The boo is for whatever body is responsible for staffing the lifts on the Greenwich and Woolwich foot tunnels, which it was my misfortune to use today (the latter because the Wollwich ferry wasn’t running). It was Boxing Day, so particularly the former was thronging with people – of course nice stroll by the river is, quite predictably, what a lot of Londoners and tourists are going to do.
But were the lifts operating? Of course not. So I was one of many cyclists wrestling their bicycles up and down the 100-plus stairs each way. Normally it is a minor inconvenience, but when you are trying to do it through a non-stop stream of tottering grannies and small children running down looking at their feet and not where they are going, it is a positive hazard.
The hiss is for the fact that the lovely old traditional pie and mash shop in Greenwich is now a “Gourmet burger” place.
And the second hiss for me is a reminder that I really must get out and do some more miles on the bicycle more often. I did a nice loop through the City, Limehouse, and Greenwich, past the Dome (waving to Tutenkhamen), then along the Greenway and the canal home. But the last few miles were done in a very low gear – if you saw a cyclist in Bloomsbury about 5pm going very slowly that was probably me- and the lactic acid will drain from the thighs eventually, I’m sure.
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Dear oh dear. i do get some naughty comments coming through on your comments RSS feed. Good job Mrs Weggis ain’t looking over my shoulder. I’d have trouble explaining that away.
Anyway, Boo Hiss from me too. On the extinct Pie & Mash shop. Mind you there is one in Barkingside High Street and another in Romford Town centre.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/artic
le3097464.ece
Have you enjoyed Matthew Parris advocating the garrotting of cyclists with piano wire yet? The really scary things are the occasional comments from people who respond as if he is ‘thinking’ on the right lines. He is an unforgivable twerp. My cycle club is all over the Press Complaints Council and James Harding.
Anyway, useful stuff if you feel the need to feel your blood boiling.
Have a good New Year, despite all this!
Ah no, I missed that one – and I usually have the highest respect for him – must have been having an off day!
And happy new year to you, and all….
Hm, will read that article later… though I do feel cyclists vs. anti-cyclists is a pointless battle, given the many gradations of ‘cyclist’ and the fact most people form their opinions based on limited personal experiences…
I had just popped over to ask if you were making any new year cycling resolutions, and this seems an apt post to ask the question – maybe you should set a goal (i.e. doing the Dynamo?) and then work up to that!