This morning's commute and other commuting stories

ah yes, the conundrum of the close to home puncture

I meant that in the last year of primary a good number (5/30) of the children in her class lived a good 3+ miles away, some even further. So whilst people all lived close when they first started there's a natural dissipation as home situation changes and moves are required. It was a counter to the "why doesn't everyone live within walking distance of their kid's schools" comments.

Secondary is a whole different kettle of badgers. MiniGB's (state) secondary is just under 4 miles away, she doesn't cycle it as she's tired enough from all of other sport she does so she gets a (public) bus. Some of the children come from as far as 10 miles away. Good news is that the vast vast majority use public transport (or walk/cycle) as they no longer need to be accompanied by a parent (*).

* One German parent at the primary school was really annoyed that her Y3 daughter wasn't allowed to walk to/from school by herself, taking her YR sibling with her. The school only allowed Y6 students to arrive/leave by themselves (some local primaries don't even allow Y6 students to do this).

I cycled to Primary School and Secondary School, got a free bus to Senior College and walked/trained to uni. Australia. #CSB

Bleh. The wind didn't let up this morning.

I got the bus to college until I got my driving licence and then I'd drive the <6km journey for the rest of my time there. I wish now that I'd realised cycling would have been much better.

when I were a lad etc. etc.

I had a nervous ride in this morning after reading @Jonny69's p*%cture story, i realised when i was just a bit too far to turn back that i'd forgotten my pump, then rode past 2 other riders fixing flat tyres.
drizzle conditions always seem to make the bits of glass/flint/thorns extra puncturey.
also really irritating if you wear glasses. either rain properly or just stop, you moist-aired bastard.

#fuckdrizzle

Same here with my first job - drove to the park and ride then bus the rest of the way. Couldn't have been more than 6km.

Damn cold this morning with a stiff North-easterly blowing directly in my face for 30km. Had to go back to wearing a gilet and arm warmers again.

Coffee is nice though

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View's nice.
How do you get any work done?

It took me about 15 years to convince a workmate that he didn't need to drive to the train station, he could lock a bike up there or whatever. He finally bought a Brompton just before Covid. #proud

What a shit view.

People really need more garages and bins in their line of site, otherwise, what's the point of windows at all?!

After 40 years practice I have perfected the art of looking busy whilst staring out of the window...

Busy. With a pair of binoculars.....?
That'd be how I'd be doing it.

might want to turn your laptop on to complete the illusion 😂

And the secret is?
Asking for a friend

And today’s ride into work could win “The Pretentious” award. Firstly I’d like to say we don’t enjoy any of the trappings of the things you are about to read and some how live in a very nice village.
I open my garage door by pressing the button on the zapper (we only have this because my MiL lives with us and can’t open a normal door) and this morning as well as opening the door it also scares 6 pheasants out of the hedge and onto the drive. I opened my front door at which point the pheasants run out onto the road. I get on my bike and ride out of the garage pressing the button to close the door as I go. As I get to the road I see that the pheasants have been joined in the road by the peacock that lives at the Hall opposite us. I ride towards them all, the peacock does what peacocks do and lifts his tail and gives me the eyes. I carry on riding towards the group of birds. At which point the bloke that lives round the corner comes round the corner in his R8, he slows down, but the peacock and his new friends aren’t for moving. So he dumps the clutch and hits the gas. The results are spectacular to say the least, there were bangs, pops and flames coming out of the back of his car like a grenade launcher. Anyway the birds shit themselves and scattered in all directions into the hedges. Matey waves at me and drives off. I carry on my merry way, I ride down the hill past the Vineyard at which point the road narrows a bit and I have to pull in to the entrance to a farm to let the chap coming up the hill past me. I wouldn’t normally bother but make drivers hug the verge or bump a long it, but not this time as it was sat dead centre of the road and he wasn’t going to move an inch. Which is understandable, because lime green Lamborghini Huracans are bloody wide and stupidly low. The driver gives me a thumbs up and I roll down the hill some more. I turn the corner and roll to the junction to the more main road. A what do I spy looking at me from the porch of the house opposite? It’s the other peacock in the area, no one owns this one and it just rocks up at few houses and begs for food every now and then. I carry on some more and ride past the sewerage works, which always brings you back to reality and then along the river and beside the broad.
Normally I see 1 maybe 2 cars before getting to the river and they are usually regular cars, but today was just plain weird.

1CP?

And today’s ride into the golf club could win “The Pretentious” award.

yup

True dat.
It’s starting to get a bit second homers in these parts.

An enjoyable read :)

lifts his tail and gives me the eyes.

I see what you did there.

whack:

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/cyclist-surgery-jaw-zebra-crossing-hackney/

Reading that led me to this - bloody hell. https://metro.co.uk/2023/06/06/cyclist-punched-after-crashing-into-child-needs-surgery-on-broken-jaw-18901102/