Being a London tourist - observations of cyclists

[jimboalee]

Is that a "yes, you stupid boy, they track"?

"Looks like two sixes on the right side of the equation, Sir..."

Right. My model says that faster cyclists spew more planet-busting evil CARBON . Peer-reviewers post here.

Thanks.

Edit: All those rotting leaves that cause trouble in Croydon....they turn to methane. That's got to be a tipping point....

Have a think about this Slowmotion.

Where does the carbon cyclist's spew out come from?

 

[slowmotion]

I get the point. I guess it depends on whether the source of his food is regarded as medium term carbon storage. Given that he probably doesn't chew thousand year old trees, , my post is entirely flawed. I surrender.

 

[semislickstick]

I was staying just around the corner from Tavistock Sq the other week, near the Boris bike stands. I quite fancied having ago on one, but I have to say the walk there from Kings Cross station, seeing how crazy the taxi drivers were going around cyclists scared me out of it!

I did notice a trend that hasn't hit Cambridgeshire yet...colour co-ordinated chains!

 

[taxing]

I saw a Boris Bike! Only one though. I saw loads of those cycle rickshaw things, they drove me mad by constantly dinging their bells down Oxford Street. I also saw a mouse on the tracks of the Tube. It was cute.

So ends my London adventure. I like going to London, but I don't think I could hack it if I went any more often than once a year. The sheer number of people, and the speed with which they do everything, pisses me off.

 

[zimzum42]

So ends my London adventure. I like going to London, but I don't think I could hack it if I went any more often than once a year. The sheer number of people, and the speed with which they do everything, pisses me off.

LOL - rest assured, when we go to sleepy little backwaters, it pisses us off how slowly everyone does everything and how anything useful is shut by 4pm


I once got pulled over for speeding in some town, told the coppers I had just driven from London and they let me off and just suggested I drive a bit slower round their way

 

[yello]

Random thoughts...

I moved from London 3 years ago now. The first time I went back, 2 years ago, the increase in number of bikes on the road was incredible. The 2nd time I was back, cycling had become as much fashion statement as anything else. Ok, that element has always had been there to an extent but it was in your face now; seemed like every other cyclist was on a wacky coloured Charge fixie, stubby little handlebars and wearing 3/4 knicks. Last year, there was even a cyclists' café open (in Hoxton I think). Cycling was very much part of London culture. (Why, I've even seen a feature on it on the French news recently!)

On all visits, it seemed a disregard for traffic lights was pretty much the norm. I'd often see cyclists forming scrums in ASLs, some track standing. It was in part inspiring to see cyclists almost taking over the road, and partly unnerving as I could see potential for dispute.

I look forward to my next visit (projected to be May 2011) and I'm interested to see how things on the road are then. I want to have a go on a 'Boris bike' too.

The Chiltern line; I loved it and Marylebone was my favourite London station - like stepping back into an Ealing film. I used to live around there (and Ealing too for that matter, once upon a time) and the Chiltern line was a weekend escape route out of London. Many of my rides started with a train journey from there so I have fond memories. I liked the coffee from the little stall there, can't remember it's name but a chain/franchise of some kind. And the fact the staff on the ticket barriers always had a few pleasant words for me as they let me through with the bike. There seemed nothing manic about the place... but I guess it was Sunday morning!