London - Would you commute by bike?

[velomaniac]

I suspect in a city as big as London is, if you analysed all the data concerning road fatalities in a given year, cycling would be no more dangerous than any thing else.

There are much more Londoners than residents of Scotland. Road casualties in Scotland are no small drop in the ocean but as they're spread over the whole country only a proportion of the population ever here about them in a given area as some only make local news. In the small heavily reported part of the UK that London is everything is recorded and I suspect gives a misleading view.

Many cycle deaths in any part of the UK result as much from mistakes or sheer stupidity of the cyclists themselves as the vehicle drivers who hit them. Use Lights, wear bright clothing, have fully working brakes, dont undertake a bus or large truck especially if its turning left. If a junction gives you the fear, dismount and make like a pedestrian using the crossing points etc
Ride defensively !

I dont believe London to be any scarier than any other big city or small city for that matter. Edinburgh is one of the most congested cities in the UK and at rush hour many cyclists are taking a big risk. There is a roundabout on Leith Walk known as the Bicycle Blender :shock:

 

[Johnsqual]

I commuted from Paddington to the Strand between 2006-2009. The first couple of times were horrible, but I eventually found a good route through Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square then down the streets behind Covent Garden. Trafalgar Square was still terrible though, just not built for cyclists at all.

The problem is that it took a bit of time and luck and local knowledge to find that route. I think it would be better if TFL or whoever's responsible took more trouble to search for routes away from main roads, rather than sending cyclists along really busy routes.

I didn't have too many problems with cars TBH, the main problem was the tw@ts among the cycle couriers. Not to say that all cycle couriers are tw@ts, but I did come across some real idiots.

 

[MikeD]

69 pedestrians were killed in London last year. I'd take my chances on a bike.

 

[mattr]

Trafalgar Square was still terrible though, just not built for cyclists at all.

Technically, much of central London simply isn't built for cars (or lorries/buses).
It's evolved around feet, then horse and cart, by the time the car came on the scene, most of the roads and buildings were there. So everything they've done since is to try and modify and make do so you can fit however many tens of thousands of cars, lorries and buses into a system designed for pedestrians and 5 foot wide 2 horse carts, that would top out at 8-10mph.

The issue is compounded by the stuff they did in the post war years (when they had an extensively clean ish sheet) was designed around probably 1/20th the amount of traffic we've shoehorned in, and most of the traffic is significantly larger than it was then.

I'd commute in London if i needed to, but i'd spend a good amount of time looking for the best route, much like i've always done when commuting by bike.

 

[M-Power]

I commuted in London for many many years. Good observation, road sense, being fit, fast and assertive ( taking up space in the road ) makes a huge difference. London driving standards have declined massively in recent years and respect for cyclists is challenging to say the least. Too many people still think a cyclist is some poverty stricken pos with no rights and feel superior, with more right of way, even if they drive some illegal death trap with no license etc.

I can only see things getting worse, until they decide to delineate (edge in) cycle routes in London and other major conurbations.

 

[xerxes]

I have no experience of cycling in London, but it occurs to me that it's not only the sheer number of cars mobile on the roads at any one time, but also the numbers parked at the side of the road. If you have cars parked either side of the road it effectively narrows that road by 20 feet, the width of the car plus the "door zone" either side of the road, which turns all but the widest of roads into single lanes. It's particularly daft when there's room for all the parked cars to be on one side of the road, but people insist on parking right outside there house, so they are dotted about alternatively either side of the road. Perhaps they should come up with a new type of "yellow line" for this to indicate a priority parking side, whereby you're only allowed to park that side if the other side is full. :?

 

[suburbanreuben]

Yes; 5 days week whatever the weather, from BR1 to SE1 and back through the delights of Bellingham, Catford, Lewisham and Deptford. Some pretty busy roads. Based on the experiences I've had over 5 years of commuting there's been a ton of good stuff.

I love cycling. If you love it do it. If you don't, don't bother. I won't stop until my legs give up. I've saved a ton of cash (even with the subsequent RB addiction!) compared with the public or private transport and got proper fit. It kick started a much healthier streak and meant I could start running because I'd shifted some of the immediate bulk. I went from 2k's runs to regularly churning out 8-10 miles a week to half marathons to my first full marathon next year in Brighton.

