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Doing my first road commute since I was 16 tomorrow. I rode Motorbikes for years but for some reason am a little worried I'll be killed on the bike, especially as my commute takes in the Hammersmith roundabout and a few other notorious blackspots. Any top tips for staying in one piece? I don't like road cycling too bloody dangerous, it's not safe like MTB!
Assume that everyone's trying to kill you.
Think ahead, and don't assume that people won't do stupid things (like turn left without warning, etc.)
Be assertive (not agressive) and stay visible.
Obay the traffic laws, pay attension and you'll be fine
I suppose most of the same rules as motorcyling apply really. Still feel oddly vulnerable on a bike.
As above. Assume no one has seen you. Assume everyone will try and cut you up and move across your path.
Hammersmith RAB is not that nice, at least the traffic is travelling fairly slowly most of the time though.
Make sure you don't switch lanes, and if you do check you are clear and signal clearly
Good advice from clubber.
No your not paranoid as yes they are all out to get you.
Bus drivers are the worstest, followed by Addison Lee, then taxi drivers.
Beware the cement mixer and HGV.
Watch for pedestrians stepping out in front of you, and in spite of what the cars around you would like, give yourself enough space. If "enough space" is sitting in the centre of your lane so they can't overtake without properly going round you, do it - beeped horns is better than a ride in an ambulance.
It'll get easier over time!
I've managed to square off a route that's Thames side then mostly Richmond park but between Richmond park and Hyde park there is a few miles that I'm calling terror alley.
I tried commuting from bermondsey to Kew and had to go through hammersmith, was scary as ****. Now found a route south of the river which has a cycle path along most of it going through clapham. Its about finding the best route.
You could do Putney and then Kings Road so you can miss Hammersmith, but to be honest it's a lesser of two evils!
It'll be like riding a m/c except you'll have less protective gear on and car/van drivers will care even less about you.
As others have said assume every driver has the potential to do the unexpected and without signalling, looking in mirrors etc.
I find the trick is to stay vigilant at all times and expect the unexpected but try not to feel scared or intimidated / paranoid as that can detract from your concentration as well.
The only other tip would be to always pull up behind any HGV's and buses and never along side. You may have to wait one more cycle through the lights but you're less likely to get squashed by 40 tons of metal.
Oh, and don't jump red lights. Not worth it, something heavy and metal might just collect you.
Cheers
Danny B
Re: Addison Lee - So true, haha
some sound advice here, I commute from Surbiton to Oxford Circus, my route takes me through Richmond Park, Barnes, Hammersmith, Kensington, Hyde Park and Marble Arch. The scaries bits are Hammersmith and Kensington. The tip is to relax, look well ahead and assume everyone is trying to kill you! Tough but you will get used to it. DONT pull alongside any thing, either stay ahead or behind.
Commute by Boris bike - drivers are more likely to avoid you if they think you're just a bloke on a bike instead of a cyclist. A shopper bike or a wobble when you're pedalling has a similar effect.
When pulling out, make eye contact and assume that drivers still haven't seen you. Have an escape/bail out route. Watch out for black people carriers. Stop at red lights. A longer route may be a lot safer.
Act like traffic.
I'd give Hammersmith a miss and ride up either Fulham or Kings road, then through South Kensington via Exhibition road and finally Hyde Park. That was my commute from Putney to Imperial College for about five years. I doubt traffic has changed that much in 15 years.
Sounds like the part of the same route that i used to do. Off the river at hammersmith Bridge then over Hammersmith roundabout and on to Shepherds bush, up through Notting Hill then along beside Hyde Park.
Hammersmith roundabout was always fine especially heading in to town, heading out was a little trickier but the knack was just about getting your road position sorted. Biggest problem I had was pedestrians stepping out at random times, that and people that you overtake a dozen time 'cos they jump each red light whilst you're sat there.
Don't be impatient at traffic lights, if you've got loads of time and you're absolutely 100% sure you'll make it in time then safely filter to the front of the queue otherwise just make like you're a motorbike and occupy a space in the traffic queue.
The only other tip would be to always pull up behind any HGV's and buses and never along side
Very very good call this - many of the fatalities in London seem to be from HGVs wiping out cyclists riding up their inside.
