This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Out here in outer north west London, Zone 6,
brownfield office blocks being converted into flats,
to allow more people to more easily commute into Zone 1.

so many brown field offices out in zone 3 and 4 that are going empty.

Don't stress, they'll be flats soon enough.

I was with a group of six kids doing bikeability today. I was at the back; my co-instructor, who was at the front, told me later of a driver who adjusted his behaviour. He was driving, on a narrow street, too fast, towards us and my colleague put his hand up to suggest he slow down. The driver responded by giving him the finger - until he saw the children and turned it in to a thumbs up.
Later we we had someone on a mobility scooter drive through the line of children in a bike lane.

Van parked across the whole northbound cycle lane at Ludgate Circus. Had his hazards on though so I guess it's ok.

https://youtu.be/uy9_EgBdfRQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z_XcHCs1ZQ

Had his hazards on though so I guess it's ok.

Whenever I see a vehicle with it's hazards on I assume there about to pull a maneuver that could be mistaken for the opening stages of a terror attack.

but it ok, I've got my hazards on

Closest pass at speed for a while DY67RPU but no video or owt. Also Suja driving instructor parked in solid line painted bike lane at regular squeeze point, double yellows painted too... hazards on & browsing phone, went back to chat but he pulled a U-turn and gtfo.

I love it but I can guarantee that would just go badly for all concerned in central London.

I think I heard David Mitchell talking about how hazard lights have gradually changed from 'look out, there's a problem with my car/something ahead and it's about to become a hazard' to 'look out, I'm about to do something incredibly dangerous with my car'.

Or 'thanks for letting me in'.

#touched every time I cycle down Queen Victoria St that they kept a cycle lane open during the roadworks when they could've just closed the whole road, like every other roadworks ever.

Buses sat at a stop resting with their hazards on.

Why the fuck do you do this? Of course something is behind you so I have no idea if buses are now indicating to pull out or just sat there doing fuck all with no intention of moving any time soon.

I'm sure this has only started happening in the last few months. Is this some idiotic new policy?

Annoys the shit out of me too. They seem to use them in every conceivable scenario, making it impossible to work out what they are actually about to do.

Nice hairy overtake on the uphill tx white car driver...wildly gestured no!! so hopefully they pick that up. But no chance to chat.

A kid at the big boulevard near Big Fish, just about fitted on the Belfast bike he had lent. Actually a great sight, the boulevard is really nice and wide, lots of Belfast bike docks, so it's a new area done well.

They’ve always done this at the top of Brixton toad near Oval. V annoying.

The other one that gets me is when they indicate right then pull away straight ahead in a bus lane without actually changing lanes, causing traffic behind to slow down for no reason.

The over density of employees in Zone 1 is madness, so many brown field offices out in zone 3 and 4 that are going empty.

I guess the people responsible prefer the jazzy glass and steel with views over the Thames...

Yes, the most important strategic aim towards sustainable transport in London is to even out activity--that is, spread employment, shops, etc. so that people can do things closer to their home rather than having to travel into Central London (unless that is their home and they do things there). Without that, you're never going to get cycling to come into its own, which is that it's unbeatable on short, (potentially) multi-stop trips of up to 2 miles (approximately).

I managed to drop a bottle today going up Rosebery Avenue. I only noticed it when I next wanted to get a quick drink. I backtracked and found it uphill from where I'd dropped it (by bunny-hopping a bad ironworks infill). It must have had quite the momentum to get there.

I don’t mind so much when they are stationary, it’s when they move. A truck on Tolley St the other morning slapped its hazards on for no apparent reason, cue me holding back and watching in terror as other cyclists rolled past it on the inside. Eventually it made its mind up and went right, switching the right indicator on at the last minute. Fucker.

my commute on Wednesday was from e10 to the Oval, leaving at 5.15pm. I don't normally cycle at peak times, it's pretty hairy!

anyway, no dinner, several beers led to a wobbly ride home, well almost home, because I stacked it 2.5 miles away in Hackney Wick. No helmet meant maximum face mess and duffed up shifters.

A couple stopped their taxi to help, and a van full of police came by who also helped, and even took me to Homerton hospital.

The CT scan did not reveal a brain.

I have learnt my lesson

About getting bladdered or wearing a hat?

both

The CT scan did not reveal a brain.

#rep

The other one that gets me is when they indicate right then pull away straight ahead in a bus lane without actually changing lanes, causing traffic behind to slow down for no reason.

x 10000000

I know!

Large vehicles indicating that they are moving away from a stationary position. What is the world coming to?