Tales from today's commute....

[Browser]

Saw a Darwin Award candidate this morning, teenage lad on the nearside pavement, gets to the R.A.B. on the road ahead where there is a refuge island. Lightly trafficked at 6:50 a.m. but he chose to do the ped favourite of step-off-the-kerb-with-me-DJ-headphones-affixed-and-then-look-for-traffic, sadly for him there was a car coming which kinda ruined his cool, forcing him to step back onto the pavement to let the car pass. He then proceeded to cross with just enough time to clear the road before 15 stone of Browser occupied the same stretch of tarmac, doing the oh-so-cool I-meant-to-do-that shoulder roll and cocky youg lad walk, did make oi larf!

 

[Browser]

Oh, speaking of make oi larf, had the Walkman on random this morning and ended up with Dennis Leary's No Cure For Cancer playing in my ears. I'd never appreciated how difficult it was to have enough breath to cycle when laughing one's ar5e off

 

[ianrauk]

Had a pavement ninja cyclists near take me out this morning in Deptford. He was riding along side me (on the pavement).. Good thing I was watching him as he decided to swerve into the road at a crossing. Right in front of me. I managed to brake in time.. but he got a mouthful of sweary words thrown in his direction as I overtook.

 

[gb155]

Had a woman push her kids out in front of her into the road and my path

Much skidding later I missed by an inch

 

[Edwards80]

Had a woman push her kids out in front of her into the road and my path

Much skidding later I missed by an inch

I see plenty of this "Canary down the mine" approach to parenting. "I've pushed the pram out and it hasn't been smashed to pieces, now cross the road"

Not sure that is in the green cross code.

 

[Browser]

After which it's the 'glare at the stupid cyclist and audibly comment on said's lack of common sense to her children/other peds/passing animals/flowerpots/lamp-posts'

 

[BSRU]

Almost into the side of an unmarked police car which was cruising the back alleys in the town centre.
Very close up view of two burly coppers in stab vests.

 

[gb155]

I see plenty of this "Canary down the mine" approach to parenting. "I've pushed the pram out and it hasn't been smashed to pieces, now cross the road"

Not sure that is in the green cross code.

Just what it felt like that

I sort of had a premonition and backed off

Glad I did

Silly £? #@

 

[ianrauk]

What a fantastic mornings commute. (Only soured by some RLJ bum, who was rubbish).
Hot and sunny with little wind. The old legs were feeling it today after yesterdays 100 miler though.
Hardly any traffic as the schools are off.
And I saw the Olympic Torch(es) procession as it made it's way up to Bromley.

 

[benb]

Scorchio!

 

[Arjimlad]

How lovely to ride in the sunshine again. Heading down the A38 towards Almondsbury, I heard a horrible noise behind & saw a tractor gaining on me. I put my foot down & increased speed from 22mph to 28mph to outpace the said beast, which duly turned off after a mile or two - without passing me. And I did take my mudguards off last night...

 

[subaqua]

best ride down cable street today. followed a lovely view from Butchers row to royal mnint. see through lycra shorts displaying a lovely shapely backside. she had good pace on her roadbike and it took some effort to keep up on the tourer but i did

 

[defy-one]

Coming up Notting hill - shapely female in long lycra pants on a roadie. I tried to keep up but no chance with the laptop/rucksack :-)

 

[gaz]

Unlucky for the guy behind me at stockwell. His tire blew out and made an almighty bang. Cue lots of people looking around trying to see who got shot.
Luckily for him it didn't go off when he was chasing me down at 30mph just moments before hand.

 

[Sandra6]

Had a pavement ninja cyclists near take me out this morning in Deptford. He was riding along side me (on the pavement).. Good thing I was watching him as he decided to swerve into the road at a crossing. Right in front of me. I managed to brake in time.. but he got a mouthful of sweary words thrown in his direction as I overtook.

I had a similar near collision with a guy who couldn't decide whether he was using the pavement or the road.
I saw him ahead, on the pavement, when I rounded the corner he was on the road, as I went under the bridge he was crossing the road -right in front of me! I was right behind him when instead of taking the corner he decided to jump back onto the pavement. I continued to the roundabout -I was watching the traffic, not him, but after crossing the road he decided to cut me up so he could take the road. I told him to make a choice, he swore a lot. I followed him up the hill -he really was quite slow - and burned him off on the other side. I felt better.