Mashiehood I'd love to get your route. I'm assuming you do roehampton gate, barnes, chiswick bridge, a4 into hammersmith our routes will be similar except I'll head North at Hyde park for Paddington.
all of the above plus:
don't verbalise your anger with other road users, they will not take heed of your advice so don't bother. just scowl.
don't buy a helmet cam, drivers seem to be attracted to them for some reason....
Give way to cars sometimes, let them out etc.
sort your strava account out?
All sound tips so far & after doing Shepherds Bush to Bermondsey daily for a few years along lots of meetings & events all over the city I'd recommend the following -
- trust no-one. Everyone is the worst driver/cyclist/pedestrian & if they can do it they probably will. Indicators count for nought.
- eye contact. When turning/overtaking/stopped always make eye contact with the driver behind/next to/facing you.
- flow. If you're going as fast as the traffic then theres less need for them to overtake & you're then dealing with one less life threatening car>bike interaction. This also includes letting cars/bikes/buses out & generally aiding the flow of traffic.
- clear signals. Wave your hands like you just don't care. Make sure all road users know that you want to turn right not just the one who glanced at you when you flicked your arm up for 2 second before actually turning.
- don't jump red lights.
- smile. Theres so much friction on Londons roads that anything you can do to reduce that can only be a good thing.
- be confident. Don't ride in the gutter - be confident that you're a legitimate road user & allowed to be in the right place on the road.
- relax & enjoy. I loved my commute - a daily adventure that never failed to make me smile/laugh/want to shout/feel very alive
Also I'll just add, keep an eye on other cyclists too... the number of times I've had to avoid people just joining the road without looking.
Just generally act sensibly and obey the traffic laws as everyone else has been saying and you should be ok
If you're going to Paddington then head up through Kensington and then take the road through the middle of the park starting at the Albert Memorial. On the way home come back via Notting Hill, Shepherds Bush and drop down to Chiswick. It'll be fine.
Bus drivers are the worstest, followed by Addison Lee, then taxi drivers.
For the most part I'd say bus and black cab drivers are actually pretty reasonable in London. Assuming you don't do stupid things like undertaking buses at junctions then I'd generally worry more about minicabs, white vans, scooters and BMW/Audi drivers.
Agree black cabs are pretty reasonable, only had a couple iffy cab drivers
Watch out for Addison Lee as above and this symbol:
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They seem to be trying to take me out at the moment, glad it's not just me with Addison Lee!
Edit: 2bit's advice is spot on, personally I like to get infront of buses where possible, can't see anything sat behind them and they chuck out a lot of fumes.
Well got the first one under my belt was good fun and invigorating. A few little hills but mostly flat, 14 miles door to door took 52 minutes. Left at 7am and traffic was not too bad, lovely riding up the Thames and then through Richmond park and very straightforward from there to Paddington. Amazing just how many people were on bikes this morning, Richmond park was very busy. I'm certainly going to adopt cycling in when I can as it took 1/2 hour off my journey today!
Now need a carbon racer to keep up with the park elite!
14 miles in 52 minutes is great going across London, looks like you've got the hang of it pretty quickly! Nice one
All of the above true.
White vans and the like are notorious for not indicating when turning left. Just like Addison Lee.
Be extra careful when cycling down bus lane with queue of stationary traffic in normal lane. Been knocked off before by cars jumping through gaps and into side roads without even looking if something coming down the bus lane.
Generally find that most London drivers are pretty aware of cyclists these days, it's the pedestrians that are the problem!
1) Be on the ball, and at junctions put the power down to keep up with traffic as much as possible. Rest if you need to on the straights where the other traffic can pass you.
2) At junctions, take your lane position, which requires point 1) to be followed. When approaching something complicated like the Hammersmith roundabout and it's safe to do so, move to the middle of your lane and act like a car if possible. Obviously not when some lorry is bearing down on you at 40, but when it's busy most cars aren't going that fast so you can slot into a gap and own your bit of road. No-one minds if you do this because you're not holding them up. When you're back on the open road though, do pull over and let them by, preferably with a wave.
