Back to Commuting Into Central London

[headlamp]

After 8 years of commuting round the Nortth Circular Rd in London I now find myself commuting daily 6 miles on my bike into Covent Garden, from North London. Things have changed!

Cyclists
There are millions of them! Often they ride their bikes, with headphones & no helmet, sometimes on the mobile phone. No disregard whatsoever for red lights, indeed for any of the rules & regulations of the road. I expect to see at least one cyclist squashed, maimed or bleeding profusely in the next month.

Scooter Riders
They are either foreign, failed suicide bombers or ex-cyclists. Again, complete disregard for any of the rules of the road and because they have something 'powerful' between their legs think they are kings of the road! The most inexperienced clearly ride without L plates to make themselves look 'cool'.

Bendy Buses
F*ck me! Where did they come from! Whoever decided that these were suitable for Central London was either a driug addict, blind or screwing the manufacturers owner's wife (or indeed the owner of the manufacturer). It is also clear that whoever operates these monstrosities, lets their most inexperienced drivers take control of these things. If they have had experience of driving buses then I think from what I've seen it's in the streets of Mogadishu where people drive buses to use as barracades.

Pedestrians
Firstly I've noticed that anyone who walks around in Central London doesn't speak English anymore. Occasionally you hear some Northern dialect but usually it is a language that is incomprensible. I learnt (by Tuesday) that they don't look the right way when crossing the road. What I can't get my head around is that they cross the road, regardless of whether there is a crossing, the lights are green and traffic is zooming past and have complete disregard the noral rules of the road.

When someone gets particuarly close and one (in my view rightly) berates them, you get a barrage of verbal that turns the air blue and would make a sailor blush. (Why is it all foreigners know the 'f' word & 'c' word?).

Cars
Why anyone drives into C. London Lord knows - they clearly see bikes as their enemy number 1 and look to kill as many bikers as possible. Those that don't have the ruthlessness to kill (but wish they did) usually give so much verbal & agression at the lights (3 instances this week). One guy reached for a knife and tried to stab me. (I only called him a muppet!)

Other Bikers
Where is the love? On my journey round the Nth Circular I used to get other bikers nodding, not all the time but occasionally. On my commute into London, this week not one! I stopped at the lights this morning at Gower Street and a bike pulled up beside me I took the initiative & nodded. He looked at me like I was an alien from outer space then something stirred in his mind and he remembered my action needed a reaction and he moved his head by 10mm.

This is not a rant, just a few observations of what happened this weel. Hoping for a slight improvement next week on my journey, assuming I don't run into animal again and his knife!!
[/b]
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[Ste]

If you nod to other bikers when commuting into London then you'll be nodding pretty much continuously.

Skipping red lights is one of the advantages of cycling, in a similar type way that motorbikes filter to the front of queues of traffic.

[That_Hornet]

While me bike was off road i was cycling in to work.
I found myself doing stuff i would have dremt of.

But i go to work faster than my boss who i passed on the way in.



The joys of London riding.

[bazza]

Most pedestrians will acknowledge a looping left hook delivered whilst riding past, standing on the pegs.

Usually by asking your back wheel "fookinellwothefookwozzatfor?"
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"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[neil.]

Ah the fun and frolics. Don't worry you're not the only one. Only this morning on the A13 near Docklands, some waste of skin in a people carrier decided that the I was riding too slowly at the speed limit in the left hand lane, so he proceeded to tailgate for a few miles before undertaking via a lay-by. Bad form old chap, it's just not cricket. Too lazy to overtake using the proper lanes (there were 2 more of them to the right of me, ya know...), or perhaps exercising some some kind of compensation for his undersized genitalia (I'm speculating as I actually have no idea how big it is as I've never actually seen it)?
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[Muscle Bike Rider]

Know how you feel mate, I commute from Beckton to Gower st every day, 12.5 miles of survival of the fittest, its the scooter riders who freak me out, no respect for speed limit, undertake / overtake you even when you signal to turn and are slowing getting in to position, its got to the point I'm paranoid about life savers where I'm probably doing more than needed. Even had two scooters racing over the bow flyover and trying to undertake and overtake me in lane 2 at the same time whilst I was indicating and moving in to position to turn right!!. It makes commuting less enjoyable.
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[Whosthedaddy]

[neil.]

