Compared to many peoples experiences of the London bike commute, I suspect my weeks grievences are minor, however it has stood out as the worst weeks commute since I moved into the city 6 months ago.
Monday,
Left the house and set off down my road, I admit to being at fault at this point as the road is one way and I usually go against the marked flow. However the road is 2 lanes with a row of marked parking bays and parkland beyond them on the side that I ride along (left side.) It is heavily used by cyclists making there way to and from work, both with and against the marked direction of travel and very lightly used by motorvehicles.
This one morning though a driver beeps his horn at me and moves as far over to his right as possible, I was riding as far to my left as possible, as I usally do on that stretch, through the marked parking bays which are rarely used. To avoid the driver I had to stop and get up onto the kurb.
As I said yeah it was one way and I was in the wrong, but deliberately going out of your way to force some one off the road when there is plenty of road for every one hit me as a bad start to the week.
Wednesday,
Cycling on a route with signposted cycle access that is also heavily used by pedestrians I get told "this isnt a cycle path" by one of them, at which point I drew politely his attention to the sign only to then be told to "f*** off".
Worth noting I always go very very slowly, usually walking pace, keeping up with the pedestrians through this section and not over taking walkers.
Wednesday Evening,
Riding back down yet another one way street. I am travelling against the flow but this time there is a marked cycle route on the road allowing you to legally do so. However people pulling onto this street only ever look left and do not expect a bike to becoming at them from the right. Nearly went over the bonet of a bmw that lurched forwards before seeing me and stopping right across the cycle lane. To be honest I dont blame him much as the signs he had to look at when pulling out indicate that it is a 1 way street and makes no mention of bikes travelling both ways, however the large painted cycle lane on the road should of been a hint.
Friday,
Cycling along the road, going past Liverpool street station, a crowd waiting to cross the road, they see me coming and wait for me to pass, except one chap who stepped out causing me to clamp down on the brakes, lock up and nearly come off, but not quite. He lept back onto the curb and let out an audible curse at me as I tried to get going again. Green cross code...the basics....
Later on slightly closer to work on another 1 way street. I was following a huge great nissan twin cab pick up thing, it goes to turn right without indicating causing me to quickly have to kill some speed. As I went for the overtake in the next lane over he suddenly changes his mind on turning and decieds he would rather have another go at me, swinging the vehicle back towards me, again without indication.
This morning,
I decided to head off to the office to check on some work. carried the commuter bike down the stairs at my house, out the front door, down the 5 steps to the curb side. There was a cab picking some people up immediately outside my house where I normally mount my bike. So I saddled up on the curb and prepared to roll the 2 meters or so to the next spot to join the road.
Before doing so I wait to allow a Lady to walk through a narrow section between the house and a tree on the pavement. I could have just gone ofr it I had plenty of time but thought it would be politer to wait. So wait I did, and gave a polite smile as she passed, she then states that "this is a pavement not a road". At which point I realised this week has been crap for general abusive people having a go. This woman had just watched me carry my bike out of my house, wait a short ice age for her to clear the bottle neck before I made my way to join the road at the next avaialbel spot that wasn't blocked by a taxi on a pickup. I mean wtf...
Are pedestirans being swept up by the negative image being given to cyclists in the press? are people just generally more c*nty in the weeks following christmas? or has it been a one off bad week. After all In the 6 month leading up to this week I dont recall having more than 1 upset.
Rant over...
Monday,
Left the house and set off down my road, I admit to being at fault at this point as the road is one way and I usually go against the marked flow. However the road is 2 lanes with a row of marked parking bays and parkland beyond them on the side that I ride along (left side.) It is heavily used by cyclists making there way to and from work, both with and against the marked direction of travel and very lightly used by motorvehicles.
This one morning though a driver beeps his horn at me and moves as far over to his right as possible, I was riding as far to my left as possible, as I usally do on that stretch, through the marked parking bays which are rarely used. To avoid the driver I had to stop and get up onto the kurb.
As I said yeah it was one way and I was in the wrong, but deliberately going out of your way to force some one off the road when there is plenty of road for every one hit me as a bad start to the week.
Wednesday,
Cycling on a route with signposted cycle access that is also heavily used by pedestrians I get told "this isnt a cycle path" by one of them, at which point I drew politely his attention to the sign only to then be told to "f*** off".
Worth noting I always go very very slowly, usually walking pace, keeping up with the pedestrians through this section and not over taking walkers.
Wednesday Evening,
Riding back down yet another one way street. I am travelling against the flow but this time there is a marked cycle route on the road allowing you to legally do so. However people pulling onto this street only ever look left and do not expect a bike to becoming at them from the right. Nearly went over the bonet of a bmw that lurched forwards before seeing me and stopping right across the cycle lane. To be honest I dont blame him much as the signs he had to look at when pulling out indicate that it is a 1 way street and makes no mention of bikes travelling both ways, however the large painted cycle lane on the road should of been a hint.
Friday,
Cycling along the road, going past Liverpool street station, a crowd waiting to cross the road, they see me coming and wait for me to pass, except one chap who stepped out causing me to clamp down on the brakes, lock up and nearly come off, but not quite. He lept back onto the curb and let out an audible curse at me as I tried to get going again. Green cross code...the basics....
Later on slightly closer to work on another 1 way street. I was following a huge great nissan twin cab pick up thing, it goes to turn right without indicating causing me to quickly have to kill some speed. As I went for the overtake in the next lane over he suddenly changes his mind on turning and decieds he would rather have another go at me, swinging the vehicle back towards me, again without indication.
This morning,
I decided to head off to the office to check on some work. carried the commuter bike down the stairs at my house, out the front door, down the 5 steps to the curb side. There was a cab picking some people up immediately outside my house where I normally mount my bike. So I saddled up on the curb and prepared to roll the 2 meters or so to the next spot to join the road.
Before doing so I wait to allow a Lady to walk through a narrow section between the house and a tree on the pavement. I could have just gone ofr it I had plenty of time but thought it would be politer to wait. So wait I did, and gave a polite smile as she passed, she then states that "this is a pavement not a road". At which point I realised this week has been crap for general abusive people having a go. This woman had just watched me carry my bike out of my house, wait a short ice age for her to clear the bottle neck before I made my way to join the road at the next avaialbel spot that wasn't blocked by a taxi on a pickup. I mean wtf...
Are pedestirans being swept up by the negative image being given to cyclists in the press? are people just generally more c*nty in the weeks following christmas? or has it been a one off bad week. After all In the 6 month leading up to this week I dont recall having more than 1 upset.
Rant over...
:? Take away all the comforting metal ( bikes as well as the cars ) and how would the same situation have gone if you were just walking along ?
