This morning's commute and other commuting stories

There are plenty of honey badgers in Epping Forest.

I was doing a 25 mile TT up in Dundee, a long, long time ago when a pigeon flew straight into my wheel and was decapitated. Blood everywhere. I didn’t PB.

Well don't I feel silly.

Monty Python tends to have that effect on people

Bladed spokes FTW

I think a couple of the YACF/Fridays crowd have had unfortunate interactions with badgers on night rides before.

In commuting news, I got wet going from Euston to Pimlico on the Brommie this lunchtime, but stayed dry on my way back after work. Despite all the queues of traffic I sailed past feeling very chilled and only nearly came a cropper once when, doing round a roadworks barrier and having a front wheel slide on a hidden manhole cover. 8/10 would stay upright and adrenaline boost again.

Done that too. Riding a 10 at Eastway one summer evening years ago with Rodel blade spokes on CRec/Wolber TX and a small bird flew straight into my front wheel on the back straight and was instantly shredded. Still have the wheels

You monster, keeping the murder weapon and everything.

In pigeon-related mishaps, my folks were strolling through the very tourist-filled Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh a few years ago when they came upon a quartet of crows trying to murder a pigeon. The pigeon was fucked, having been pecked near to death, the crows very blasé about my dad’s attempts to shoo them away, so my tiny dad - the sweetest man in the world but also a Highlander - decided the best course of action was to wade in and put the doo out of its misery by performing the ole chicken neck twist. Alas, the pigeon was so far gone that he succeeded not in humanely dispatching it but pulling its head clean from its neck, at which point a small child with his mum happened to walk past and just saw a small Scottish man tearing a bird’s head off while some crows danced around him. No-one was on a bike at the time.

Well, that headwind can fuck off.

Also, people

Did lol

caught a rare tailwind on the way home last night - completely fucking soaked, but at least tailwind!

actually, does anyone else get a perverse enjoyment factor from riding when it's pissing it down? already soaked, so blasting through massive puddles like when you were a kid etc?

Fun for a couple of miles, less so after the next 20
One thing I did work out. Rapha rain mac thing. Much less unpleasant when wearing arm warmers under. Otherwise, wet cold liner on bear arms is just not nice.

depends on the length of commute i guess - tailwind probably helped, but i actually felt like doing a few extra miles when i got home (i didn't)

indeed - my 10,000 atmosphere etc. waterproof jacket was downright lies.

+1 Agree on big puddles.

My favourite used to be the big one on right-hand side of Russell Square==>Southampton Road.

Fast approach, feet off pedals on down tube then Sper-lash hoping to retain sufficient momentum to get out the other side with a big grin.

+1 puddles, especially when already soaked and no mudguards

When i usually eat everything in the fridge after a 10 mile commute probably should have planned a 35 mile commute slightly better! Bonked at Bluewater and limped to my mums 15 miles after that.

Seems there are no petrol garages in kent only carveries, was tempted.

Got called a nobhead by some little scrote who has already reached the pinnacle of his life (owning a 1 series). He tried to undertake me into a queue of traffic while it was stationary. His girlfriend suggested I ride on the pavement. Meh.

CONCENTRATE Richard or you will die.
Off to the ‘bad cyclist’ thread.

gonna fess up then...?

Rode across a junction without checking the left turn in. Ah, hello blue Mini. Sorry. Missed the cage and dropped my water bottle. Nearly rlj’d a ped crossing. Not my finest morning.

Berated someone for almost pulling out of a side road into me on Wednesday night, then realised my front light had cut out ffs.

Often, on Q1 opposite Royal Opera, there are a number of commercial vehicles rat running. If you are going south they pull out of the side street to the left just before the filter bit. Today, with the view completely blocked by a parked lorry, a maniac just drove at full speed without looking. I saw a flash of colour to my left and braked but he nearly killed the guy behind me. Called him a cunt and so forth, but he just blankly stared ahead

There must be a better system for that bit but I don't know what. It's always a shit show, with peds and vehicles.