Carnage

[Jake]

Well, an early post said it was, i glad i got a puncture this morning and took the bike into shop. But just walking the 4miles, i could not belive what i saw!!! Traffic lights, they seem to mean nothing to drivers and cyclists. Pavements, well the ammount of jump on jump off the pavements was crazy. Businessmen on bromptons squeezing between buses then catching themselves on pavements and falling off. Madness, Darwin, come save us!

Then when i got the bike and rode the few miles home, my god I thought i was going to die. The ammount of badm SERIOUSLY bad driving i saw and had near misses with was amazing. Cyclists just going through red on a crossroad without even seeing if the lights were red on the other side. I could not belive my eyes. Oh, then there was one cyclist who seemed to have his whole desk boxed up ballancing on handlebars and frame!

What have you lot seen which makes your heart stop?

 

[hackbike 666]

Where was this Jake?

 

[Jim_Noir]

Is London that crazy to cycle in? I know the tube strike will have been a factor in this, but normal day to day?

I used to work a few days down in London, I once used the tube to get to my hotel... never again, the 3 mile walk was farrrr better than that chaos.

 

[MadoneRider1991]

thats crazy

 

[hackbike 666]

I manage generally because I think the tube is worse.If you want to see sheep go down there.Plus the fact half the time it isn't open when I commute.

 

[theboytaylor]

I was expecting total chaos today but it was pretty much like any other morning.

Is London that crazy to cycle in? I know the tube strike will have been a factor in this, but normal day to day?

I guess it must vary considerably. For instance my route along the A200 (Greenwich/Deptford/Bermondsey) is normally quite calm. That said, there is a lot of Bus Lane to use, not many main junctions to cross and generally the traffic is queued or crawling. A couple of times I've had to take the A2, which is but a stone's throw further south, around New Cross and Peckham and that's a bit more aggresive. The general state of the roads around that area is appalling too.

 

[Twanger]

I saw a guy just fall off his bike in the middle of the road just before Buckingham Gate. Just that. Fell off. Then got back on again and rode off.

And thousands of bloody idiots jumping red lights left right and centre.

 

[Jake]

Where was this Jake?

which bit? Mostly walking from Angel down to Blackfriers. Its horribel to cycle down there as it is, what with motorbikes racing past you in cycle lanes, and the state of the roads there, are just the worst. Nearly had a MB hit me this morning as i had to swerve out hte way of yet another pothole, he was going too fast in the bus lane and nearly went into back of me. Walking was much better.

 

[Sittingduck]

Is London that crazy to cycle in? I know the tube strike will have been a factor in this, but normal day to day?

I don't think it's that bad really. See minor acts of stupidity on a daily basis but I just get on with it. If I can cycle to and from the City each day, I think anyone can manage it

 

[Olly]

Yup!
It was pretty horrid today!!
Islington to soho.
On the way in I had to shout at a mini cab who was so busy saying thanks to the car letting him turn right. He didn't see me on the road. Scared the cr*p out of him when he did bother to look though!!
Then on the way home (avoiding some of the worst cyclists I have ever seen) went past some poor bugger flat on his back surrounded by ambilences and police cars. And of course, a people carrier mini cab

 

[Greenbank]

Is London that crazy to cycle in?

Yes and no. If you only see 1 or 2 other cyclists on your commute, and cars only get into double digits, then you'll be in for a shock. I see easily more than 100 cyclists on my commute home.

It's proportional. I see just as much stupidity from cyclists as I do pedestrians as I do car drivers.

I used to work a few days down in London, I once used the tube to get to my hotel... never again, the 3 mile walk was farrrr better than that chaos.

There you go, it's conditioning. For your average Londoner the hubbub of the tube is just normal, average, boring. They see it twice a day, every day.

Don't get me wrong, I grew up in the sticks (rural Cambridgeshire) and the lack, and utter disrespect, of personal space in London took me by surprise at first. You get used to it quickly, but the difference is maintaining sensible behaviour when all around you just stop caring and zone out.

 

[Radius]

For all the absolute Darwin cyclists, London also produces some very skilled riders...

 

[Sittingduck]

For all the absolute Darwin cyclists, London also produces some very skilled riders...

Please no Radius, I'm a modest man

 

[Jake]

Looking fwd to tomorrow now, yipeeee. Wanted to shout at some people, maybe i can do that tomorrow Looking fwd to hearing more stories tomorrow

 

[Radius]

Please no Radius, I'm a modest man

Oh do shut up