This morning's commute and other commuting stories

My teddy (a panda) is up in our loft. It’s a Dorian Gray type situation I have.

When I was five I had a Humpty Dumpty-style cushion called Fred. I threw up on him and we couldn't get the smell out so he had to go. :-(
But I'm working from home, so I haven't had to face any rain yet today. So it's not all bad.

A friend had one of those, but it’s name was ‘Immanuel Kant’ - it was stitched on to its dungarees. To my knowledge, Immanuel was never vomited on, but then she commutes by train so I guess that balances things out.

Why are people such bellends in the rain?

Bloke overtakes me on the towpath this morning - must have been looking directly at the floor as he was totally oblivious to the person coming the other way. It was baffling to see two people head directly toward each other - though I assume not uncommon on the towpath.

Almost missed the teddy chat. Mine is a Hershey bear that some relatives got me when I was a baby. It’s still at my parents house (and smells the same as it did when I was a kid weirdly enough).

Not commuting for me as I’m sunning myself in Santorini for a week. Soz it’s not raining here.

I’m sunning myself in Santorini for a week

Read this whilst about squeeze into my still wet bib shorts. You bastard

Grim. I was hugely relieved to find the store room radiator still had heat in it this morning.

I had to cycle from the office to present at an offsite meeting and back today, 4 miles each way, with light rain on the way there and a raging torrential storm on the way back. Got soaked. Rode back with a colleague and we enjoyed it more than we should’ve I think.

Torrential cloudburst thingy here in CR7 this afternoon, complete with hail. At least being sick in bed meant I wasn’t out in it.

Shout out to the poor guy on Waterloo Bridge who managed to snap his bull horn bars as the light went green. Was a proper cheap single speed but looked pretty new and he was absolutely the opposite of a sprinter.

Ah this kind of thing is my nightmare scenario. I've got good quality handlebars but still, sometimes I think, if something about them snaps I'm so completely fucked...

Was the guy alright?

Anyone know what the incident was on Surrey Canal Road this eve? Looked a bit grim with lots of unmarked police cars and forensics in blue suits.

Yeah, I was behind and to the side of him and saw him wobble back to the curb barely in control and thought his foot had slipped off the pedals but looked back as I passed and yikes

No, my wife came home and mentioned it was kicking off and someone else mentioned it offline.

Bunny hopped drain covers and used speed bumps as ramps on the way to school the office...

...did not have bar ends, maguras or a suspension fork though 7/10

but I like cycling in the rain when it's not too cold,

Me too. No such thing as bad weather...

Going up the seven sisters road along finsbury park i tailed a massive legged (clearly gym fanatic) dude. flat pedals, backpack, grinding on the last gear... with seemingly zero effort and going well over 35kph. calves touching the top tube... god knows how long his chain will last !

Had one of those fancy clip-on fizik saddlebags which I'd been using for the past few weeks. It fell off at some point today or yesterday and I didn't notice. I thought those things looked a bit precarious. Gutted!

Almost got done by a cabbie turning-without-indicating across the bike lane into Ray St Bridge.
Really boring that this still happens.

I almost got done by a taxi van yesterday - I was about to start indicating to go right when that fucking shithead zoomed past with about an inch to spare, definitely over the speed limit too. It was almost 11pm and I'd been working since early that working so I didn't have a proper sprint in me, but fuck me I wanted a lightning bolt from the skies to get that guy.

Guess it is some sort of pre exam celebration today because there were a lot of teenage super heroes in Herne Hill this morning.

Welcome break from rain this morning

Lovely being back on the bike after a few weeks of forced Jubilee line commuting. Up until today I’ve been too tired to ride after becoming a dad for the second time. I don’t know how people put up with the tube on a permanent basis.

I don’t know how people put up with the tube on a permanent basis.

I know, right? I think that every time I use it (approximately twice a month currently). I think the same about the people stuck in their cars as I filter past, too, of course.

I was car doored on Thursday in Croydon near a primary school (The Crescent) - somewhat ruined my day/weekend as too bruised to pedal. Fortunately no broken bones and was caught on Go Pro. Arse refused to give insurance details, so went to plod to record it.... turns out the car was insured, though no idea if the driver who took me out is.

Anyhoo, my nearest bike shop is Evans Notting Hill and they say you have to book (and pay £35 for) a 'bronze' service. This is somewhat ludicrous as the frame is obviously bent - severe dent on down tube, query steerer tube out of alignment, forks a sideways. Does anybody have any suggestions for getting a damage assessment that an insurer will accept? Or should just swallow pride and leave the bike with Evans and add £35 to my claim.