My observations driving through London last night

[scouserinlondon]

I had the un-enviable task of driving across London yesterday, from the M11 to Streatham via tower Bridge, and I got to see things from the moton point of view for a change.

Firstly I was alarmed, particularly down CS2 (mile end road, Bow road) the sheer number of hipsters on bikes with little or no lighting. In one traffic light phase I saw 8 people with no rear lights, and some had no front lighting either. All of these guys were filtering down the left at a decent speed.

On one occasion I was turning left at lights and signalling. As the lights changed and we started to move a girl dived down my inside, I'd seen her approaching and just held off to let her through, but sure lots of people don't look in their left mirror every time they move off at lights.

Very few people ever seem to look over their shoulders at all let alone every few seconds (as a cyclist I'm guilty of this too), but the couple of people who did look back did appear to get more room.

Cyclists who hug the kerb don't get space, and I'm glad I ride an assertive primary as much as I do. I also think it's worth bearing in mind as regular city cyclists, lots of drivers may not really know where they are, and their attention is taken up with trying to work out where to go as much as it is with observation. I'm not saying this is right or proper but I saw one vehicle, a hire van, making some rash and last minute lane changes, obviously working out where the hell to go.

I consider myself to be an average driver at best, but with probably more cyclist awareness than most and I really thought some cyclists were putting themselves in un-necessary danger last night.

 

[Red Light]

Firstly I was alarmed, particularly down CS2 (mile end road, Bow road) the sheer number of hipsters on bikes with little or no lighting. In one traffic light phase I saw 8 people with no rear lights, and some had no front lighting either. All of these guys were filtering down the left at a decent speed.

London streets are well lit. Lights really aren't that necessary to be seen. Illegal yes and they should be using lights but not really an impediment to being seen.

On one occasion I was turning left at lights and signalling. As the lights changed and we started to move a girl dived down my inside, I'd seen her approaching and just held off to let her through, but sure lots of people don't look in their left mirror every time they move off at lights.

Well if you drive in London you need to learn to use your mirrors more. Its not just cycles but in lots of places other vehicles passing on the inside.

Very few people ever seem to look over their shoulders at all let alone every few seconds (as a cyclist I'm guilty of this too), but the couple of people who did look back did appear to get more room.

I rarely do. I find I can build up an audible picture of what is behind me so most of the time its just a case of riding with the traffic and keeping alert to the sounds around you. May sound strange but it works - at least for me.

I consider myself to be an average driver at best, but with probably more cyclist awareness than most and I really thought some cyclists were putting themselves in un-necessary danger last night.

But not an experienced London driver by the sounds of it. Driving and cycling in London is different to elsewhere and while it may seem anarchic to those unfamiliar with it, it works in general IME.

 

[mknash]

London driving/cycling is no different to other large cities really. Lots of idiots on both sides of the white line. London does at least have the advantage of some kind of centralization and apparent attempts to improve things for cyclists.


I have noticed similar on the rare occasions that I drive and can honestly see why cars hate cyclists, just wish it was easier to convey the difference between good and bad cyclists to them.

 

[scouserinlondon]

London streets are well lit. Lights really aren't that necessary to be seen. Illegal yes and they should be using lights but not really an impediment to being seen.

I agree with most of your points bar this one. With all the light pollution in London and the sheer amount of stuff going on, it's a personal bug-bear o mine that cyclists don't illuminate themselves. If you're on an un-lit bike wearing dark colours you're quite invisible to other road users.

 

[Dan B]

I also rely on my ears a lot and don't usually look back unless I am intending to change direction (turn or change lane or something) - but I'm fully aware this is a bad habit not a good one, having once nearly ended up being collected by a G-Whiz electric car as it overtook me on the left

 

[Origamist]

I rarely do. I find I can build up an audible picture of what is behind me so most of the time its just a case of riding with the traffic and keeping alert to the sounds around you. May sound strange but it works - at least for me.

If I relied on my hearing to construct an "audible picture" of what is behind me, it would be very similar Malevich's Black Square. I usually find once I pick up speed or the wind picks up (or both) sounds become harder to discern; that does not mean that you cannot pick up some useful auditory cues, but I'd far rather use a shoulder check and life-saver to discover what is behind me and let my hearing complement my sight. YMMV, but I would certainly love to have a bat-like, sonar facility...

 

[MacB]

having spent the day in London yesterday with the family I'd be amazed if anyone could formulate an accurate audible picture in certain areas, but then I am tone deaf so that won't help.

We spent quite a bit of time in Camden and the place was heaving, only issue we had was, having waited patiently for the 'green man' a cyclist nearly took out one of my sons as he jumped the lights. He kept on moving which was probably for the best

Barring that I was just taken by the sheer volume of cyclists and the variety of cyclewear and bikes. As we rounded off the day with a meal in an Italian bistro style place I spent some time watching the world/traffic go by. I actually felt a bit sorry for the drivers, so much life going on around them, and whizzing by them, as they sat isolated in their boxes. The other puzzling bit was the amount of drivers with an addiction to sounding their horns - does it ever really help things? Overall I'd say the most out of place things were the cars, it was like they were tolerated as a necessary evil but they brought nothing to the party.

