Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Commuting

[CAPP0]

Or, more accurately "How to achieve Zen and the art of...."

I guess we all know that it's best to assume that every other driver on the slog to the office is a potentially-murderous fkwit, and to ride accordingly and just leave them to it. Occasionally however, your zen-like calm leaves you. Like it did this morning when the aforementioned fkwit forced his car between me and the wall of the Blackwall Tunnel approach, coming from behind me, when there really wasn't such a gap. Provoked me into whacking his mirror flat against the car window, at which point he went bananas and I had to use my ninja filtering skillz to leave him frothing behind me.

Point being, I guess I shouldn't have risen. Good friend of mine has commuted for 20 years, and his philosophy, as well as being an island of calm at all times, is "they're in my life for 10 seconds, I'll never see them again, I'm not going to let it bother me".

So, how do YOU remain cool calm collected and gentlemanly at all times?

[CAPP0]

Dog Star said:

CAPP0 said:

Provoked me into whacking his mirror flat against the car window

I wouldn't do that, not now in this age of CCTV and dashcams; if you damage the car doing that then you could be up on a criminal damage charge. There's a reason I know this.

I agree, I did somewhat regret it after, but only for those reasons. Was one of the reasons I started this thread, bit of catharsis! I only folded it in tho, I haven't graduated to the MX-style feet-out removal method.

(Yet )

[CAPP0]

2ono said:

Fortunately I tend to commute at different times so very rarely have to worry about bumping into them the next day;)

That also crossed my mind! Pretty sure I did see him this morning, he's one of those sorts who has his seat massively reclined for maximum coolio, but he was too busy trying to look good to notice me as I passed in a line of a dozen or so bikes.

[CAPP0]

Reardy Mister said:

SteelerSE said:

Agreed. Like the bh in the SLK that bumped into my leg on Parliament Square today. No damage and I'm not hurt but it's just ridiculous what people will try and do to get an inch further forward.

The chap who did that to me last week wont do it again. Guaranteed. I'm all about zen until my leg is trapped against my fairing by a car.

I had to un-Zen myself on Weds as I sat behind and between two vehicles at traffic lights, slight uphill gradient. The van started rolling backwards, and I had nowhere to go. Toot on the horn. No reaction. Another toot on the horn. Nothing. BANG BANG BANG on the side of the van. He put his brake on.

I guess that reset my score to zero!