central london - to cycle or not to cycle?

In article <[email hidden]>, Clarrie <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hiyas

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London.

I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester, I am used to cycling in
busy traffic.

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've got
to go? Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in London
- would this be a bad idea?

I'd say go for it. The most important factor is that you are used to heavy traffic. A high level of
fitness isn't essential - cars don't move very fast around central London either :-) Get yourself an
A-Z, keep your wits about you and you'll be away!

ttfn

Martin

--
"If you keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you've misunderstood the situation."

Martin Harlow [email hidden]

You can get Transport for London Cycle Guides (maps) free of charge, by ordering online from

tfl.gov.ukcycle guide.shtmlOpen ↗

Hopefully these would help you work out the best route for you.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam-- to get correct one remove dependency on fame &
fortune h*$el*$$e**nd***$o$ts***i*$*$m**m$$o*n**s@$*$a$$o**l.c**$*$om$$

[email hidden] (Clarrie)typed

Quoted message said:

Hiyas

Quoted message said:

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London.

Quoted message said:

I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester, I am used to cycling in
busy traffic.

Good! Don't cower in the gutter.

Quoted message said:

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've
got to go?

There are some restrictions taking bikes on trains arriving at London termini in the rush
hour. I don't think they would apply if you were travelling from Manchester but you would do
well to enquire.

Quoted message said:

Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in London -
would this be a bad idea?

Sometimes it's helpful to plan a route at home, then write simple instructions on paper clipped
within view. (I always used a Pletscher map clip for this, and outgoing mail I didn't want to forget
to post) I never liked fiddling with maps in the traffic but usually ended up doing it anyway...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden] Edgware.

Clarrie said:

Hiyas

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London.

I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester, I am used to cycling in
busy traffic.

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've
got to go? Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in
London - would this be a bad idea?

C

Yes go for it I l used to love cycling in London, learn the back routes and the cycle paths. Once I
did my own race from Victoria to Paddington, cycling was faster than the tube that day.

--

mseries.freeserve.co.ukmseries.freeserve.co.ukOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Hiyas

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London.

Cycling in central london can be a stress-free joy. Get the free cyclemaps or use cyclemaps.com &
plan a good backstreets route. If you find yourself having to turn right across four lanes of angry
traffic then just get off, push the button, and wait for the little green man. I even quite often
turn right at crossroads by cycling across, turning the bike 90 degrees, and waiting for the lights
to change.

A wuss? Certainly. But a happy, chilled-out, wuss.

Where are you cycling from & to? Ill do a route for you, if you like - email me.

dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers said:

You can get Transport for London Cycle Guides (maps) free of charge, by ordering online from

tfl.gov.ukcycle guide.shtmlOpen ↗

Hopefully these would help you work out the best route for you.

Even if you know your route, expect it to have some hairy moments until you learn which lane to be
in when---London road signs are random, often mentioning only the next irrelevant suburb in each
direction, and London drivers are very reluctant to let you pull across the road at short notice.
They also like sitting right across a carriageway waiting to turn right, and have all forgotten what
box junctions mean.

Other than that I've found them quite polite.

"Clarrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hiyas

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London.

I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester, I am used to cycling in
busy traffic.

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've
got to go? Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in
London - would this be a bad idea?

C

I cycle every day from Battersea in the south to Swiss Cottage in the north and absolutely love it.
As long as you consider every bus driver to not only be an idiot, but an idiot determined to do you
serious bodily harm with the bus, you'll be fine.

T.

Quoted message said:

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've
got to go? Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in
London - would this be a bad idea?

I cycle in London every day (not quite central, but close enough). It's a bit nuts, but it's
definately the best way to get around. Stand up for yourself, don't take anything from anyone.
You've got a right to be there. Also, people in london steal (well, not all of them, but it seems
that way). So make sure anything worth stealing is locked or removed. This includes lights, seats,
wheels....

"Clarrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester, I am used to cycling in
busy traffic.

If you can handle Manchester traffic you will be fine.

You may even be pleasantly surprised -- I always rate Mancunian drivers as much more aggressive than
Londoners.

T

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Henry Braun
London drivers are very reluctant to let you pull across the road at short notice.

my experience is that london drivers are pretty good at letting you pull out, but only if you are quick. As others have mentioned it helps to know where you are going as London traffic is not very forgiving of dithering however you can always pull in to the left and check youe next stage or use ped crossings if that helps you.

The generaly slow traffic speeds make cycling in central london easier than many locations

The key thing is that driving styles vary regionally so expect the traffic to behave *differently* to Manchester in some respects but you'll pick up the language quick enough

best wishes
james

thanks to everyone who replied with advice and links. I went down to London today and had a chat
with the guard (train manager?) on the train on the way back about taking my bike along. So next
time, I might just go for it.

thanks

--
9M+ AS3 Kiwi Kwitter (01/02/03)

~email/msn: clarriegrundy at hot mail dot com~

"Clarrie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hiyas

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London.

I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester, I am used to cycling in
busy traffic.

As you get fitter you'll feel better and keep up with the traffic more. Never forget you have a
right to use the roads and don't let drivers persuade you other wise.

The biggest tip I can give to ride in traffic is use eye contact as much as possible. If someone is
not looking and you want them to stare until they do (but don't fall off in the process)

Personally I find commercial drivers of all sorts generally OK & the worst are car drivers.

--
Andrew

"Look laddie, if you're in the penalty area and aren't quite sure what to do with the ball, just
stick it in the net and we'll discuss all your options afterwards."

Quoted message said:

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've
got to go? Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in
London - would this be a bad idea?

C

--
9M+ AS3 Kiwi Kwitter (01/02/03)

~email/msn: clarriegrundy at hot mail dot com~

In article <[email hidden]>, MSeries <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Yes go for it I l used to love cycling in London, learn the back routes and the cycle paths. Once I
did my own race from Victoria to Paddington, cycling was faster than the tube that day.

My journey is always faster than the tube, except when I get a puncture, (or fall off and have to be
taken to hospital).

--
congokid Eating out in London? Read my tips... congokid.comcongokid.comOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, Clarrie <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I'm delurking to get views on whether or not it would be suicidal madness for me to attempt to
cylce in central London. I'm relatively new to cycling (and not very fit) but living in Manchester,
I am used to cycling in busy traffic.

I used to cycle in Belfast and found it no problem cycling in London (although I was a bit wobbly on
my first rides from the bike shops on my new FW Evans and more recently my Brompton). Seventeen
years later (including a four year gap), I still do.

Quoted message said:

I travel to London several times a month for work and get around by tube. The last lot of tube
disruptions got me thinking, should I stick my bike on the train with me and ride to where I've
got to go?

A colleague once told me that by cycling I win all round (although he didn't cycle himself) by
getting free exercise and free travel, reducing the time I spend travelling, avoiding cramped,
unreliable public transport and thereby gaining a positive mental attitude at the start of every day
(I never got that from the Underground!).

Quoted message said:

Bearing in mind I'm not that experienced and don't know my way around above ground in London -
would this be a bad idea?

Plan your route using an A-Z and perhaps use a bus for a couple of days to see what to expect
overground. I did this when I moved from Marylebone, where I didn't need to use the bike, to Fulham.
You can then avoid some awkward spots along the route.

--
congokid Eating out in London? Read my tips... congokid.comcongokid.comOpen ↗