M4 commuters?

[stevehaskew]

Just wondering if anyone on the forum commutes regularly on the M4 at the London end? I currently drive from Reading to Hammersmith every day. Hoping to do it on the bike once I'm a bit more experienced. I see a few SV650s going by. Anyone that does it got any useful info that I really should know before I try it?

[Jester666]

Every day!! :rolleyes:

How new are you to biking?

I run the M4 route into and out of London. What do you want to know?

[stevehaskew]

Passed my DAS in the middle of July and only been doing much riding for a couple of weeks!
I'm not expecting to start commuting for a while, but just wondering if there are any particular problems or useful tips, like around the bus-lane and stuff.

Some people tell me not to commute until next Spring... other say that if I don't filter, I'd be fine commuting straight away!

Maybe you're one of the guys who goes past me. If you spot a (currently very dirty) dark red 306 trying to give you as much space as possible, give me a wave :)

[Jester666]

Passed my DAS in the middle of July and only been doing much riding for a couple of weeks!
I'm not expecting to start commuting for a while, but just wondering if there are any particular problems or useful tips, like around the bus-lane and stuff.

Some people tell me not to commute until next Spring... other say that if I don't filter, I'd be fine commuting straight away!

Maybe you're one of the guys who goes past me. If you spot a (currently very dirty) dark red 306 trying to give you as much space as possible, give me a wave :)

Use the bus lane!! Bikes are allowed! You'll see me going past at 90 ish except past the cameras.

Only probs I can see are at the end of the bus lane where the M4 narrows to 2 lanes. You need to get from the bus lane into the middle of the 2 lanes to start filtering. That can get a bit hairy as the cars like to cut you up.

Other than that it's just straightforward filtering. Just keep an eye on your mirrors for faster bikes coming up behind you and remember to filter at a pace you are happy with.

Couriers/Ex couriers tend to filter fast and it can be a bit intimidating trying to keep up with them.

HTH :thumbsup:

[KnightRider]

I am very new to biking (had my license since May) and started commuting this week from Junction 9 of the M4 all the way into London (Tower Bridge). Would be happy to meet up one morning if you wanted someone to ride with.

To be honest it isnt that bad. I seem to have gotten into the filtering thing fairly quickly but am trying to hang back a little more than I have been cause I am starting to realise that there is no point in rushing!

The main highlights as I see it:
Junction 9 to the bus lane - easy
Bus lane - some go fast others hang back (I can never remember where the cameras are so I stick to the limit!)
A4 after bus lane - filtering between the cars (lots of room but I go slowly)
Hammersmith flyover - more filtering
Post flyover - move in between traffic and traffic lights. Lots of cameras so keep your eyes open!

Takes me 1hr.

[stevehaskew]

That's useful. I might try commuting for the first time towards the end of next week. What time do you generally travel? Probably earlier than me, as I go to Hammersmith (turn off first left after the flyover) for 9am. Do you tend to find most cars helpful, indifferent or angry? An hour from J9 to Tower Bridge sounds pretty good. Let me know how long it takes you to get from J9 to Hammersmith Flyover!

[stevehaskew]

lol, you'll be lucky to see me filtering through anything except completely stationary traffic at the moment. I've started filtering up at traffic lights when I'm riding around Reading, but still not past anything that's moving. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to practice at filtering through slow-moving traffic soon, before I try and commute.

[Red ones]

The tips I was given a few years ago were:

Dont follow couriers - they are nutters
White van on side of road - speed cameraSeems to be right too!

[Redster]

Coming in, use the bus lane, but lifesave to the left when the bus lane ends and lane 2 merges in. Carefull when you see the A406 sign if you are filtering. Dont filter if the traffic is doing more than 15mph-ish.

Coming out, be very careful at the M25 exit as often cars bunch up there and the sign for the m25 filter lane is very late (at that speed). I often see cars changing lanes very quickly to head for the M25 filter lane and on one occasion have been boxed in and nearly taken off by a BMW that didnt think indicators existed and turned at the last minute. I'm pretty new to riding too btw.

Just ride safe and dont filter until you are happy.

[instigator]

lol, you'll be lucky to see me filtering through anything except completely stationary traffic at the moment. I've started filtering up at traffic lights when I'm riding around Reading, but still not past anything that's moving. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to practice at filtering through slow-moving traffic soon, before I try and commute.

What kind of bike are you on, an sv I presume?

If you see an srad in blue and white making an awful lot of noise, say hello as it's me. Live in central reading and commute to my work every day. (not far away at all)

[KnightRider]

I reckon it takes about 30mins from junction 9 to Hammersmith central (maybe a bit less). I do filter but do it slowly and I am sure you will get the hang of it as soon as you get there (if your not comfortable filtering then I promise not to zoom off!)

I do leave a bit earlier, but not that much as I start at 9.30. I am quickly finding that the closer to 9am you get the worse the traffic is coming into Hammersmith. On that basis I would recommend that you leave a bit earlier than you would normally. I usually head out at around 7.45 - 8am and the traffic is okay at that time, left at 8.15 today and the traffic was properly backed up down the motorway.

Let me know if/when you want to meet up. If you're around on Tuesday then the Thames Valley guys are planning on meeting up in the Henley area (see thread (http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?p=1253287#post1253287)).

Jon

[stevehaskew]

Useful info! I hope to come to the meet tomorrow night, but I think I might be losing my voice, which might be a problem! Maybe if we meet up tomorrow night then we could try the commute on Wednesday morning.

I guess I'd better hurry over and post on the other thread that I might be coming!

[stevehaskew]

Well, weather permitting, I should be commuting for the first time tomorrow. Not sure why that needed a post, but I guess I'm bored...

[SV225]

Do you have any people from work commuting on the same roads? If so, it's great fun overtaking them (if they're in cars) whilst they're stuck in traffic. Turns out that cars can't follow a bike past the Q's of paranoid 50mph traffic. :riding:

[stevehaskew]

Well, I made it in one piece! Had a very busy morning since I got in, though. Many thanks to KnightRider for riding with me, I felt more confident being able to follow someone else. Not sure how much that took off my normal journey to work, but I suspect it's a lot!

[KnightRider]

Glad everything was okay. Hope I didnt go too slow for you but I was concious that it was your first time and didn't want you to feel rushed!

I'd say that you shaved quite a lot off of your journey and that once you get used to the roads and filtering that you'll be able to save even more time. Best to stick close to the speed limits until you can remember where all the camera's are!

[stevehaskew]

Speed was fine most of the time. Once in the bus lane I had the temptation to go quicker between the cameras, but I think I'll hang about for now. One thing I'm not used to is this leg-dangling malarkey when other riders are coming past. Presumably just a general hello?

I think I'll commute tomorrow and Friday as well, weather dependent. Guess I'll see how I find it on the way home first!


Thanks again!

[KnightRider]

Someone with more experience will probably correct me but I think the leg dangling thing means either:

I have seen you so please pass
or more commonly
Thank you

[philbut]

Well done man. See, nothing to it. I bet gettin home in the dark was more challenging last night - that road back to Henley had a few "interesting" moments.

[stevehaskew]

Particularly coming down the hill past that hotel, knowing that there was gravel on the corner but that I wouldn't be able to see it until I was right on top of it!

[ASM-Forever]

I knew that gravel was there...i would of let you guys now about it, if i knew you were going to Marlow :smt080

[stevehaskew]

Back to the original topic... I got home safely as well! Hopefully going to try it again tomorrow!

KnightRider, I'll let you know whether I'll come up to Cox Green again to meet you.