I find myself defending cyclists all over the country – but in London the behaviour of so many of those I normally defend, leads me to be a regular bike hater (even from my Bojo bike) 😉

But despite all this crazy reckless cycling the OP saw, it’s motorists who are responsible for 98% of pedestrian deaths and injuries (UK, don’t know London specific figures, but I expect it’s not cyclists that are the main problem)

Do you think they are “giving us all a bad name” as drivers?

Worth remembering that a lot of the people who you will have encountered are probably not from London

this. central london is a no-go area especially in the summer due to the foreigners and pasty northerners with their ill fitting blue and white ‘sportswear’.
Thankfully there are special areas called McDonalds, Angus steak house etc and special holding pens called trafalgar square, camden market, covent garden (an ancient tourist herd camp) that keeps them from venturing near areas of recreation used by the locals.

^ + Leicester Square

I’m in London about once a month and love to cycle around on a Boris bike. Great way to see the city, I just try to stay off the busiest roads at busy times, and use some of the back street cycle routes and cycle highways.

Maybe it depends on where you go in London, it’s a big place after all.

I used to cycle into the City every day from South East, then South West, of London and 99% of cyclists were great. Stopped at all the lights, didn’t cut you up or anything like that. Every couple of days i’d end up chatting to people at the lights, they’ll all seemed quite friendly.

Some areas always seemed a bit worse though. Embankment seemed particularly bad for the lycra/strava/racing enthusiasts. No idea what it’s like now with the new cycle paths.

I went once and I know why they’re all angry. £4 a for pie, I was **** incandescent and I was only a tourist. A ratatouille pie at that.