowhere very much.

You from Nottingham Eyebrows?

I live here, work in Derby/ Mansfield/ Boston depending on time of year.

Today I was on my old commute route, from the time some years back when I was working on Portobello Road, because I had to visit the Westbourne Grove Evans store. I encounter more cyclists than on my current route, once I cross the river. There are a lot more full-kit wankers on that route than there used to be. Quite slow full-kit wankers on expensive road bikes. Interesting to see them posing at the lights like they're waiting for a race to start, then going nowhere very much.

Pose, pose, look forwards with great intent, pose, GREEN! Slowly look down at pedal to get cleat in while wobbling across junction.

Itinerant crop-picker? ^^

If you're trackstanding at lights in 2014 it means you didn't ride hard enough on the weekend. #htfu

must spread rep

I really hate my road bike sometimes. Always things to go wrong.
... the chain jumps over the last cog on the cassette ( going up a steep hill). Gets jammed in between the wheel and the cassette, shears a couple of spokes and the chain snaps.
Cue masses of swearing, ...
Wish I still had my fixed gear :(

Today on my ride to a job in Balham, fixed, I wondered why you'd bother with gears. Cleaned it yesterday, noticed that my 4year old drivetrain was still in great nick, despite seeing loads of use.

Bring back Teh Fixeh.

If you're trackstanding at lights in 2014 it means you didn't ride hard enough on the weekend. #htfu

So 2014 is all about collapsing over the top tube in abject misery?

So 2014 is all about collapsing over the top tube in abject misery?

If you're sitting on the top tube at lights in 2014 it means you didn't ride long enough on the weekend. #htfu

Pose, pose, look forwards with great intent, pose, GREEN! Slowly look down at pedal to get cleat in while wobbling across junction.

Ahaha the summer cyclists are always good fun, the 5K bike to filter the traffic in london always make me smile. With the attitude as well.....move kid look at my bike, i'm a serious guy so priority to me.

Ted has saved a lot of school childrens lives.

I've always been wary about the front of buses since that and at around school closing times.

"Not behind the bus, Spotty" was replaced this morning with a "JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!"

Waiting at the crossroads by mile end halfords this morning on my way into the city at a red light, some kid on a shit mountain bike hit my elbow as he RLJ'd. Called him out and he turned round to start saying sorry as he then blindly freewheeled over the junction. Then, once the light turned green and I set off, he turned right round on his saddle as I passed and said to me 'Mate, I was just trying to give you a little wake up call'. Oh the irony.

Not this morning but had a bizarre yet lucky cleat fail on the way home. Noticed that the left foot wasn't unclipping very easily. At the next lights I looked down at the left pedal (Shimano SPDs) and noticed something in the middle of it. Recognised it was one of the cleat bolts and quickly dismounted completely and got out of the road (Farringdon, didn't want to fanny around in the middle of it). By the time I got to the kerb, the bolt had fallen out of the pedal. Thinking it was completely lost I removed the cleat from my shoe and prepared to ride home with only one foot clipped in. I decided that was a shit idea and tried to look for the bolt as I had only moved a few feet. A few cycles of the lights later I saw the bolt, waited for the next red and then grabbed it. Re-fitted the cleat, made sure the right one was secure also and went home.

tl;dr - nearly lost cleat, didn't.

Am looking forward to the cold and damp weather of late summer, autumn. Fed up with summer cyclist, far to many idiots, drivers, cyclist, peds.

Two hipster last night riding in the middle of the left hand road chatting away along Bishopsgate, for some reason decided to pull across the on coming cars on the right to stop at the bank.

Bus driver in bus lane waving for cyclist to go past only for him to then start pulling out pushing me and another guy into the on coming traffic.

Bloke who sat behind me all the way along Brixton Rd up to Effra Rd was so close to my back wheel that when I stuck my arm to move around a parked car I had to slow down as he wouldn't move.

The guy who was crossing the road with his dog on an extendible dog lead, not sure it's best to have the lead extended while crossing the Rd.

Think I'll give the summer commute a little break, try and de stress

It's been several years since the autumn/winter months showed a significant decrease in London cycle commuter numbers (and corresponding increase in average IQ). The idiots don't get any smarter but they have toughened up and are no longer just fair-weather cyclists.

I got the Tube. It was delayed a lot.

It just amazes me the complete lack of road sense some people have. Should surprise me after all this time, they do seem to get stupider every year.

Today was the fastest that I have done this particular commute.

Which was nice.

Said a nice good morning to a cabbie who drove straight at me while looking the other way on Victoria Street. He didn't say good morning back - rude. And brutally undertook by a very determined heavy pedaller man as I pulled away from some lights. Almost critiqued the move, when his little boy in the child seat behind him came into view. Could only manage a brief and cheerful 'hello mate' and a wave.
Just can't seem to get huffy these days.