On the commute today

[Gandalf]

Had some stressy mare giving it the horn on the way home.  My crime was to hold primary for a few seconds as there was a parked car just ahead.  

Naturally I caught up with her a few seconds later and I had to wait for her to turn right onto the main road.

[MartinGT]

Had some stressy mare giving it the horn on the way home.  My crime was to hold primary for a few seconds as their was a parked car just ahead. 

Naturally I caught up with her a few seconds later and I had to wait for her to turn right onto the main road.

Numpties drivers like that.  I had an old dear once beeping her horn whilst I was passing under a viaduct.  The viaduct caused the roads to squeeze in and to stop people in motors squeeze past me I always went into the middle.  She was blasting, shouting at me, calling me a lunatic etc, then the mad bitch tried ramming me off the road!

[clarion]

Had a very fast return home tonight.  Can't claim any credit for it - just had a bit of a tailwind.

Lots of people sat in boxes in a row all the way through Tooting.  Commuting FAIL.

This morning's abusive bus driver has been complained about to TfL.

[MartinGT]

Hmmm made a couple of mistakes this morning 

First one was coming upto a mini roundabout, car coming from my right, he was set up as if he was going left so I entered the roundabout, slow though and he wasnt pleased.  There was no way I was going to hit him, or he hit me, loads of room like, just a genuine mistake from me.  I apologised and when we came to the next mini one there was a queue of traffic.  So, went to his window.  I knocked on it he wound window down and I apologised and explained.  He seemed ok about it, didnt hurl any abuse at me.  I felt a right tit though.

Second one was, car turning right so blocking the road and another car went to undertake it, but I was already going past, the car had to stop.  I should have really hung back but for a split second I switched off.  Although, thinking about it now.  I didnt have to.

Nice sunrise though

[Wendy]

Nice one Martin!  That kind of thing is really excellent behaviour, something I try to emulate.

@Clarion well done for taking the effort to report that bus driver.

[Pippa]

It was getting light as I arrived at the office. Which was nice. Makes a change from what has been feeling like perpetual darkness.

[MartinGT]

Nice one Martin!  That kind of thing is really excellent behaviour, something I try to emulate.

@Clarion well done for taking the effort to report that bus driver.

Cheers Wendy 

Its hard enough getting drivers to like us so thought I would try and make amends, he was cool about it.

[PaulR]

I had a very odd (for me) commute this morning: I rode my folder to the station, caught the "overground" to Shoreditch and then pottled along the Hipster Spice Route to Holborn, relishing the opportunities to freewheel and take it easy.  The bike is now snuggled up next to the PC under my desk ready for this evening's excursion down to Victoria and from there to the depths of Wallington.

[vorsprung]

Cold start to March.  In like a lion, out like a lamb I hope

[clarion]

Not a bad commute this morning.  I'd like to sort out the bottom gear on my S3X, but it was Ok anyway.  Bit of a headwind, some pain from my hip & chest, and a lot lot LOT of traffic on the roads.  Gridlocked in places.  Absolutely bonkers.

Though the day was improved when I had cause to knock on another bus driver's window because he'd pulled in too shrply on me to get inside a central pedestrian refuge straight after soem roadworks on the left I was overtaking.  I said my piece, then realised that he was apologising and promising never to do it again.  I apologised to him for ranting, but explained that it was very scary.  He said he realised that and apologised again.  I thanked him for his attitude,a nd we both went on our way, wiser.

[MartinGT]

Not a bad commute this morning.  I'd like to sort out the bottom gear on my S3X, but it was Ok anyway.  Bit of a headwind, some pain from my hip & chest, and a lot lot LOT of traffic on the roads.  Gridlocked in places.  Absolutely bonkers.

Though the day was improved when I had cause to knock on another bus driver's window because he'd pulled in too shrply on me to get inside a central pedestrian refuge straight after soem roadworks on the left I was overtaking.  I said my piece, then realised that he was apologising and promising never to do it again.  I apologised to him for ranting, but explained that it was very scary.  He said he realised that and apologised again.  I thanked him for his attitude,a nd we both went on our way, wiser.

Ah thats good, someone who apologised, very rare today.

Its great weather here and usually that means a dip in the traffic on the roads, although, it usually takes a few days of decent weather for that to happen.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Yesterday was my first bike commute in nearly 3 weeks, following a mild chest infection. It's the massive downside of having a long commute - it only takes a minor injury or infection to stop me riding.

Man, I was tired when I got home. Felt slow, but only took 5min longer than normal. Dunno if is the aftereffects of the virus or the 3 week layoff, but that felt really hard.

[itsbruce]

Set off at 6:45 this morning, in short sleeves just to dare the weather.  Only one other cyclist at Stockwell this morning; as he was going my way and decided to do the whole tossing-the-bars-from-side-to-side-while-standing-out-of-the-saddle thing as he accelerated not very efficiently, I left him faaaaar behind.  He was visibly suprised, given that I was in work clothes with a huge pack on my back.

