London commuting.

[tatr]

They are pretty interesting on fixed for sure. I have to slow down to about 10mph...

...which is possibly the whole point? If they reprofile them not sure they'll actually slow anyone down. Normal car speedbumps can be handled at 25mph+ which is a bit fast for a ped crossing really.

 

[booze and cake]

I did the embankment one on my full suss mountain bike last week and the ramps make great table tops/jumps, awesome fun.

 

[Lonestar]

Agreed, coming southbound past the Smithfield Mkt turn that road was so cratered it was like riding through a rock garden before, now its nice and smooth but we have new hazards to contend with....the day before yesterday I was coming south on that section approaching the fleet st/ludgate hill crossroads, when I had to pull over because a Nissan Micra was driving up the segregated lane towards me. I frantically waved at him and yelled out 'this is a cycle lane' or words to that effect but fruitier. The signage does need improving if they are going to stop this sort of thing.

Looks like plod has a problem with this as it happened to me on my return commute on the east to west route going east.Two cars were in there stopped at the cyclists lights and probably for the first time ever a plod car was nearby to sort it out.My workmate told me it's happened to him so it's quite common really.I also saw a car cut onto the CS 3 to jump the lights recently.

I now avoid batty road/backchurch lane and come onto the CS 3 at Caroline Street and back via the lights and White Horse Road.

I was lucky I didn't come off on that large bump on the Embankment as I took it at speed on the fixie when I was being drafted by the cyclist in front and didn't see it till late and had to take it and not panic.I didn't take it at no 10 m.p.h.

Lots of runners in and out during the dinner time hours I notice...running everywhere and yet another hazard.

 

[mjr]

They are pretty interesting on fixed for sure. I have to slow down to about 10mph...

...which is possibly the whole point? If they reprofile them not sure they'll actually slow anyone down. Normal car speedbumps can be handled at 25mph+ which is a bit fast for a ped crossing really.

I don't know how nice your speedbumps are or how flexy your bike is, but I certainly can't take most of them at anything faster than 10mph without risking my tyres or bum!

I thought the point of the raised tables were simply to provide a level crossing for walkers. If it's to slow cyclists down then the Dutch solution seems to be to build two speed bumps slightly closer together than most bicycle wheels are. They're pretty rare as the Dutch authorities seem to rely on simple paint and people not being dicks for pedestrian and minor road crossings, rather than deliberately making cycling difficult, while they rely on lights (with approach detectors) for bigger road crossings, so I could only remember the location of this inverse one but it has a similar effect.

 

[tatr]

They're pretty rare as the Dutch authorities seem to rely on simple paint and people not being dicks for pedestrian and minor road crossings,

Well, that's not going to happen in London anytime soon is it :-) It is a city full of Very Important People going to Very Important Places at Very High Speed and god damn your eyes if you get in the way.

Peds, cyclists and motorists are all equally guilty.

 

[markharry66]

I don't know how nice your speedbumps are or how flexy your bike is, but I certainly can't take most of them at anything faster than 10mph without risking my tyres or bum!

I thought the point of the raised tables were simply to provide a level crossing for walkers. If it's to slow cyclists down then the Dutch solution seems to be to build two speed bumps slightly closer together than most bicycle wheels are. They're pretty rare as the Dutch authorities seem to rely on simple paint and people not being dicks for pedestrian and minor road crossings, rather than deliberately making cycling difficult, while they rely on lights (with approach detectors) for bigger road crossings, so I could only remember the location of this inverse one but it has a similar effect.

Yep this the uk you have to contend with. Using a shared cycle path is beyond some peds. Even with great big bike signs in the middle of the path and a different color for the cycle lane you still get them walking in them.

 

[growingvegetables]

Interesting idea? Or dead in the water?

http://road.cc/content/news/192776-video-airbag-helmet-firm-launches-safety-app-london-cyclists

and the online map collating the beeps - http://giveabeep.org/#explore-the-map

 

[subaqua]

Interesting idea? Or dead in the water?

http://road.cc/content/news/192776-video-airbag-helmet-firm-launches-safety-app-london-cyclists

and the online map collating the beeps - http://giveabeep.org/#explore-the-map

That's like putting a fat bloke in charge of pies

 

[jefmcg]

Interesting idea? Or dead in the water?

http://road.cc/content/news/192776-video-airbag-helmet-firm-launches-safety-app-london-cyclists

and the online map collating the beeps - http://giveabeep.org/#explore-the-map

Sat through the video until it got to the bit which says "the bicycle bell has been saving your life since 1877"

I can't easily imagine a circumstance where it could save your life.

 

[mjr]

Sat through the video until it got to the bit which says "the bicycle bell has been saving your life since 1877"

I can't easily imagine a circumstance where it could save your life.

You fall down an open manhole and use it to attract someone's attention before you starve?

Hovding have repeatedly shown no clue about either safety or cycling promotion and this is the latest example, although they seem good at clickbait self-promotion.

 

[Lonestar]

Lorry last night,Bow roundabout (Stratford direction).It stopped in the advanced.So I stick behind it (on the left in view of his left hand mirror)but absolutely no signal at all so the only time I knew he was going left was when he actually turned left.Must have seen my lights in his mirror but probably too busy fiddling with his phone.Joker.

Feel a bit vulnerable when they do that because I don't know what some joker behind me is going to do.Not the first time I've seen cars on the East West route cycle lane coupled with joggers and everybody else.I'm sure I wouldn't faff about like that as I want a quiet life.

Cyclist in front of me on East - West route rang his bell yesterday for a jogger which was a waste of time as jogger had headphones in.I'm sick and tired of that crap may just go over Southwark Bridge instead of using the Victoria Embankment to Westminster.

 

[topcat1]

Also, there was no intuitive and obvious way to join the highway from the south side of tower bridge, you seem to have to cross a few crossings and jump a kerb.
.

Crossing Tower Bridge south to north to join the highway continue straight ahead and turn left at Shorter st, there is a gap just on the turn that puts you onto the highway.

 

[Lonestar]

On yesterday's commute crossing onto Commercial Road yesterday from the B121 to get to Caroline street a car signals right then goes left then the second car overtakes to throw a left also and cuts me off.Get onto CS 3 .I've got into Shorter Street and there is a car in the enclosed cycle lane reversing which I thought was very clever.Taken the wrong turning and ignored the no entry sign.I thought it would have just been better to just proceed forward and do a right into the Tower Gateway one way system.Then with me cycling down down a sidestreet near Waterloo I see so guy with his missus? photographing his Rolls.Must say I was impressed.(not) Best bit of penis enlargement which doesn't require surgery.

Coming back where the CS 3 is usually grief on the late Saturday night commute I overtake a cyclist who is happily looking at his phone.Not impressed.Apart from that it was mainly quiet not the usual bandit country stuff..

 

[Lonestar]

Should miss the CS 3 red light jumping peloton as I'm earlier on today unlike yesterday.

 

[Wolf616]

I don't know what technicians they have keeping the lifts in the Greenwich Foot Tunnel in order but they need replacing. Hardest bit of the commute is lugging my bike up those bastard stairs