Those town houses on Coombedown Rd as you turn in from Westcombe Hill just before the Angerstein hotel , We looked at two of those in 2012, really nice gaffs, but the dual carriageway put us off.
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Tried a slightly different angle of attack with the cars…felt even less safe TBH.
Bib longs were a good idea this morning. Still rocking fingerless though.
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Where the queue???
where are you heading to these days? are you over North Greenwich way? If so maybe consider coming down past Charlton Lido down to Charlton and that side and across?
Yeah I had a chat with another cyclist who was totally against going down that side, but I’m going to experiment.
Particularly as the school term traffic has come in it’s ratchetted up the road volume and rage accordingly.
The sun in the sands roundabout has a point to switch sides but the cycle signs and this dude say stay left don’t cross over.
When it comes to commuting I’m all about least hassle, not “fastest route” because I know that’s a false God.
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First morning for gloves, today. Unfortunately, realised that somewhat after I’d set off.
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I don’t know where you are but there are fucking roadworks everywhere on my route.
FUCK THEM.
Cars shouldn’t exist, let alone be invested in.
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I had to invoke the “no knees below 10 degrees” rule yesterday on my cycle.
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#fakescotsman
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THIS 
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I’m not saying cars shouldn’t exist, like mime artists and Twitter, but.
My red jersey red helmet combo, chosen for the low sun conditions and absolutely not because my merino jersey was a bit whiffy, was not a hit with motorists today. 
First confrontation with a white van driver and first Death Swerve of the year.
Coincidence? I think not. Red is clearly a red rag to the bulls out there, in revenge I sailed past hundreds of motorists queuing at temporary lights and straight through red lights - I’m sure this red would not enrage them further. Surely not? 
I’m not an RLJ as a rule, and by principle, but I (safely) made exception today as they won’t recognise me once I change out of The Red Jersey. 
Further to this tale I’d like to relay the details of The First Cretin of The Day…
Me…Approaching red light
Him…Reversing blindly into the road literally as I pass
Me…Swerve, stop at light, look back
Him…Rolling down window
…
…
Him: Shut your mouth!
At this stage in the proceedings I established the intellectual level of my foe
Me…Digests this message. Adrenaline flooding system like Fast & Furious Nitro injection…How to respond?
The Adversary is young, afraid, and it’s early but could be up for a ruck
Me: What did you say to me?
Curious, like seriously, did you just watch me say nothing and tell me to shut up?
Him: You cyclists think you own the fucking road! Blah blah! Rhubarb rhubarb!
Me: You nearly hit me, I didn’t nearly hit you.
And done.
I felt strangely happy some ten minutes later. Some sadness that my duck had been broken. My happy, quiet commuter route spoiled by reality. But also, that I hadn’t dismounted torn this cunt from his cab…and ended up in custody. Maybe I’m growing up after all? 
Fin.
(Death Swerve was the ride home and appropo of nothing)
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I had one the other night. So early into my commute I’d not even started my camera.
Saw him gesturing at me after I’d pulled out of a junction, it wasn’t the best I’ll admit. But it also wasn’t even a far miss.
So stopped for a chat. He started off in the normal angry manner, with classics “I almost hit someone here every day”. Hmm… Wonder what the constant variable is there eh.
I did admit in hindsight I should’ve waited and happy to learn, as can we all (he didn’t take that hint).
Finished with him politely wishing me on my way.
A win for peace 
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Really don’t miss the daily challenges of dealing with blind people in cars
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And just to be clear that my prejudice extends beyond cars to e-Bike riders.
So later in my morning commute I have to go off road onto a shared path, that then ducks down into an underpass - yes parts of my commute are like a sodding obstacle course - who should I see as I crest the ridge? Yes, a e-Bike Rider!
I hear you cry: Was he riding One Handed?
Why, yes. Yes, he was.
I hear you cry further: Was he Head Down staring at his Phone?
Why yes! Were you there? How could you be so prescient?
And even further you demand to know: Was he weaving around the path like a Paralytic on a Booze Cruise?
Well, I can only say ‘yes’ and wonder at how you could foretell these things so…
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Ha I had one of those too. Took all my might not to shout at him. Idiots.
I’m much the same - all chills until some cunt tries to ram me into the curb. Then the gloves are off and I do everything in my power to nose up motorists re - lights, junctions etc etc…
I’ve noticed that if I jump a red that seems to give a tradies van the legitimate excuse to try and kill me. So I try and behave.
Pal who used to be a framer, long time cyclist had a mate who always had loads of ball bearings in his back pocket. Then if anyone was a cunt he’d toss them at the car - guess to scratch or fuck the windscreen. A risky strategy up here
Worst stretch of my rides (generally) is the first few miles out of town along the A81 heading out past the science park. It’s a dual carriageway, 3 junctions with speed limit of 50 leading up to the BP garage near a big island. Always has me on high alert as the cars whizz along, but hopefully most know cyclists use it too - There is a cycle route cutting most of it out but it’s a faff.
However from that point, it’s slow again and there’s a segregated cycle lane out to Milngavie main roundabout, and then the road has been resurfaced partly to mugdog (unless you run the gauntlet out on the strathblane road) so it’s relatively stress free bar the first 2 or 3 miles. From there it’s off to Lennoxtown and generally pretty ok. 20 mins of hassle then home free for a decent ride - which I have to admit, for a city is not bad!
I’ll add Bank Bikes to that list
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I’ve been working in London this week and walking around rather than using TfL to at least do some exercise around a busy work schedule.
I have to say that I’ve been very disappointed at the road sense and highway code adherence of the majority of cyclists:
- Running red lights
- No use of bells to alert pedestrians
- Complete lack of appreciation that, sometimes, the right thing to do is slow down.
If I were a London motorist, I think I’d be justified in saying that rules need to be tightened for cyclists.
That said, there are way fewer cars than in my youth (or even my last work visit in 2016) so the overall environment is much improved.
I suppose that, where I cycle, there are relatively few people on bikes and hence there’s a need to look after yourself. In London, my observation is that bikes are in change and any collisions will be blamed on other road users so they know they can get away with bad behaviour
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This is the problem
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Why?