South woodham, Essex - whitfield st, west end, london

My first ride into the west end this morning I found out that it can take 3 hours to do the journey if you take a wrong turn somewhere at Holborn...

10 stops to stare at useless map print-offs, 1 posh bloke parking his 4x4 in new bond st, 2 couriers and one flat battery later (i had my heated grips on for alot of the journey) I finally got here.

What a morning that was. I'm dreading the ride home.... assuming my battery hasn't gone flat again while it's been parked up.

Couriers are ace. The first one I asked for directions from got me back on course AND taught me how to bump start my bike. I doubt you'll see this but thanks again guys.

New rider into london.

Handgrips today, ya big girl ha ha...

My advice, take things easy, no rush anytime. Keep your eyes peeled ahead while filtering at all times and be weary of idiotic drivers who like cutting lanes without letting anyone know.

Riding into london can be forfilling in the sense of going past hundreds (if not thousands) of cars while they are sitting in the traffic, especially if its sunny (even when cold).

You'll find faster and faster routes as you ride in more.

I ride through some tiny gaps to get to Greenwhich park, no cars allowed, and only a handfull of bikers know the short cut. Best way to do it is to try the roads, if its a dead end, don't that that road again

Its not too bad in London, I work at UCLH and do the run from Wellingborough. Couriers are usually great.

Take you time, look arround you, your soon get the knack

Cheers

Rich

Nice one Claire I got lost in central london once and ended up in a maze of one way streets, took over an hour to find a familiar road

I used to have to drive in Central London a lot, and got lost a lot to start with.
Strangley I always seemed to end up outside the entrance to Regents Park Zoo.

On one such occasion I was sat on the bonnet of my repmobile crying into my A-Z when this guy in skid lid comes over, asks me where I was trying to get to.

So I tells him, and he goes "I'm going past there" follow me.
His job was delivering internal mail between all the London Fire Stations.

So I got escorted right across London by my own C90 outrider.

Top bloke, bless him.



1000 posts Woo-Hoo \/

Makes me wonder why they let you people out on yer own

[Viney]

Calire, now i dont want to scare you and this is not meant in any bad way, but just ride like everyone is trying to kill you and you will be fine. 6 months in and you'll be filtering like the rest of us

Well done by the way

Originally Posted by Viney

Calire, now i dont want to scare you and this is not meant in any bad way, but just ride like everyone is trying to kill you and you will be fine. 6 months in and you'll be filtering like the rest of us

Well done by the way

To be honest, I think this is what happended to me

Rich

Guys, I don't have a problem with filtering OR the traffic funnily enough (except i think today's was only a snippet of what it's usually like since half the schools are off for easter) - it's the getting lost that concerns me. Some intersections don't seem to feel the need for roadsigns which - when you're lost - screws you up a bit.

As soon as I know the route everything'll be fine. It's just an extended journey from my previous office in Brick Lane.

Unless I'm mistaken Ping used to ride into the East End and its not the traffic but her sense of direction that is at fault Go out for a ride round at lunchtime and get your bearings and anywhere from that locality head South to the Embankment and turn East takes you back to the A13 and the Highway Never mind it will be all better tomorrow