On the commute today

[Regulator]

I only have four sets of lights (and one railway crossing) on my 5 mile commute.

One set of lights at the roundabout by Addenbrooke's Hospital, two sets of crossing lights on Queen Edith's Way and one set of traffic lights at the junction of QEW and Cherry Hinton Road.

Bliss!

[clarion]

I stop at all which are at red or amber.  Why do you ask?

[Daily Wail Mode]
Well, you're one of them pesky RLJing cyclists... you know - the ones that insist on using the road and cause all the accidents, and they give people cancer, and they killed our beloved Princess of Hearts... 
[/Daily Wail Mode]

Ah yes.  Good point.  And I'm probably encouraging the illegal immigrants to eat the swans and kick donkeys or something.

[itsbruce]

Was right-hooked by a tit on a Brompton this morning.  Both of us stayed on our bikes but if you're listening, mate, you should know that slowing marginally and turning at the very last minute does not constitute good cycle-craft.  You didn't even look right before you turned, let alone behind you.  Signalling would have been even better.

My route takes me through the Notting Hill area, which means lots of yummy mummies on the school run, accompanied by many head-on arguments between wankpanzers and Porsches.

I also passed a car being dropped off by a short transporter lorry; the car immediately drove off.  Weirdly  sweet moment, like a hen with a chick.

[Nuncio]

One set of lights (pedstrian crossing variety) in 10 miles.  They come in the first 20 yards.  They have only been in place for about 6 months.  Mrs Nuncio, in her capacity as Plaid Cymru county borough councillor for the ward I live in, was the prime mover behind their installation.  She says it's to help the children, old and infirm cross the road.  I think it's to piss off English-born cycling husbands. 

[jogler]

There are no traffic lights on my commute

[clarion]

Well, I'd be amazed if there were one on your landing

[Greenbank]

Full house for the 4th week in a row.

Finally decided to stop being lazy and wimping out onto the train. Actually looking forward to the darker and more miserable commutes as it'll get rid of the hordes of clueless fuckwits that cycle commute in London in fair weather.

[clarion]

Good news, there, Greenbank.  Sounds like you've got your commuting mojo back.

[itsbruce]

There are no traffic lights on my commute

Well, I'd be amazed if there were one on your landing

I'm reminded of an old Two Ronnies joke, about a man who sued for divorce on the grounds that his wife had nightdresses of only two colours: red, which meant stop, and amber, which meant carry on only if stopping would cause physical injury.

[Ham]

Try 120 for my commute, and I think I'm on a fairly low density of TLs/mile.  Some had almost as high numbers for far shorter commutes.

Are we playing traffic light one upmanship? I've never counted but I suspect I would win.



This was a particularly tiresome return home, stopped at red >60 times, slowed a similar number. (oh, and the 75km speed peak looks to be a bit overoptimistic, the 50km ones are probably honest.)

[Wendy]

How about counting them for us?  Your challenge is to visualise your commute route in your mind, and count them thataway. 

[Ham]

How about counting them for us?  Your challenge is to visualise your commute route in your mind, and count them thataway. 

....or spend longer than the ride takes on google streetview ;-)


I might just do the visualisation thing, some day I'm sat down with a pint in front of me. Challenge.

[hatler]

Ham,

Do you start or finish in Sunbury ?

Ever wear a yacf top ?

[benborp]

I've been fettling each morning for the last couple of days following the rear ending I received at the Elephant and Castle. Today I hit the sweetspot. Absolute silence from the drivetrain and perceptably smoother rolling. Bliss restored. Then my left cleat broke as I dismounted at work...

Speedplay cleats are expensive, even more so if you make the mistake of fondling some Assos bits and pieces while you're waiting. Oh well, in for a penny, in for £231.97.

[Wendy]

I've been fettling each morning for the last couple of days following the rear ending I received at the Elephant and Castle. Today I hit the sweetspot. Absolute silence from the drivetrain and perceptably smoother rolling. Bliss restored. Then my left cleat broke as I dismounted at work...

Speedplay cleats are expensive, even more so if you make the mistake of fondling some Assos bits and pieces while you're waiting. Oh well, in for a penny, in for £231.97.

 

[Ham]

Ham,

Do you start or finish in Sunbury ?

Ever wear a yacf top ?

Yes, I do sometimes, this was a ride back from Sunbury. I mostly ride out to just past Hayes, and sometimes then down to Bedfont and / or Sunbury and back to Wanstead. I do have and sport and Orange short yacf top from time to time.

[hatler]

OK. I mostly wear a yacf top, either yellow or blue and journey's end (work) for me is Sunbury, about a mile north of Sunbury Cross. A largeish blue chip outfit.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for you.

[gordon taylor]

I'm usually peacefully oblivious to the traffic volumes on my commute through Stafford - but this evening was mad! I assume something had gone wrong on the M6 because the town was jammed with impatient drivers and revving engines. I even took to the pavement at a roundabout to avoid what was looking like a fist-fight between two van drivers.

[Zoidburg]

I'm usually peacefully oblivious to the traffic volumes on my commute through Stafford - but this evening was mad! I assume something had gone wrong on the M6 because the town was jammed with impatient drivers and revving engines. I even took to the pavement at a roundabout to avoid what was looking like a fist-fight between two van drivers.

Two dead uns plus tail backs on the M6 IIRC.

[rower40]

Home to Work: 11 sets of lights.
Work to Home: none.  Yes.  Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada.

Thanks to the in-bound route being downhill on main roads and inner-city streets, whereas the route home is almost all off-road on riverside and parkland paths, then tiny residential streets.

(Also: Home-to-work; no crossings of the river.  Work-to-home; Four.)

[citoyen]

Twat on Lambeth Road pulled out from between two parked cars without looking properly behind, so I had to swerve almost onto the wrong side of the road to avoid him. I shot an evil glance behind me in the general direction of the driver as I passed (though I didn't make eye contact), muttering something unprintable by way of an assessment of his driving skills, and continued on my way.

Moments later... "Toot! Toot! Toot!" behind me.

Oh dear, what have I done... Slightly bricking it now...

I'm praying for the roads ahead to be as blocked as they usually are, so he'll get stuck in the queue while I continue on my merry way, but they seem to be uncommonly clear on this Friday evening...

Fortunately, there's just enough traffic to prevent him getting close to me, though I can still hear him tooting from several car lengths back. I weave through the queue after the lights at Camberwell Green then get a lucky break with the lights at Denmark Hill and I'm away and in the clear. Phew.

Note to self: keep your opinions under your hat next time. You know they're idiots. No need to provoke them.

d.

[rogerzilla]

Left work late last night, hoping to avoid numpties.  Didn't leave late enough.  

Roads were hell.  So bad that I chalked up my first incomplete commute.  Drivers, what happens when you're impatient?  Probably something bad, like hitting a cyclist (wearing a solid yellow jersey - so hard to spot) head-on.  

So it wasn't a yacf jersey?  Thank goodness for that 

[Redlight]

Bermondsey Road, about 6pm. Bus stationary on the other side of the road with a mountain bike under the front wheels.  No sign of a cyclist (thank goodness) or any emergency vehicles.  Couple of people standing around but no one seeming particularly agitated.  Most odd.  Hope whoever was on the bike was OK.

[Andyf]

On ride home on friday saw a courier cyclist with a refere wistle, ready to be used as a cycle bell.
So simple idea, yet far more effective than a bell (which arn't cool really!!)
I think i might invest.............

[klaas]

My commute is 16 lights in 2 miles. Don't stop for any of them. Dutch style cycling!