May be around London in spring 2005

[backroads_nh]

Hi. I may have an opportunity to travel to London in May '05, and wonder if anyone can give advice to a Yank who would like to ride while there. Any recommendations for bike rentals, travelways (never been to the UK), and laws to be aware of?

I'm already aware you guys drive on the wrong side of the road (and we elect the wrong presidents, so we're even). In a way, I expect riding on the left will come easier than driving on the left.

Any helpful tips would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

[chazzyb]

Many riders in London (and elsewhere) use the right-hand side of the road. :shock:

[backroads_nh]

Ahh.... at least I can swerve my bike better than a car! 8)

[Carsick]

Unless you're used to an extremely busy city, I wouldn't recommend riding around central London. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend it to somebody who does it everyday.
The rest of the country can be alot of fun, though.
There are alot of people who live near to London, who could tell you about good routes up there.

[chutz]

Watch out for our road surfaces :lol: You may want to hire a motocrosser for some of them :wink:

[Ed]

Who was the Americenne who came over, hired a SV in London, rode it to a wedding in Newquay & then rode on to Donnington? Can't remember her name but she'd have lots of tips.

One thing you really need to be careful of is all the speed cameras - they're everywhere :roll: - it's how Tony Blair pays his own salary :evil:

[Carsick]

How do speeding tickets transfer across to America? I know we have agreements in Europe, but I don't think they count across there.

[Ed]

Was thinking more about the indemnity against speeding fines in the small print of the hire agreement - they'll have your credit card no.

[Carsick]

They couldn't charge the fines against the card, I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be allowed.
They would just show the records of who had hired and the police/cps would just give up, surely?

[Ed]

In the brave new world of the Road Traffic Bill, speeding is prolly gonna be an extraditable offence.

[Carsick]

Distinct possibility, but can you imagine the US government handing over a citizen to us for a speeding offence? I know our Government would do it, but I don't see it happening the other way round' :lol:

[Professor]

Hi, backroads_nh!

I once hired a bike for a day from this from this place in London:

http://www.motorcycle-training.f2s.com/

They were efficient and friendly. I don't know, however, what their
policy is in relation to holders of US motorcycle licenses. You
would have to email them.

[backroads_nh]

Thanks all... keep the remarks coming. I don't think I'll be speeding too much. Not so worried about how the US deals with things like that; far more concerned about being asked back. I would definitely prefer the non-city routes as I take no pleasure in being clipped by buses. I've ridden in rural New England, so that's the kind of terrain I'm used to. Hate traffic. I'll definitely check out that link, professor.

[Sid Squid]

Unless you're used to an extremely busy city, I wouldn't recommend riding around central London. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend it to somebody who does it everyday.

Cobblers, big ones.

Perhaps I should drive? = Several hours in a motor every day, no thanks.
Get the bus? = Expensive, slow and a s**t experience, (Thanks Ken), unbelievably it's actually worse than driving, for my situation anyway, no thanks.
Tube? See above, no thanks.

Or, Bike.

The feeling of stuffing cars and being the only one who's going anywhere is half the fun of a bike in town, try it, it's a giggle.

Especially for someone coming from the 'Land Of The Free' where lane splitting is illegal, over here it's just about compulsory, and, did I mention, it's FUN.

Who was the American who came over, hired a SV in London, rode it to a wedding in Newquay & then rode on to Donnington? Can't remember her name but she'd have lots of tips.

JennTheBiker.
She enjoyed London Biking a lot.

[Professor]

Unless you're used to an extremely busy city, I wouldn't recommend riding around central London. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend it to somebody who does it everyday.
The rest of the country can be alot of fun, though.
There are alot of people who live near to London, who could tell you about good routes up there.

I am inclined to agree with Carsick. Riding in London is not for
those of a nervous disposition. And this is the case with many other
big British cities. Say, entering Bristol at peak times from the
direction of Bath is a nightmare which I have to endure every 6
months to get my bike serviced at Fowlers (just done it this week
and am happy to be alive). For an American it is hard to imagine
that an entry route into a major city can have only 1 lane. But
maybe it's just me turning soft as a result of leading a genteel
country existence in Wiltshire.

At the same time I accept Sid Squid's point that if you are forced
to commute in a big city riding a bike may inevitably be the optimal
solution.

[Stig]

When I first started working in London, I used to travel either on the tube or in a van. I looked at the bikers riding and filtering through the traffic and thought "no way in hell am I ever going to ride a bike in London". Two weeks later I bought another bike and so began my daily commute weaving in and out of the traffic.

In the three years that I have been doing it. I have had three accidents on the streets of London. All on the same stretch of road. The A5 down from Stanmore to Edgeware. Once a car pulled into my path (a Volvo driver). End result was a written off bike, smashed collarbone. (I would say broken, but smashed is nearer the mark). Now have a metal collarbone. Three months off work.

Second was a bus that jumped red lights. I drove straight into the side of it. Result, one written off bike and severe bruising all down one leg, three weeks off work.

And the third was a car pulled out from a side road and I glanced off her front bumper. Result, cracked fairing and slight bruising to knee.

