Yesterday's reputation for being a dodgy day doesn't seem to have been borne out by my experience, although I did have two cars in my street dancing like John Cleese & Michael Barrymore attempting a polka, and a neighbour just round the corner pulling out directly in front of me, stopping as he blocked the entire road. Thank heavens for good brakes! I think the inherent squealiness of Kool-Stops may have scared him immensely. Good.
This morning, however, there was a lot of more serious activity on the roads. Near Tooting station (where I did, admittedly, see a bus try to turn right across the path of a cyclist heading straight on, to the extent that the cyclist had to swerve into the joining street to avoid being hit), there were three LAS vehicles. Only one casualty visible - an adolescent, wrapped in a blanket, and sat on a wooden chair on the pavement. There was an old white Raleigh leaning against a lamp post. I suspect that had been his transport until lately.
At Clapham South, I was riding along the bus lane when a white van revved up and pulled sharply into the lane next to me. I swerved, and shouted to alert them I was there, but the driver was just laughing when I saw him next. Great.
Further on, the A3 was shut at Stockwell. I asked a Police Officer if I might walk through the 80m taped off, but I spotted a large scooter on its side, and a form covered by a red blanket, and knew I needed to divert.
RIP.
The rest of my commute was punctuated by car drivers who were lost and turning randomly without looking. Not safe at all.
More road closures (because of roadworks rather than incidents, thankfully) meant I diverted all the way up to Albert Embankment to get through.
Still, 26km. Not a problem. I might divert round a bit on the way home.
