This morning's commute and other commuting stories

What is the significance of the potatoes?...........

Can't you read? In June, potato steam is a cure for a cold.

In July a grilled beetroot works better.

Ironically enough June is a terrible month for potatoes - much more floury goodness later in the year

That is ironic.

They're only good for snorting in June

I have some potato vodka, which I recently used to make horseradish vodka. I think I'll try that. Probably safer and less painful than the steaming thing.

Riding the bus for the first time in months is so unusual taking 20min to get down brixton hill. I can't see any class markings on the seats so I have to assume this is 1st class.

Never take the bus into Brixton. Get off half way down the hill, walk through Brixton get on another bus.

BTW, for never, read "not in the morning or evening".

you live in brixton, why the cock are you taking a bus to it?

God I was grumpy on my commute.

fuckning amazing ride in :-)

Had to have a go at a transit driver who was at the lights at the top of Drury lane. I heard him say "Someone's going to get crushed." then try to "scare" a cyclist who had pulled up in front of him, on the right. The driver pulled around the cyclist then held a line so that the cyclist had nowhere to go when they got to a van parked on the right ahead. Slammed on his brakes and then shouted at the cyclist, causing a jam of bikes who had been waiting behind.

I called him out on driving like a cunt when I got past him, but got back the usual "highway code" bullshit and to mind my own business.

He definitely did it on purpose and was not happy about being called out. I wish I didn't let adrenaline get the better of me and remembered to get plate/company details, but this was so close to a murder that I had to do something.

Other night, going up Camden high street. Stop at junction between Parkway and Camden road behind a Peugeot that looks like it hasn't passed MOT in a decade. Lights go green, guy just turns left up Parkway. Inception moment where everyone and everything stops to watch. About 3 cars behind me just blare their horns at once in a moment of magic. Guy doesn't give two shits and just carries on, till an HGV comes bearing down on him, he casually swerves, drives up on pavement and continues driving around.

I go home and sleep.

Were there not cars waiting at the Parkway lights? Or just your usual camden tourists milling around the shops? Would have loved to have seen it.

you live in brixton, why the cock are you taking a bus to it?

I live in streatham hill. We have a very clear line that brixton hill starts after the traffic lights by mc ds.

Was getting the bus to my cousins in hackney so bus to waterloo and change. Usually would cycle but we had lots of stuff to carry and my partner can't cycle that far so I guess spending time with her?(that sounds kinda fucked up the awesomeness of a romantic 59 bus ride).

fair do's. when mrs hell and i take the #3, we usually bail at st matthews church and walk the rest of the way in. that fucking gyratory is jokez.

Super wet on way home- wet enough that I bailed on riding the extra 20 I'd planned.
Little disappointed in myself
Super early start tomorrow-surgery at 7:30- going to be cool enough to wear the gilet I think, but also perfect for the nice route for viewing pleasure.

Classic BMW driver today: pulled into a driveway from the street, completely ignoring the cycle lane, forced me to do a full stop and then stand around waiting for him to drive off, as he waited for two peds two pass, completely inaware of my presence, blocking my path.
I made an angry arm movement. Maybe I should upgrade my reactions?

going to be cool enough to wear the gilet I think

I'm wondering if I should make the move to a vest but I see people cycling in vests and think "you look like a dick, mate" so...

Meanwhile all my late nights this past 2 weeks have caught up with me and I nearly fell asleep at the wheel this morning.

Gilet was a good choice, was a little chilly on Stanton dale.
It's such a beautiful ride into work. Legs were not in the mood for speed though.

Annoyingly my consultant is late. Been waiting since 7:30.

I was halted by a large luminescent man with lots of leather and badges on his person this morning....he also had a hat, very official.

I was cycling up Cannon Street to the junction with Commercial road (which is closed northbound due to road works). None the less, I got to the point where the road goes in to a single southbound lane and pedalled along the empty pavement. The large chap stopped me and we started to have a discussion about cycling and road safety in general. He started by quoting a law which dates back to 1837! So I explained my point of view, which is I don't think laws from 2 centuries ago are necessarily still current in their entirety and they possibly need adjusting to suit a new millennium.

Anyway he was telling me how potentially dangerous what I did was, and I pointed out some particularly illegal manoeuvres behind him made by a car. I said why don't you go and ticket them......he said he can not as is not a police man but a PCSO, or some such. Then he tells me his powers allow him to ticket cyclist and not motor vehicles. So they are out, specificity targeting cyclist and they can do nothing to motor vehicle drivers!!!! This I was not aware of.

He was not able to answer my statement as to do you think it's right that you are out here targeting the cyclists and not the more dangerous metal boxes on wheels, no answer. We continued our very friendly debate and it veered in to electoral politics and the faults of the democratic system, in the end we bid each other good day and I pedalled off.

Nice guy all in all, but I think he reinforced my lack of respect for the road law and the way cyclists are targeted by the 'pro cycling' London authorities.

i got told to buy brakes this morning lol.

^don't do it.

Only nodders have breaks