Commute from hell

Well today's drive to work was what I would describe as the rural commute from hell.

Leaving home in time to be at work by 9am I set off along the nice collection of country back lanes that I use to get to work, and which usually provide me with sanctuary from the joys of modern motoring, by which I mean congestion of course.

My first problem was an enormous dustbin lorry in East Hagbourne, a village with a main thoroughfare that is approximately 1.1 bin lorries wide. Mr lorry had a queue of cars behind him as he trundled down this road at a slower than walking pace, and I had to pull over for several minutes into someone's driveway in order for him and his indignant escort to pass before I could proceed on my way.

No sooner was I free again before I had a tractor pull out onto the road in front of me, leaving me to fall in behind. Now, I have a theory that tractor drivers get nectar points for each mile they do on busy roads; double for A-roads. Perhaps that's just me though. In any case, this guy was probably going for an Argos wristwatch or something because he blocked the road for several miles and no sane individual would dare try to overtake with all the blind bends.

Then finally, the best part, was the temporary lights that had been set up in West Hagbourne for single file traffic down a stretch of road where the footpath was being repaired. The type that have no sensors, and so merely allow the passage of traffic, or lack thereof, in one direction at a time for about half an hour or so before switching.

So the journey took about twice as long as the usual 15 minutes and I was a little bit late for work. I wasn't too bothered because I refuse to let motoring frustrate me these days whatever happens. I also had a CD of The Harbour Lights to listen to.

Perhaps these are all omens that I should be making the effort to cycle to work again. Actually I don't believe in such things, but I do miss riding my bike in the mornings.

I shall make the effort! Just not tomorrow because I'm taking Rosie to see Mamma Mia in London in the evening so I need to be home from work early.