First time in London

[mic]

And wow. Totally not as I'd imagined. Around home town everyone nods. No one does in London, you'd have whiplash after an hour. So many scooters/bikes I've never seen so many on the go at the same time. If you aren't confident on filtering, an hour in London following people is a great confidence boost. Totally enjoyed it I'd much rather have a day doing that then sat at 80mph on a motorway all day anyway 😁 But was a real experience.

So thanks to anyone I followed who lead the way, and apologies for anyone I cut up/bottled filtering at the last minute LOL couple of scary moments.

Almost regained 100% sensation in my clutch hand now which is cool.
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zzr600

[someotherguy]

[c_dug]

It's particularly bad at the moment with all of the cycle highway jazz going on.

I find it frustrating filtering outside of London these days for the same(ish) reason, regular London riding changes your perception of:

"A small gap"
"A near miss"
"Red light"
"Solid white line"
"Right of way"

etc....
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Snop Doog]

I hate riding in Central London, filtering gets too competitive and the fact that cyclists are filtering too ruins everything.

[davebike]

London is interesting lived here all my life did a few years commuting to a job in the west end now run a workshop in the suburbs

Having ridden with both on a similar bike and as a passenger A friend who runs one of the London "mini cab bikes"
It is all down to looking and planning well ahead !
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[GSTEEL32]

We've just moved to Peterborough after living and commuting in London. I'd have to say filtering "London styleee" out in the sticks, does not go down well with the locals. They're not expecting it, and as dug says, my perception of a filterable gap, and theirs, is obviously very different....

I've not seen an Addison lee driver in 3 months, so my life expectancy has improved dramatically since the move....

[mic]

I think competitive is a good word. I chuckled at all of the scooters when I first got in, then half an hour later understood. And the filtering you find yourself doing purely cos I'm on a 600cc sports and have to beat that 125 L plate... But then find yourself waving them past so can follow instead im actually looking forward to the next trip in and even thought about downsizing bike for it but I'm sure the novelty will pass. But then, I'm doing it for cash rather than pleasure and there's more courier work around London than town so might as well stay where the money is
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zzr600

[-Monty-]

I rode through central London once. It was a Friday evening, and I was on my Pan. Never again.
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Present: [Kawasaki ZX7r][Suzuki DRZ 400s]
Past: [Honda PCX 125] [Yamaha RXS 100] [Honda CB 500] [Triumph Speed Four] [Honda ST1100 Pan European - Po-Po Edition]

[chickenstrip]

i've only ridden in central London a couple of times, and tbh, it wasn't the volume of traffic or lack of manners that puts me off doing it again. It's the fact that although I have a fair idea of the geography of the place, actually getting from A to B I find very confusing what with one-way systems etc, and the traffic volume does mean I found I didn't have much time to look out for directional signs, cos I'm too busy looking not to get squished. If I knew my way around by road, I'd do it quite happily.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[hellkat]

Ahhhhhh, ya bunch of pussies

I went across town to the dentist in Fulham yesterday on the GSX, filtering like a bastard there and back, even in mid morning the traffic is shit. Great ride! Traffic wasn't so bad on the way back (about 2.30 in the afternoon. Sunshiney day, managed to avoid a couple of BIG black clouds. Nice.

Then in the evening I took the Snarley and the Prez took the GSX, and we went back into the West End. The traffic into town was still wank because of the roadworks on Victoria Embankment. I was on a mission to get there and watch the rugby, so I did the noisy "Harley coming thru" thing, blipping the pipes, and people mostly moved out of our way.

It's very gratifying even with the Harley (which I appreciate the noisy pipe thing probably annoys more people than impresses... ) but to see people glance in their mirrors and you see the expression on their faces go "Oh, its a bird, nice one!" and let me through ... tis always a buzz
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[hellkat]

[chickenstrip]

[hellkat]

[chickenstrip]

[mic]

I used a disc lock in Canary Wharf by Canada Square for half hour till I worked out what building and where I was supposed to be. Bike still there when I got back
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zzr600

[chickenstrip]

[mic]

I get it but it's never gonna happen, I chain it to anything I can outside my own home nevermind worry about leaving it in the middle of a city.

Only place I don't worry is the carpark at work (real job).
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zzr600

[Serendipity]

I’ve been commuting into and around London for 22 years and there have been massive changes to the 2 wheeled population in that time.

In the early nineties bikes were surprisingly scarce compared to today. It seemed to be a mix of old BMWs, jap sportsbikes, despatch steeds like the GT550 and CX500 and the occasional early crossover bikes like the Dominator and TDM850.

You’d sometimes see a Lambretta or Vespa, but in general there were NO scooters. To be seen riding one was social suicide.

I never had an issue with finding spaces in bike parks…

Then it started changing and the scooters began to multiply. By the millennium they were starting to get pretty popular and then the congestion charge arrived and that was it. The scooter apocalypse was upon us.

I quit London for a few years from 2002 and commuted by bike out in the Styx. You’re quite correct that drivers out here are nowhere near as well trained as London cagers. Folk out here get in the way all the time and honk at filtering bikes for having the temerity to wake them from their smartphone slumber.

So, been back into the City for the last 4 years and loving my commutes. I either head out early to be at work before 7 or late to be there for 11. That way I miss the worst of the bike queues. Nothing more frustrating than being stuck behind lines of slow filterers when you could be flying through. The worst days recently have been the Tube strikes. The car jams I can deal with, but the glut of inexperienced bikers was a major downer.

How many more years of commuting have I got left in me? Every time I use public transport my commitment to bike commuting is reinforced. No sign of giving up yet.
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2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[Undinist]

I absolutely love riding in central London. I often go for a coffee in the West End just for the fun of the journey.
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Current bike: K1100RS. Previous: CD200, GSX250, GT550, VFR750, K100LT, K1100LT, R1100GS, R1150GS, ZZR1100, Hayabusa, RSV Mille, MV F4 750S, R1, ZX-10, KTM Adventure 950S

[chickenstrip]

[Yellow Paddy]

Biking in London has a thrill of its own. The A40 can be interesting though - miles and miles of narrow lanes.

Always love the opportunity to learn though - and some scootists have a lot to teach, as has been said. The kamikaze ones crack me up. Either they have masive balls, or they are under serious pressure from the boss. Not jealous.

[TheSmiler]

It's not that bad you just have to do motor gymkhana everywhere. I actually found it quite fun the last and only time I've been. Though I learnt Marmalade has a fascination with the Vue cinema on the roundabout. Must have seen it like 10 times.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[Undinist]

[c_dug]

I followed a scooterist with the tiniest Penis in all of London yesterday.

Shouty sweary foul mouthed little man felt the need to barge past every single other biker (myself included) before halting the procession of queuing bikers behind him to have a slagging match with a pedestrian who dared to cross a road.

L platers should be banned from within the A406.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[mentalboy]

Filtering with full luggage can be a pain in the butt, especially in the narrower lanes but I wouldn't say I notice much difference between Londoners filtering practices and my own.
Mind you, maybe I'm not the norm, I did get plenty of horns going last week upon my return from London, apparently cagers get pissed if you filter at speed when the M5 is coned off to a single lane (Big to all those that saw me coming and moved over for me though )