Keep it safe people, keep it safe

As you can imagine, it can get a bit scary on London's roads. So I play it as safe as I can. If I can't get in front of a bus or a lorry at traffic lights, I sit behind it, rather than trying to squeak down the side.

I stop at red lights - and zebra crossings.

I opt for quieter roads even if it takes a few minutes longer.

Yes, I wear a cycling helmet and vomit-yellow jacket. Admittedly, no-one has ever made wearing a cycling helmet look cool, but I'd rather look like a bit of a tit than have my brains smeared across the tarmac.

I sound like a bit of a cycling swot, really.

But anyway, it annoys me when I see other cyclists powering straight through red lights and ignoring people waiting to cross at zebras - they give the rest of us a bad name. (Yes, I consider myself one of an 'us' now). Not to mention the testosterone boys (usually male, sorry boys, but it's true) who barge past to get a couple of vital inches ahead at lights.

In the past week I've seen two accidents, one involving a cyclist and one involving a scooter.

The first was on Friday, in a double cycle lane, just around the corner from work. Some moron on his phone, oblivious to the world, just stepped into the lane without looking either way. A girl on a bike didn't anticipate this (why would she? She was cycling in the CYCLING lane, where she was supposed to be). She crashed straight into him and ended up on the tarmac. Luckily she didn't seem to be hurt, just shaken.

The lane by the way is green, with white bicycles painted on it, which kinds of makes it a bit obvious. If it had been me, I'd have thrown my bloody bike at him.

I was too far away from the other accident (yesterday) to see exactly what happened (I was also right in the middle of cycling across Bayswater Road so I couldn't stop), but the scooter was down, the rider was on the road and everyone was blaring their horns (because that always helps). Hope whoever it was is OK.

Be safe out there. I'd rather be a swot than a squish.