It's much quicker and way more reliable than taking public or private transport. You end up exploring parts of London or your local area, uncovering all sorts of gems: shops, parks, short-cuts, trails, etc.

Naturally though, there are many problems but they all link to 1 factor: you, me, everybody, all of us. Everyone needs to pay a little bit more attention to what they are doing and the impact is has on others. For example:

The pedestrian who walks out onto the street without looking left or right.
The cyclist who skips a red light even when it's "safe".
The driver who doesn't look in the mirror when turning left or right.

We've all done it and we all know why we did it, because we didn't pay attention. Sometimes you can be attentive as possible and still get knocked. It happened to me and I ended up arse over tit with a broken bike and torn ankle ligaments. But before then I was an irresponsible cyclist who skipped the odd light and thought it was ok. Whilst I was paying attention at that point of impact, the fact I generally didn't made me a less attentive cyclist. In other words, I was going to have an accident sooner or later. I'm sure you can think of similar cyclists, similar pedestrians and similar drivers; people like you and me. Their actions have a consequence on some poor bastard who was attentive.

Respect each-other. That's it. Whilst developing more cycle lanes is a nice idea it won't stop the root cause of the problem.

(I have one other wacky theory, especially this year. Compared with 2012, everyone has gone a little nuts and are more agitated then ever before. I think it's post Olympic madness. Last year the feel good factor generally made everyone a bit more respectful and be less in a rush and took more time. Now that feeling has gone and boy have we seen the consequences.)

How many "Tiger's Heads" have you found?

I wouldn't think twice about commuting in London, but I wouldn't do it without lights, in dark clothing, listening to a walkman or with shopping bags dangling from the handlebars, and would find a route I was comfy with.
Until this year I last rode in London some 15 years ago and it feels a lot safer now. There are many more cyclists around and drivers seem to be more aware. There are still some dopey buggers but a few LOUD words of advice make them take notice. (Think Brian Blessed with a new toy loudhailer).

 

[lumos2000]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24987425

 

[AndyMc]

I do every day to the West End from East London... about 20 miles in all. I ride through Holborn where two cyclists have lost their lives this year, and I've cycled the CS2 route where there was a fatality at Bow last week.

I've never even paused for thought about getting the tube. I've cycled to work every day since 2009 and in that time I've been knocked off once (my fault) and hit a pedestrian (their fault) but nothing worse than a few scrapes.

I see cyclists riding badly daily, but probably more drivers on phones, lorries that don't see me, cars turning left when not indicating, and pedestrians crossing the road looking the wrong way, if at all.

The last few weeks have had a tragic loss of life but its never made me reconsider commuting by bike, because I love it. But I ride safely, never skip lights, and always assume the car in front of me doesn't know I'm there. Cycling infrastructure needs to improve but unfortunately the onus remains on us to hang back when you see a lorry, give way to cabs, and talk politely to the idiotic police officer who is telling me I'm too far ahead of the ASL and should be further back 'for my own safety' :roll:

 

[NeilM]

I do every day to the West End from East London... about 20 miles in all. I ride through Holborn where two cyclists have lost their lives this year, and I've cycled the CS2 route where there was a fatality at Bow last week.

I've never even paused for thought about getting the tube. I've cycled to work every day since 2009 and in that time I've been knocked off once (my fault) and hit a pedestrian (their fault) but nothing worse than a few scrapes.

I see cyclists riding badly daily, but probably more drivers on phones, lorries that don't see me, cars turning left when not indicating, and pedestrians crossing the road looking the wrong way, if at all.

The last few weeks have had a tragic loss of life but its never made me reconsider commuting by bike, because I love it. But I ride safely, never skip lights, and always assume the car in front of me doesn't know I'm there. Cycling infrastructure needs to improve but unfortunately the onus remains on us to hang back when you see a lorry, give way to cabs, and talk politely to the idiotic police officer who is telling me I'm too far ahead of the ASL and should be further back 'for my own safety' :roll:

I suppose as an outsider looking in, the recent fatalities make cycling in London look like for too much of a risk, but posts like this put it back in perspective a little.