Yeah, right when you get towards Ripple Road and then past that towards to that massive roundabout where the A13, A406 and A1020 all meet up. Absolute mayhem, especially on my way out of London. The A13 is always jammed up with traffic trying to get on to it, which often causes massive tailbacks down all the other entrances to that roundabout. I have to filter like a maniac to get through that lot, then it's madness until I pass over the flyover at Ripple Road. Tends to be plain sailing for the 20 miles or so home after that, although there has been the odd blockage/accident near Lakeside and then things slow down again approaching Saddler's Farm roundabout, but the drivers seem to be better there.
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[kawakid]

I feel so sorry for you, my sister lives in London and I know how bad it is.

My major problem is suicidal sheep on the moor.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[yen_powell]

You will learn that nodding at bikes may only begin once you pass under or over the M25 on your way out of London. I thought everyone knew that.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[multijoy]

I used to come in to westminster from Walthamstow, down seven sisters road, etc. It's insane!

Now I'm part of the sarf lahndahn motoGP, the main difference being that the scooters have been replaced by KTM Dukes and the cars don't seem to be actively trying to kill you...

If you don't mind a longer run in and come down through finsbury park, try detouring through Highbury & Islington and Angel. At half 7 there's a lot less traffic and the lightsets aren't as numerous.
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

[nowhere.elysium]

[mark83]

To be fair, I'm seriously missing the rides in and from work. Seriously considering going back to the good old days....

And I could do with the extra money in my pocket - you hear that, Ken / Boris / whoever is in charge of setting the extortionate underground fares these days.....!!!!!
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Kawasaki ER6n -> Honda CBR600RR -> Honda VTR 1000 -> Moto Guzzi Norge 1200
Buy my Mercedes 350 Sport AMG Evo

[Muscle Bike Rider]

The A13 is a nightmare,all it takes is one incident and it grinds to a halt and all the other routes east to west soon follow suit. seem to get more arsey drivers on it too who resent a bike filtering through and then go out of their way to block you. Oh well thats life on a bike I guess!!
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[s44678]

To be fair, some 'big bike' riders can ride like tw*s round Central London as well.

Had someone on a Fz1 come haring round my inside as I was turning right into a main road. Could have easily squished him against the parked cars if I wasn't paying attention and allowed him some room, and It wouldn't have been my fault.

I think it's a universal truth that every type of vehicle driver/rider hates every other type of vehicle and thinks they are the superior driver.

One thing I will say though, how the f** do those guys learning the 'Knowledge' get away with riding round on scooters with an a4 sheet of road names stuck on their wind shield. Blatantly driving without due care and attention if you're reading a f-in sheet when you should be concentrating on the road!

[lau]

I've been looking at options for commuting from Peterborough to London but after reading that I think the riding down may be out of the running!!

[Pete.]

Don't worry it's getting cold now so all the sunshine sweeties will be putting their bikes away (without servicing them) and normal service can resume.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[headlamp]

[raak]

headlamp....I Know exactly what your saying in your O/P

Ride in to town every day for the last 3 years.
(F**kin Bendy Buses......Don't get em started.. )

But as winter is coming, most of the sunshine riders will be gone,

unfortunately so will a lot of the free spaces as they park up their rides,
in the bays all covered up for the next few months or so...
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Previous bikes: Suzuki GT250A / Yamaha DT125 / NTV Honda 650 // currently Suzuki RF900

[calyx]

cyclists: they don't want to stop what so ever. So, expect them to pedal all the time.

Scooters: They filter better than big bikes. So, don't hold them and let them go.

Pedestrians: They actually are tourists and not expecting you coming from their right. And junction rules here are a bit different than other countries.

Cars: They are doing 3mph. Put yourself in that situation. You'd take every opportunity to do 4mph. (if you were insane)

Bendy buses: Boris promised to scrap them by 2012. Be patient

Other bikers: They ride better than Italian riders for sure.
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Boris - London

[civvy]

[hellkat]

[hellkat]

My personal hate at the moment, in my cross-London commute each day, is The Highway.

Hate it.
Hate it.
Hate it.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[hellkat]

[Pete.]

Yeah the hi.ghway's a barstud. You could always use commercial road and re-join your route at Tower Bridge, or even go past Aldgate and down to London Bridge.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good