 

[Hip Priest]

I can see why some people dislike cyclists. I stopped at a red yesterday, only for a pair of cyclists (one male, one female) to bomb past me, causing a handful of crossing pedestrians to stop dead. One of them, a distinguished looking fellow, shook his head in bewildered rage. There's no doubt that he'll recall the two cyclists who nearly hit him, rather than the one (me) who'd stopped. Just like we recall the few drivers who drive badly, rather than the many who drive well.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

London streets are well lit. Lights really aren't that necessary to be seen.

This is only true in the most ideal circumstances, which is to say that yes, you can see an unlit cyclist as long as you happen to be looking at them. But cyclists shouldn't just be seen passively, they should really stand out in all circumstances. Is an unlit cyclist visible in a lorry's mirror in the rain? Or visible out of the corner of a motorist's eye while he's watching the scooter rider who's edging forward at the junction 50 yards up the road? I'll give you a clue ... no.

 

[Red Light]

This is only true in the most ideal circumstances, which is to say that yes, you can see an unlit cyclist as long as you happen to be looking at them. But cyclists shouldn't just be seen passively, they should really stand out in all circumstances. Is an unlit cyclist visible in a lorry's mirror in the rain? Or visible out of the corner of a motorist's eye while he's watching the scooter rider who's edging forward at the junction 50 yards up the road? I'll give you a clue ... no.

That's the start of the road to daylight running lights etc. Don't look out for other road users, make them so visible you can't miss them. There is no evidence I was able to find of an excess accident rate after dark despite the large number of cyclists reportedly without lights and it seems motorists have no problem telling us how many unlit cyclists they've seen, so while I don't condone it the consequences seem to be a lot less than people imagine.

 

[Adasta]

The hipster problem cannot be overstated. A lot of them simply don't know how to ride a fixed gearr bike. Nor do I really; that's why I don't ride one.

 

[postman]

I watch a lot of You Tube clips on commuting .And all of you are heroes in my opinion.What you have to put up with is just amazing.My little 20 min ride into Leeds when i was working (retired now)was a holiday jaunt.The aggression from motorists beggars belief.

 

[Adasta]

I watch a lot of You Tube clips on commuting .And all of you are heroes in my opinion.What you have to put up with is just amazing.My little 20 min ride into Leeds when i was working (retired now)was a holiday jaunt.The aggression from motorists beggars belief.

You're right but a lot of cyclists exacerbate the problem.

It's possible for (literally) scores of people to jump red lights during one phase. This irritates motons more than anything and I don't blame them; RLJing is illegal and they are abiding by the rules. Not only that, but cyclists swarm around their cars, putting themselves in terribly weak positions (see Gaz's Silly Cyclists for evidence) and then complaining when the car encroaches on their space as they set off.

That being said, the amount of angry shouting/swearing/gesturing that goes on is amazing. People will literally try to run you off the road to get to a red light quicker.

 

[StuartG]

I find I can build up an audible picture of what is behind me so most of the time its just a case of riding with the traffic and keeping alert to the sounds around you. May sound strange but it works - at least for me.

Yes - and for me!

I have had fights with people on CC who insist I should be glancing behind and not relying on sound and a mirror.

I argue that in London where everything is close and changing fast the major risks are ahead. Immediate in steering a line and/or braking. Also anticipating crossing traffic (peds or vehicles). Eyes glued ahead allows the brain to anticipate and spot irregularities.


Glancing behind breaks that concentration and you take up extra time re-establishing the patterns of movement in the brain. You lose a lot more than the time you are looking behind. And is behind as important. i'm afraid i expect people behind to be watching out for me. If i brake, they brake and knowing you have somebody up your backside isn't going to stop you braking if you are going to hit something in front.

Apart from when you are about to execute a lane change when looking behind is absolutely essential then I feel I can safely rely on my ears and mirror. The greatest danger is close overtakes. I can say I rarely get an unanticipated one.

Also looking over my shoulder does slightly affect stability/balance. Perhaps it shouldn't but we have to deal with what is. Those that can re-establish concentration faster, hear less and balance better may be wiser to adopt another strategy.

 

[Red Light]

You're right but a lot of cyclists exacerbate the problem.

It's possible for (literally) scores of people to jump red lights during one phase. This irritates motons more than anything and I don't blame them

It seems to be a peculiarly British moton irritation. RLJing happens in other countries too but motorists seem to be able to take it in their stride. In fact in most European countries bikes are quite anarchical on the road and all the things that get up motorists' noses here seem to be accepted with equanimity there.