[citoyen]

Cold start to March.  In like a lion, out like a lamb I hope

In like a lion who's been on the baked beans - very windy this morning, on both legs of my journey (ie either side of the train ride), and all in an againsterly direction. Hard work. 

d.

[matthew]

Felt like hard work and then I looked at the time it was taking 

One moment of concern when the vehicle joining from the minor road to my left here slowed in the acceleration lane until I was just ahead and then kept pace with me.
Madam either boot it and accelerate away past my left side (I have moved wide to give you space to do it) or stop. I am doing 20mph and 100rpm fixed and don't have much head room to accelerate out of your way. I also want to get to the cycle lane ahead.

[vorsprung]

Cold start to March.  In like a lion, out like a lamb I hope

all in an againsterly direction.

I had that too.  Usually on the final bit of my commute I assume the road doubles back as the wind is normally the other way.  But today it was headwind all the way somehow.

[MartinGT]

The weather outside is making me itch to get out on the bike and get home Think ill be extending the ride home by several K's tonight

[Adam]

On my ride home last night, I picked up a bungie cord lying on the road.  That's the third one in about 6 months.

[MartinGT]

Had to drive in as I am off to see the chiropractor straight after work.  I miss it when I cant come in on the bike

BUT

Got new club kit last night and its lush 

[pdm]

Nearly had an "off" this morning.
Coming down a hill. Blind corner. 30mph limit. Going at 30. Little red Ka overtakes, brakes and pulls in on the corner. Cue wild braking and slewing on my part accompanied by expletives.
Ka stopped at traffic lights 150 yards down the road.. Winds window down and starts mouthing at me for "being in the road" and repeating (almost verbatim) Jeremy Clarkson's "you deserve it" tirade from the last Toss Gear.
Stupid B***h.
Spent the next 10 minutes overtaking here periodically before leaving her for dust in a longer queue...
Grrrr.
Calm now that the endorphins have kicked in.... 

[cpjmathieson]

Had a very fast return home tonight.  Can't claim any credit for it - just had a bit of a tailwind.

Lots of people sat in boxes in a row all the way through Tooting.  Commuting FAIL.

This morning's abusive bus driver has been complained about to TfL.

Good on you, I complained to Tfl last month about a bus that overtook me only to cut back in front to get round a width restriction and then stop 50 yards up at a stop! Got a reply back, driver spoken to and being kept a eye on. Think it helps, if they get enough complaints maybe they'll lose their jobs. Harsh I know but it may save someone's life!

[clarion]

I had cause to speak to another bus driver this morning.  He had a go at killing three of us in one go.  Attracted by the sound of the argument, a Police Constable (on foot! ) came across and made it clear that he didn't think highly of the behaviour of the driver.  He sounded rather disappointed that he hadn't seen the incident, which would have let him step in and arrest.

Sadly, the other cyclists had departed, but a passenger had complained as well, and the PC said there were lots of CCTV cameras along there (Stockwell).  I left my details with the PC and hope he follows up.  I'll be hitting the TfL website & Roadsafe London to report.

What on earth is going on?  I know the traffic is much worse than 'normal', and frustration levels must be high, but this kind of thing is insane.

[Wendy]

Nice work guys!!  It's being the squeeky wheel that has made such a difference over the last 5 years or more to bus driver quality.

Here's another one, not me I hasten to add:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ga1niFqRo64&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ga1niFqRo64&rel=1</a>

[her_welshness]

I had cause to speak to another bus driver this morning.  He had a go at killing three of us in one go.  Attracted by the sound of the argument, a Police Constable (on foot! ) came across and made it clear that he didn't think highly of the behaviour of the driver.  He sounded rather disappointed that he hadn't seen the incident, which would have let him step in and arrest.

Sadly, the other cyclists had departed, but a passenger had complained as well, and the PC said there were lots of CCTV cameras along there (Stockwell).  I left my details with the PC and hope he follows up.  I'll be hitting the TfL website & Roadsafe London to report.

What on earth is going on?  I know the traffic is much worse than 'normal', and frustration levels must be high, but this kind of thing is insane.

It's good that you had witnesses Clarion - best of luck with it 

Last night I was cycling along Lewisham High Street (2 lanes) and a bus decided he wanted to suddenly pull into the lane right into the spot where I was, um, cycling. My frst thought was, 'is this the knight bus from harry potter where he can make the bus thinner meaning we can both share the lane' and then the second thought was 'scream like a bastard' which I did, and then he stopped, and bless him, he let me through 

This morning was very uneventful but by God my thighs are getting a workout from this Decathlon bike and she is bloody comfortable to ride on 

[MartinGT]

Clarion, the problem is the media (i.e the Doncaster Toss Bag Clarkson) are now giving dumb ass drivers an idea to have a go

@pdm, incidents like that certainly get the adrenalin going and you have to certainly have control so you dont have an accident!