Other than that I have had no problems riding through London and I don't hang around either. All you have to do is keep your wits about you and regard everyone as if they were stupid and have never driven a vehicle before. Cabbies have a reputation for total disregard for any other road users, but I have found the total opposite. They are courteous of other road users and are very skilled drivers.

The only people that you really need to be wary of are the scooter riders that carry the "L" plate (complete brainless idiots with no sense of fear or regard to road conditions or other road users) and the modded cars. These drivers tend to have tunnel vision and don't look at anything apart from trying to get in front of the next vehicle.

I have never had any close shaves actually riding in the centre of London, and like Ian says, it IS FUN.

[pete m]

Riding in London is fun ...on a sunny day in Sarf London when you can pick em off easily and criuse past a line of cars up to the fron tof the jam, the lights change just as you arrive and you are away, gassing it up over Blackfriars Bridge (ie) and do the flip flop at the north side as fast as poss, lights again behaving as you want em to.

Not such fun ...1) when some dozy cow in a volvo (is it always volvos?)nonchanantly cruises into your path in said flip flop, forcing you to pick it up and go the wrong way to avoid broadsiding her...

2) or when some dozy c**t swerves into your path while you are filtering on the outside of a jam, forcing you into the path of the oncoming traffic approaching Vauxhall (as happened to me last week)

3) at 5pm on Friday night in Dec, its cold, dark and its started to spit and fog, and your visor keeps steaming up, then rain....

4) at 4pm on Vauxhall bridge a while ago when it snowed , in 5 mins the roads were a serious skid pan...I took the fools option of getting the SV home....terrifying !!!

did they sort your bike btw Big Ape?

[Carsick]

Unless you're used to an extremely busy city, I wouldn't recommend riding around central London. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend it to somebody who does it everyday.

Cobblers, big ones.

Perhaps I should drive? = Several hours in a motor every day, no thanks.
Get the bus? = Expensive, slow and a s**t experience, (Thanks Ken), unbelievably it's actually worse than driving, for my situation anyway, no thanks.
Tube? See above, no thanks.

Or, Bike.

The feeling of stuffing cars and being the only one who's going anywhere is half the fun of a bike in town, try it, it's a giggle.
.

Hey, I said I don't recommend it, not that I don't do it.
I don't spend anytime in London, thank god, but I have to travel around quite a few other cities on a regular basis, and yes, the bike is a much easier option.

[Stig]

did they sort your bike btw Big Ape?

No, actually I got the second and third accident the wrong way round, before I had the fairing sorted via insurance, I hit the bus and the bike was written off, I'm still waiting to see the end result of that claim. (in fact I am still waiting for the result of all three accidents. Luckily, who was at fault has never been disputed, therefore it hasn't affected my no claims.

[pete m]

i was talknig about friday night - sid and mark were up to their armpits in grease whe n i left... :shock:

[Stig]

i was talknig about friday night - sid and mark were up to their armpits in grease whe n i left... :shock:

:oops: :oops: Yup they did indeed get it sorted, as I knew they would. The ride home to Newbury was a pleasure :wink:

[backroads_nh]

All you have to do is keep your wits about you and regard everyone as if they were stupid and have never driven a vehicle before.

I treat all drivers in the US as if they were stupid. Because they are. Except for certain bikers and truck (lorry) drivers. In my safety course I was surprised to discover most people had no clue that trucks have huge blind-spots. I just assumed it was common knowlege, but then I have had a truck license since 16.

And in Boston all drivers are homicidal.

Wait. I take that back. As much as I hate Phoenix, Arizona for all the environmental harm and sprawl, they are just about the most courteous population of drivers I've yet to meet.

[lynw]

I have to say I love riding in London... I know that sounds mental to some but its the challenge of it that I thrive on...

its a different obstacle course every day, a different idiot to avoid and Ive certainly learnt not to take anything for granted from doing it. I think its improved my slow speed control, my awareness and my responses way beyond what they would be if I didnt ride through traffic.

I like the fact when I sit down at my desk in the morning Im awake and can get straight into my work whereas all my colleagues who train/bus/drive in usually require about 5 coffees to get their brain into gear...

ride like everyones trying to kill you, be prepared for them to do the stupidest thing possible and avoid the scooter boys with l plates and you wont go wrong!! If they keep getting too close or cutting off any escape route you want/need, start stretching your legs like your getting ready to kick them... they tend to drop back then.. :twisted:

[Stig]

I actually counted today the times that I avoided what could have ended in a collision. On the way into work I had what I suppose you could call 4 close encounters and on the way home I had another 5. The only reason that there were actually no accidents was solely due to my observations and ability to avoid them. So all in all, just another normal day riding in London. :wink: :lol: :D :)

[lynw]

Ive found that Im about down to the same :roll: I tend to have full beam on when Im in traffic now. Makes as much difference to my journey in that putting the can on did...

I think my worst time was getting knocked off on the saturday, rear ended by the bus on the tuesday, scraped by the coach on the friday :shock: :roll:

but my guardian angels woken up again and ive not had any major "incidents" though the woman who tried to do a u turn on old street across 4 lanes was an interesting moment yesterday...

4x4s shouldnt be in cities... australian outback -yes, london - NO!!!!... :roll: