This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Motorists being motorists- doing dodgy shit since forever without fear of consequence.

Really easy to get nostalgic/ reminiscent of the death of daily commuting due to working from home

But having rode Peckham to angel at peak time?

It’s full of cunts

And other cyclists? Biggest cunts of all

Fucking retina burning flashers as far as the eye can see

Lycra man who works for war crimes inc (I assume) trying to skip reds and peds nearly wiping out the other side of the bikes lane

Absalute shit

Going to roll out of bed at 8:56 tomorrow with a renewed respect

i try and stay super zen nowadays when cycling (taking a leaf out of Ogmios book) but had to raise my hand in disbelief on several occasions on both commute trips today.
(RLJ big volvo, close call left hook across bike lane, excessively speeding car transporter through a junction into a 30, etc. etc.)

A side effect of cameras is that they moderate your own behaviour and reactions. Although if they're mounted on the bars rather than helmet you can still get away with raising your hands in any manner.

I bet Ogmios drives like a cunt when he's not recording. No one can be that zen all the time.

i don't ride with a camera but sort of wished i'd had one fitted yesterday. it would have been good to shop some of those fuckers.
also remembered a bus driver did a pointless close pass on me to get to the back of a queue at a junction, only for me to re-pass seconds later and cruise through to the front of the queue.

ah well! it's all part of the fun i guess!?

has to be said, similar to Maj's experience, there were a fair few dickheads on bikes as well... #shrugemoji

has to be said, similar to Maj's experience, there were a fair few dickheads on bikes as well... #shrugemoji

That is true but fortunately they usually only end up injuring themselves unlike a dickhead in a car who regularly kill innocent bystanders

#Imagreeingwithyou

Not ignoring murder vehicles, I'm adding my frustration about all the RLJing by bicyclists.
It is really frustrating mainly because they all have varying ideas of what is an acceptable approach to blowing the lights. The most annoying, other than endangering peds by not slowing down, are the ones who mount the pavement to cruise through the lights, as if this somehow is better?! I just don't get it.

Cars are the real problem, I know.

Rubbish Riders are like teenagers embarrassing themselves at parties before they've learned any social skills. Traffic is a social environment--working out how to drive or ride so you help others takes time, and many never master it.

Agreed. Although, I think you are being overly kind. Most don't ever try to master it.
I'm not totally against running lights, I don't do it personally, when it's not a pedestrian crossing and crossroad, or if it's a left turn. Some approaches on the continent make sense as well. It's the slow paced confusion caused by everyone having their own ideas.

I think the problem with cyclists running red lights has been taken care of by ebikes. The majority I see now are motorists but maybe that's because I am not around at the main commuting times.

It's the slow paced confusion caused by everyone having their own ideas.

A product of our laisez faire approach to road management. Ill defined boundaries and spaces leads to a free for all that breeds confusion and poor behaviour.

Now I'm back commuting (one day a week rather than the pre-covid five) the amount of RLJ bikes does seem to have increased massively. I don't know whether it new cyclists or people taking more risks with less vehicles being on the road. One thing I'd noticed before and is still true is that it's a kind of herd activity. If there's have five or six cyclists waiting on a light and if someone else goes cuts past and straight through the red, two or three of those waiting will follow (possibly without even thinking).

Driving home a BMW behind me, I can see him in my mirror ranting and raving that I won’t push my way through

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So he does a punishment pass

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To be stuck in traffic we could see

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Then try to overtake a bus.... twats will be twats

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well yesterday's actually. First time cycle commuting since sometime in November 21. Firs time in the office since 9th December (coincidentally when I caught Covid after going out after work for some beers etc.).

It was damn cold and I was carrying a heavy laptop in my courier-style bag plus a front wheel that I had agreed to hand over to Mike of this neighbourhood.

The front wheel was damn uncomfortable as it was secured by a too-tight bungee cord so was pulling hard on my shoulder. I tried to adjust it while at a set of light in Tooting and it came apart but a kind soul behind me on a bike fixed it for me. I pulled away and he had set it far too high and the wheel was poking in the back of my neck so I stopped and adjusted it again.

Nothing much else of note. A few pics for interest purposes only. The sun was low in the Eastern sky but fortunately I had remembered my shades as I was heading NE for 15 miles then due East for a further 3 into Canary Wharf

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Not sure about tomorrow. The ride to work is probably ok but the ride home into a 130kmh headwind could be challenging

perfect opportunity for a strava KOM
(i chickened out the last couple of days and got the bus)

For people living in the opposite direction to myself perhaps.

Spookily quiet on the way home…

I thought the same…

Was spookily quiet on my way in yesterday as well. I didn't realise until I got to work that it was half term which explains the lack of hundreds of massive SUVs on the school run rampaging around Dulwich.

Nice to see you, to see Eunice.
Bit breezy on the south coast today, hoping for a fast ride home.

Best commute in years this morning.

Little off road detour through some birdsong to start.
Avoided an unfortunate slow-mo rider sliding out in front of me with a siiiiiiick skid.
Every light was green.
Got an impromptu high five from @Dick on the Carrefour de Columbia.

10/10.