3) London's not really that bad. It's so busy that the drivers have seen it all before a hundred times that day, and there are loads of cyclists so they are pretty well used to dealing with us. That and the fact that no-one's expecting to get anywhere quickly so they don't get up tight about cyclists. Other parts of the SE are way worse ime.
I'm sure you don't, but please don't wear headphones!
Ha Tonyd - I was just going to say the same thing!
I do Surbiton to Waterloo now (previous Teddington to Waterloo / and Balham to London Bridge)- and my only into / out of London tips are:
1.Work out some alternative routes with less traffic. Sometimes it's a bit quicker - sometimes it's a little slower - but on the whole it's safer. A Sunday recce pays off in the following weeks.
2. Be alert. Be seen. Lights on & lumi reflective clothes.
3. Watch out for non-uk reg vehicles / trucks. New drivers to London are often in the wrong lane / lost - and a big risk if you are trying to squeeze by.
4. Have fun. If it stresses you out stop doing it.
1.Work out some alternative routes with less traffic. Sometimes it's a bit quicker - sometimes it's a little slower - but on the whole it's safer. A Sunday recce pays off in the following weeks.
+1 on this, though I'd not bother with the Sunday Recce - investigate different routes on the way home. Not a problem with nice light evenings.
Hammersmith Roundabout is horrible but often no easy way to avoid it. I'd be tempted by Putney/Kings Road
Similar rules to riding a motorbike, but without the safety net of being able to accelerate out of danger...so where this is most annoying is when you need to change lanes in fast moving traffic.
You will get used to your route and learn where it's best to change lanes -- usually the earlier the better. One tip is to learn the timing of traffic lights, and use them to aid changing lanes (i.e. when traffic is stopped or at its slowest).
Prepare to get shouted at by all forms of motorised vehicles for not paying road tax, and prepare to get enraged by other cyclists being dangerous 🙂
Oh yes - I forgot - kevlar tyres - keep you rolling through the glass of central london and the sharp flinty stones of London's parks
i sincerely hope you were not on the silver mountain bike who jumped every single light on Kensington High Street 🙄
Yeh - I am to do it again now......
well dont!
Eye contact. Engage with pedestrians and particularly cars coming up behind you.
A simple glance backwards makes most drivers give you some space and not ride up your backside.
I'm a bit meh about the traffic lights etc. Personally, I think you just need to apply common sense, treating all road users with respect, courtesy and most of all caution. We're all trying to get somewhere in a busy busy city.
Keep it up!!
No I didn't do kensington today!!
London's not really that bad. It's so busy that the drivers have seen it all before a hundred times that day, and there are loads of cyclists so they are pretty well used to dealing with us. That and the fact that no-one's expecting to get anywhere quickly so they don't get up tight about cyclists. Other parts of the SE are way worse ime.
Agreed. My commute from South Woodford to Farringdon always felt safer in zones one and two. Once in more suburban areas speeds increased and awareness seemed to decrease.
Assume that everyone's trying to kill you.
+1000000000000
Agreed. My commute from South Woodford to Farringdon always felt safer in zones one and two. Once in more suburban areas speeds increased and awareness seemed to decrease.
Agreed people east or Hackney generally drive like d1cks, I hate Lea Bridge Road but have to ride it twice a day.
London's not really that bad. It's so busy that the drivers have seen it all before a hundred times that day, and there are loads of cyclists so they are pretty well used to dealing with us. That and the fact that no-one's expecting to get anywhere quickly so they don't get up tight about cyclists. Other parts of the SE are way worse ime.
I have more hassle and see more bad overtaking by cars and (proportionally more ) bad commuting cycling in East Dorset than I ever did cycling in London.
Agree with lots of the advice ^^ and the observation that London traffic is generally better than suburban these days, and that a lot of people ride like they drive ie: the law is considered optional!
Would also say don't forget the 'lifesaver' look over the shoulder.
Saw a guy on a bike nearly die when he nipped in front of a 10 tonne truck without looking. Not sure he even knew what he'd done. Felt v sorry for the truck driver who was standing on the brakes and hoping he wasn't about to crush an idiot...