Cycling London's Junctions

[Brandane]

You folks call that enjoyable?

It doesn't look scarey, but on the other hand it doesn't look much like fun either.
Having cycled in London on the odd visit, I can appreciate why it might be the sensible alternative for getting around, but give me this any time.....

 

[swansonj]

There are two types of boris bike users. Experienced london city types that know where they are going and the tourists. If they can stay safe whilst bimbling along, whilst looking behind to see if there girlfriend/wife/partner is coming - then it shows London isn't that bad for cycling.

So, in your schema of two types of Boris bike users, the girlfriends/wives/partners themselves don't actually count as Boris bike users at all?

 

[Frood42]

Then again - i wouldn't fancy Bow roundabout, or Aldgate one way system during the rush hour. Thankfully i don't have to.

Bow roundabout is ok, I use it every morning and evening, you have to be careful of the A12 exits of course, but as with a lot of junctions in London it is all about confidence and positioning. I preferred the Bow flyover to the roundabout, but they made the flyover difficult to access East to West when they put in the CS2 extension, West to East is a little better coming down the flyover.

I have ridden all of those junctions, but I think Aldgate was a bit of a headache when I used to go through there, a really crappy road surface combined with a three lane gyratory, ugh.
.

 

[Dan B]

So, in your schema of two types of Boris bike users, the girlfriends/wives/partners themselves don't actually count as Boris bike users at all?

Maybe they're running behind.

 

[Beebo]

These busy junctions are usually easier to negotiate in heavy slow moving traffic.
Sometimes it is much harder to take a lane when the traffic is flowing well.
But as said above, confidence is gained by riding these junctions regularly. I still get caught out in the wrong lane when cycling through areas of London that I dont know as well.

 

[thom]

Video on the Guardian website...



I don't know how you guys do it!! I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to take on those junctions, though I guess you just get used to it.

I saw this and noted there is no room to comment there that the journo clearly jumps a red light coming past Kings Cross...

 

[Lincov]

I saw this and noted there is no room to comment there that the journo clearly jumps a red light coming past Kings Cross...

It's been pointed out on the original article and the journalist admits he just didn't see it http://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/30868311

 

[thom]

It's been pointed out on the original article and the journalist admits he just didn't see it http://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/30868311

Ah, they must have opened up comments after I read the article.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It's been pointed out on the original article and the journalist admits he just didn't see it http://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/30868311

SMIDSI ....
Plenty drivers use the same excuse ..... moral high ground loss there .....

 

[Kies]

So, in your schema of two types of Boris bike users, the girlfriends/wives/partners themselves don't actually count as Boris bike users at all?

I often see tourists zipping along, then waiting for the other half, or parents, even kids to catch up on a succession of Boris bikes. they look like a stretched out peleton

 

[Kies]

Maybe they're running behind.

whoops - have I offended some of you???? ... tough!!

 

[swansonj]

I often see tourists zipping along, then waiting for the other half, or parents, even kids to catch up on a succession of Boris bikes. they look like a stretched out peleton

What you did with the terms you used to express your point (which was a perfectly valid point) is no more than half the population do when they unthinkingly acquiesce in the formalism "man and wife".