This morning's commute and other commuting stories

let me walk you though my morning.

Wake up a bit late
go down to bike shed, I've forgotten my lunch
go back to flat, get lunch, go back to shed
I've forgotten my helmet, go back to flat
go back to shed, I've got a flat tyre
no tubes, walk to shop, fix puncture
get to within 10m of where I had my big accident last year
get knocked off by another cyclist who wasn't paying attention and drifted onto the wrong side of the road going down hill.
help her as she's in shock, get her back on road.
get to work, another puncture.
arrive at desk at 3pm

ftfy. Sorry to hear you got knocked off.

That takes some effort.

Yeah well, that's my Brother for you.

Going back to the near death experiences, friends flatmate at Uni put a massive hole in the ceiling with one of these bad boys, turns out if you start cooking one while stoned and then forget they go off like a rocket.

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“A close relative.”

Right.

After a few days of NO WATER IN SW17, I have discovered that one of my shoes has a big hole in it and so I now have TOO MUCH WATER IN N19.

Also: seeking eu47*-sized SPD shoes for cheapz?

*I'm a UK 11 but the Mavic and Shimano shoes I have are both 47.

I didn’t. I had a look over the bike and couldn’t see any damage but it was dark at the time and I just saw all the scrapes and dent when I got home in the light so I didn’t think to get details at the time. Hopefully cabby gets in contact and I can get them from him

You’re ok, though?

Have you got any damage you want to claim for ?

Do you have home contents insurance, if so you'll have £2 million personal liability cover. If you get a claim from the cabbie just pass it to them with all the details and they'll tell the cabbie your not liable and they'll deal with an cost of defending the claim on your behalf. There shouldn't be any excess for you to pay either.

Just some bruising/swelling and a cut on my leg but yeah I’m fine.

@HousecatHST stupidly I don’t, rented accommodation etc
Claiming against Westminster council possible? Wouldn’t be claiming for any personal injuries, just the dent in the caad12, scuffed red22 levers but they still work so maybe not. Mainly a dent in a very thin frame and full carbon forks which perhaps should be binned

Hmm, unfortunate, are you a member of British Cycling or anything like that ?

Not wishing to sound like a old twat but its really is worth have some liability cover so you don't have to deal with these issues. Unfortunately your claim against Westminster isn't likely to be easy or straightforward. In first instance the cabbie is likely to claim against you, you'll need to deflect on to westminster, but their likely to argue that you weren't proceeding with due care etc etc and not having an insurer to deal with it, it'll be a pain in the arse.

I was waiting at the lights when this happened. It must've hurt but the guy got up so quickly and said he was okay. If it had happened to me I think I'd have been down on the ground for bit longer myself.

Reported to the police? It's an RTC as I understand it.

That will go some way to 'offcialising' it as a thing.

Let Westminster know it happened or whoever their subcontractor is (or both). They will have liability insurance.

The hardest bit of your job now is proving it was their fault and getting them to play ball.

Saw a car this morning with a sticker about this:

http://www.safecyclingireland.org/stayin-alive-at-1-5/

Pleasant to see a driver back a campaign on a clear overtaking distance law for Ireland :)
The DUP will probably veto it for Northern Ireland though :p

Sorry to hear about the incident, Phil. Hope you manage to sort it out. It is worth re-iterating that everybody should have third party insurance (including, obviously, the refuse collector). If you're in London, becoming a London Cycling Campaign member is the obvious one.

However, in this case, I don't think you're liable (not that I have any pedigree in assessing such situations). The key thing is that both you and the cabbie should be claiming together. The fact that you were knocked against the cab only makes you both victims of the same incident. Make sure you communicate that to the cabbie soon so that no hostility arises.

Is the refuse collector employed directly by Westminster or by a company that holds the Westminster contract? Both your and the cabbie's claim may not be against Westminster but against that company.

Also, did you get the details of any other witnesses? You don't mention it so I assume not.

I stupidly didn’t get anybody’s details but the cabbie got mine and the council chap’s and also has his cab fare as a witness. Hoping he gets in touch so I can discuss with him.
I’ve put a complaint case in to the council in the meantime

Any CC tv where it happened?

That’s a good point. I’ll have a look on my commute home today

Hope you manage to sort your various bumps and bruises (to both you and bike) without too much hassle.

So many people riding without mudguards, must have to pick so much road grit out of their arse when they get to work!

That's what mtb shorts are for.

Built up a rat mountain bike yesterday. Crank arm fell off this morning. Long walk to work.

Want to go to work.
Rear hydro disc on MTB not release, the Manfriend has a look and it's leaking fluid so nothing we can do now.
Go to fetch the Brompton, chain on it is completely fucked must have hit something when we moved.
Last resort; Fixed wheel. Headset feels loose, can't get it right, don't want to risk it downhill.

Driving today then :/

FFS.

yooo i have some eu 47 shimano spds that I'm wanting rid of - I 'll pm you

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Shit house.