How do you do it? First Capital Ride.

[Jayneflakes]

My best friend got married this weekend and we went up on the bikes, spending the night in a hotel. The wedding was in London.

The most busy riding I have ever done before was in Bristol, but London made that feel like popping into the village!

In no particular order, this is what scared the life out of me.

Mad Taxi drivers.
Lane changing drivers who switch right back again.
Scooters sitting in my blind spot then undertaking as traffic slows.
Buses that pass with in microns of my bike.
Pedestrians who walk out in front of motorists.
Not knowing where I was going and having to follow Carol who did.



It was a brilliant wedding though and I proved that I can ride more that one hundred miles in a weekend. Got a thorough soaking in an Electrical storm as we passed Chippenham on the way home and a short while later, Carol told me off for speeding. It seems that my confidence on the road has increased some what. I am really getting the hang of this motorcycling lark.

[Kenzie]

I have driven in London and found it to be daunting. I think you just have to stand your ground when it comes to people trying to push in. Also it's the cyclists you need to be careful of, they think they are gods of the road or something. Loony bunch!

[keith_d]

Riding in London can be pretty stressful. It's the blind bus drivers that p**s me off. I can only assume that because it's not their insurance they see no reason to give way to anyone.

Bristol can be interesting too. I nearly ran into the back of a motorist who stopped to let a pedestrian cross the road. It was completely unexpected, after all you'd never see that in London.

Keith.

[Viney]

Originally Posted by Jayneflakes

My best friend got married this weekend and we went up on the bikes, spending the night in a hotel. The wedding was in London.

The most busy riding I have ever done before was in Bristol, but London made that feel like popping into the village!

In no particular order, this is what scared the life out of me.

Mad Taxi drivers.
Lane changing drivers who switch right back again.
Scooters sitting in my blind spot then undertaking as traffic slows.
Buses that pass with in microns of my bike.
Pedestrians who walk out in front of motorists.
Not knowing where I was going and having to follow Carol who did.



It was a brilliant wedding though and I proved that I can ride more that one hundred miles in a weekend. Got a thorough soaking in an Electrical storm as we passed Chippenham on the way home and a short while later, Carol told me off for speeding. It seems that my confidence on the road has increased some what. I am really getting the hang of this motorcycling lark.

Now you know why us london rider are mental and are not phased in the slightest by most stuff. We is 'ard init

You survived, thats the main thing

[Bri w]

Killer Zombie's drive London buses...

And Keith, I stopped at a zebra crossing in London and got passed on the inside and outside... scary place.

[Viney]

Originally Posted by Bri w

Killer Zombie's drive London buses...

And Keith, I stopped at a zebra crossing in London and got passed on the inside and outside... scary place.

Yoou have to stop at Zebra crossings! No one told me

I for one wouldnt have london any other way. Hones the skills you see

[Jayneflakes]

Originally Posted by Viney

Now you know why us london rider are mental and are not phased in the slightest by most stuff. We is 'ard init

You survived, thats the main thing

You are right, I survived, but I did have a lot of laundry when I got home!



Anyway, I blogged about it too. Sick buckets at the ready for a fabulous Civil Partnership story about my lovely best friend Rachel.

I found riding in london quite fun. but wouldn't want to do it daily...

certainly hones your skills

[jambo]

Go Faster.
This means you don't get overtaken by other things, and is thus less stressful

To be honest being lost in a part of London I don't know at rush hour and then hitting a diversion is a pretty stressful, and when I started riding in London I felt pretty intimidated. Once you know where more places are and you get used to it then it gets to be fairly normal, and I find it good fun now

Jambo

[MisterTommyH]

I've only done it once, but thought it was brilliant fun.

Admittedly I wasn't making as much progress as some of the locals, but it beats going through in a car.