Boy! I don't fancy cycling in London!

[gaz]

The difference I see most in city/town vs country riding is the differences in speed of the traffic. I'm usually going around 2/3rds of the max speed of the traffic in London and i'm often going faster than it.
Where as in the country it's more like 1/3rd and even as low as 1/6th on some roads.

 

[Sittingduck]

Dickheads in town and dickheads in the country... the only diff is the speed at which they move, generally! I am talking about motorists here...

 

[srw]

Bloody hell! there are more cyclists on the first video that I see around here in a whole year!

That's pretty typical of the whole of central London now. I started commuting by bike 16 years ago, and the change is staggering. Back then I could often be one of only a dozen cyclists in a half-hour commute, and I'd get stopped at traffic lights and asked about my Brompton.

 

[Psycolist]

I went to London last wednesday to renew my passport at the French Embassy. Oh boy! what a nightmare it must be to cycle there! Roads are crowded with cars, buses, taxis, and all sorts on two wheels.
It really is just a matter of what you are used to. I doubt a Welsh based car driver would relish going around the North Circular or the Hanger Lane Gyratory, but once y'get a bit of experience and are used to the volumes of traffic and the close proximity that everything moves in in a big city, its just as enjoyable as the welsh countryside Honest

 

[Psycolist]

D'no wots happened there, my reply has gone into the box with the origonal text !!

 

[Globalti]

Cycling in London is far safer then the countryside.
I really enjoy cycling in towns and city's just as much as I like cycling on country lanes.
Motorists in the city are used to cyclists around them
Motorists in the country are not.

*cough* I have to disagree! Cycling in the Ribble Valley and Bowland Fells, which is about as country as you can get, you seldom see cars at all and when you do, they are accustomed to cyclists and are happy to pootle along until it's clear to pass. In over 5000 miles on these roads I can't remember a single fright or incident; I don't think it would be the same in a city.

 

[outlash]

FWIW, if I still lived in East London and worked in the city, I'd commute by bike. Also from experience, the standard of driving in London is higher than it is outside of it.


Tony.

 

[Pale Rider]

That's pretty typical of the whole of central London now. I started commuting by bike 16 years ago, and the change is staggering. Back then I could often be one of only a dozen cyclists in a half-hour commute, and I'd get stopped at traffic lights and asked about my Brompton.

When I lived in London in the 80s cyclists were a rarity.

Like srw, I was struck by the huge increase when I was there last year.

I reckon the extra numbers have made cycling in London safer.

Motorists are now more aware of cyclists because they see them all the time.

We are now seen as fellow road users, rather than oddities, and - generally - treated with more respect.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

City riding is indeed quite fun, I'm just not a fan of the fumes and pollution, especially behind buses.

 

[yello]

I share srw's and pale rider's experiences. I haven't cycled in London for around 6 years now but having recently visited, I must admit to being overwhelmed by the number of bikes on the road. First impressions were that I'm not sure I'd want to cycle there again.

It's probably something you could get back into though. I used to love cycling around London, and your senses, reactions and anticipation do quickly adapt.