yrieithydd

Well, two idiot drivers in one trip to StAG is impressive. First of all, there was the yellow car at the Tex lights. I'd been cycling along towards the traffic lights and was approaching the point where the straight on/right cycle lane crosses the left hand car lane (or the left hand car lane crosses the cycle lane). I looked and cycled right to indicate that I was going straight on and not left and so would be going into the middle. One car came past and that was ok, 'cos it was going straight on too. However, there was one behind it, who was going left and decided to go left as I was going right rather than hanging back and going behind me. I'm not quite sure why, but I stayed on the inside of the cycle lane, which is just as well other wise he would have hit me as far as I can tell. I had lights and was wearing my reflective top so my arm signal should have been visible.

I'd decided that the best way to StAG (given the one way system) was left at the Round Church, right into Park Street, left into Jesus Lane and then right into the contraflow cycle lane and right (with the cycle lane) into the top bit of King Street and round past the end of Sussex Street and down between the back of Waterstones and Christ's. I did this. As I got to the back of Christ's, there were parked cars and a bus just coming into the other end of the street. The cars were on his side of the road so I carried on. So did he. We met by the second back entrance to Christ's just before the (voluntary) cycle lane was marked again. I got off and spoke to him through the window. He argued that I must have gone past a no entry and that as there was no lane marked then I had no right to be there. I disagreed. Anyway, after a brief argument I walked on and got back on when I got past him and carried on to StAG (and tried to carry on further for some reason!).

Anyway, I left the pub (the heretical Castle as the Fountain had no beer which is no ideal for a post ringing pub) in plenty of time to get to GSM for Taizé and so decided to wonder up that way and check that I had been in the right. Indeed I was. At the back entrance to Christ's where we'd met, there was a `no left turn except cycles' but that proved nothing as that's where the lane is marked. However, at the other back entrance (the one nearer Sussex St) there was the same sign, despite the fact there was no lane and up by Sussex St the sign was 'No flying motorcycles' (sorry 'No Motor Vehicles') and therefore I had not gone through any no entry signs. I think a letter to Stagecoach is in order. Buses are one of the major users of that stretch of road so it is important for them to know that cyclists are legally allowed to use that stretch in the opposite direction to them.

Grrrrr. Punctures are annoying. Yesterday evening cycling back from the pub my tyres were still rock hard after the service earlier in the week. This morning I set off in good time for morning prayer and thought this feels heavy, stoppedc dismounted and checked my tyre to find it was completely flat!