Navigating Vauxhall gyratory

[Tin Pot]

Is there a right way to tackle this deathtrap obstacle?

Like an aerial view showing how a cyclist is meant to traverse?

I've tried doing it like I would in a car, I've tried skirting round the inside, I've tried rounding it on the pavement ,,ive tried going under the pedestrian tunnel. There are a few cycle crossing lights, so I'm getting the impression that 'they' think a non-road route is the way... but I can't discern it.

 

[vickster]

Where are you coming from? I find it easier (less terrifying) coming from vauxhall rather than stockwell to go down towards Waterloo and the City. That way you do need to be in the middle of 5 lanes, but it's a straight stretch and you can take the left lane in primary as there's another. Or there's the pavement. There are no curves and you are out in daylight. Last time I cam round it from another way, a car tried to change lane without checking whether I happened to be alongside them!

Coming home, I follow CS7 and avoid it all together!

Clapham South is now my nemesis for obvious reasons

 

[Beebo]

when heading east, you have to build up speed, say about 60mph and use the bus garage as a jump to avoid the traffic.
Apart from that, I can't help you, I dont like driving around there let alone cycling it, which I do very occasionally, usually at weekends, when the traffic is lighter.
There's no shame in walking if you feel it's safer.

 

[Tin Pot]

Where are you coming from? I find it easier (less terrifying) coming from vauxhall rather than stockwell to go down towards Waterloo and the City. That way you do need to be in the middle of 5 lanes, but it's a straight stretch and you can take the left lane in primary as there's another. Or there's the pavement. There are no curves and you are out in daylight. Last time I cam round it from another way, a car tried to change lane without checking whether I happened to be alongside them!

Coming home, I follow CS7 and avoid it all together!

Clapham South is now my nemesis for obvious reasons

So...

I come in at the blue arrow, trying to come out going over the bridge. Green, coming back there doesn't seem much option but use the road which pinches in as cars try to kill you going under the tunnel.

Coming in there seem to be there options:
1 - cycle around the roundabout
2 - dismount, walk under the tunnel, come out at the bus station, remount and go across as a bus would - this blends in with traffic and isn't that safe
3 - I see a cycle crossing here but I don't know where it goes

 

[vickster]

I avoid the tunnel now. I come from Sutton to the City, so now rather than going clapham common, north, stockwell, vauxhall, I have found it's much safer to cut off cs7 before clapham common, go down across the pavement/through old town and round the back to Wandsworth road and straight up to vauxhall past 9 elms sainsburys. That worked well for me in the week, but it's not clear where you go before and after vauxhall? Oval to Victoria?

I've not tried the cycle path routes

 

[thefollen]

I do this most days. I travel from the Stockwell bit to the straight up section heading to Waterloo. Then in reverse home- Albert Embankment heading to the CS7.

Coming from Clapham and heading Waterloo after much trial and error I found the best way is to stay right as you go round. This way you miss all the traffic overtaking and flashing across the front of you to get to the Vauxhall Bridge exit. Stay to the right and move left after the main load of traffic has passed to continue on to the lights and Waterloo. Careful with the traffic here as it can get pinchy.

Coming from the Albert Embankment heading to the CS7 southbound I'd suggest taking up a fairly central position in the ASL (lights are usually red). From here get a fast start and watch out for motorbikes on green. Other cyclists can be your ally in that together you can be a larger unit. From here I'll normally keep Central under the tunnel, then slip in to the left channel where the lights are. From here you can either carry on in an easy secondary or pop yourself into the cycle path. There's a handy ramp for this a little farther down.

If you nail the positioning- then there's just observation, patience, holding your line and keeping your nerve to go! Not a nice section of road at all, but doable :-)

 

[topcat1]

why not use Lambeth bridge and avoid Vauxhall altogether, go around the Oval to Vauxhall st then all the way down, turn left onto Blackprince road and up to the river

 

[vickster]

Try it in the rush hour

 

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 3141187, member: 30090"]Treat as you would do a car. Went round this junction a few days ago. Quite good actually and I don't see what the problem is.[/QUOTE]
Good. It can be quite a problem for some people

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclist-killed-in-crash-with-lorry-in-vauxhall-9468803.html

 

[vickster]

I suppose it depends what you're used to. I am now rather more nervous of cars overtaking close after the accident!

 

[gaz]

[QUOTE 3141275, member: 30090"]Don't know the circumstances of the above should would not like comment.

But for me it's a simple junction to navigate. Centre of the lane, good all round observations - job done.[/QUOTE]
I must say, I agree with your comments but not with your execution. It's not a junction I have many issues with despite riding it everyday. But that doesn't mean it is safe or comfortable for everyone to use, I think it takes a certain type of rider to navigate it safely.

 

[Tin Pot]

I disagree - this is not about fear, or skill, this is about risk.

The gyratory is clearly dangerous, verified either by simple observation or from track record of accidents.

My question is really about minimising that risk - I am risk averse with kids to feed.

I'll go with option 2 both going in and out and look into the Lambeth Bridge option.

 

[vickster]

Getting onto Lambeth Bridge in the rush hour is treacherous, I fortunately go straight through down past St Thomas's but that is pretty hairy with all the large traffic backed up to the bridge coming from Vauxhall and the other side of the roundabout. I'd think Vauxhall bridge would actually be better to ride across but depends where you are going after there!

Least risk would be to get off and walk round for sure. Being in primary doesn't help when there are multiple lanes going in all directions and lots of people not knowing which lane to use! It would be interesting to know how many motor vehicle accidents there are annually

 

[laertes]

if you are coming up from the Oval, at the lights you can take a cycle crossing to your right (mixed with lots of pedestrians).

Looks like this https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Vauxhall/@51.485938,-0.121291,3a,75y,336.62h,91.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1syv5TkW36zrjjvMNFrcW0aw!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x8a1d863e70b19d4

(Follow the motorbike and then turn into the crossing on the right)

There is then a cycle path under the railway beside a Boris bike station. You come out at the base of a footbridge. There is a cycle crossing there to the island in the middle of the road, towards the MI6 building. You can then either cross to the bus station on the cycle crossing, and cycle up the bus lane over the bridge, or go across to the cycle lane in front of MI6 and then cross the bridge at the cycle/foot crossings in three stages and then over the bridge.

 

[Tynan]

This sort of thread invariably seems to relate to the cyclist's nerve/experience/perception rightly or wrongly to risk, I've ridden over most of London although I can't recall this bit. But I have had several bits of London described as horrid, dangerous etc that I was riding without noticing until then that anyone thought them a problem

I've always found that if a junction or section of road is larey, riding it in primary like a car always fixes it, it does of course help if you can ride quickly and confidently