I'm not from London, but I drove through it yesterday!!

[In trouble]

MAN ALIVE !!!!! I had to drive to the centre of London for work, and hit it around 5pm. It was stop start chaos for an hour, cyclists, motorcyclists, scooters, pedestrians all vying for position to make another few yards.

It took me an hour to drive two miles !!!!!!! I kept wondering why there aren't more cyclists, because there weren't that many, but boy, you have to earn your stripes there if you are a cyclist.

I have an 18 mile commute, most of it in the country where I might see 1 car over a 9 mile stretch in the morning, and boy am I thankful now.

Hats off to all you London commuters !!!!!!

 

[semislickstick]

Watching some of those helmet cam London cyclist video's on youtube makes me think the same....that's hardcore!

 

[Tollers]

LOL....yeah. I think maybe we even need a sub-forum for London commute/city commute. I envy you country folk

Tollers

 

[tmcd35]

Why'd you have to drive all the way into the center? That's just crazy (no offence). Whenever I visit the capital I park in the suburbs and either tube or bike the rest of the way.

 

[semislickstick]

Why'd you have to drive all the way into the center? That's just crazy (no offence). Whenever I visit the capital I park in the suburbs and either tube or bike the rest of the way.

I dunno about crazy, during some of my experiences on the tube I think I would have loved to have been in a car even if it was only doing 2mph, or walking isn't that bad either.

 

[zimzum42]

Anything is better than the tube...

 

[hackbike 666]

Got to agree with Zimzum there.It's a year since I have been on a tube.

(Except one stop from WImbledon Park to Wimbledon (Work Related)Rarely though)

 

[joolsybools]

The amountof cyclists is trailing off now we're getting into winter. I'd say there are at least 50% less on my commute. you should see it in the summer!

 

[BentMikey]

I don't know why you guys think it's hardcore. It's easy riding in traffic like that, and it's fun. I often find fast country roads much more scary and intimidating because of the much much higher relative speeds.

 

[ttcycle]

I suppose you get used to it - it's not that bad, I agree with BM about it being fun at times.

 

[Jezston]

I was born and raised in London, although left a few years back for the joy of a smaller town with one of those handy compact 'town center' things. I cannot for the life of me understand why people insist on driving in central london. Delivery drivers etc I can understand, but if you are just trying to get from A to B it's so congested and public transport is so good (YES IT IS!) I just don't get it.

Probably why I never learned to drive. Turned 31 a few weeks back and have never got further than getting a form for a provisional license. If I want to take a car for a spin I've got Gran Turismo 5

 

[jonny jeez]

I don't know why you guys think it's hardcore. It's easy riding in traffic like that, and it's fun. I often find fast country roads much more scary and intimidating because of the much much higher relative speeds.

+1000000000

I sometimes dread the quiet bit toward my house, it's lonely, with fast cars, sometimes foggy and a whole lot colder.........(Plus you can't get a good latte for, love or money)

The centre of town (which is actually pretty small) is always my favourite part of the commute.

There are plenty of "comrades" around, very slow cars and hardly any HGV's (only busses and they are very aware of us being on the road).

If you get into trouble in the sticks, you can be lying in a ditch for days without someone noticing.

I would say the dodgiest part of my commute is the burb's, or south east London.

Places like Peckham/Lewisham (greater London) are rammed with HGV's, tons of school-kids (and mum's in delivery wagons) and faster moving vehicles all very keen to get a few feet closer to the car in front.

So, much as I enjoy the accolade (thanks!), its more deserved by those who have more "suburban" commute, in my opinion

 

[redjedi]

Probably why I never learned to drive. Turned 31 a few weeks back and have never got further than getting a form for a provisional license. If I want to take a car for a spin I've got Gran Turismo 5

That's one step further than me, and I'm 28.

People always look at me like I'm diseased when I say I don't drive. I've spent my entire adult life in London, so I've never really needed to.

Occasionally when I've moved house it would have been handy to hire and drive a van, but that's what big brothers are for

As for getting around central London, I have no idea why people would drive there. I don't mind the tube, but never during rush hour. If I can't cycle then I'll walk.

 

[BigSteev]

If you get into trouble in the sticks, you can be lying in a ditch for days without someone noticing.

Whereas in London if you're lying in the gutter for more than 2 minutes someone will have noticed, nicked your wallet and taken off with your bike

 

[BentMikey]

We can always count on you to put a positive spin on it, Big!!