Riding in London

[Mark_h]

I've been riding for a while now, but mainly in the leafy bits of the south. I'm about to take my IAM test around Heathrow which will be a bit of a laugh so thought I'd take the opportunity to ride into work to get a bit of nasty town traffic riding experience. I'll be riding up the M3, A316 then some mystical route into Waterloo.

Apart from masking off the mirrors and most of my visor and just looking at a tiny strip right in front of me that way saving myself from being scared og the mayhem around me, I'm basically looking for any tips for rush hour London driving.

And would sticking a "Be nice to me" sticker on the back of my top-box cut any slack with the loony couriers out there or can I always expect to have one trying to get up my end can?

Thanks in advance,
Mark

Originally Posted by Mark_h

top-box

Sorry - I couldn't see anything past that word

[Mark_h]

It's only to keep me trousers in. honest. I take it off usually.

Never done the M3 to A316 in push hour...but the times I've done it, its always been v.slow! Loads of pedestrians & the odd silly one way system to make you think.

Would probably do that route to the A3 (following signs to Clapham/Clapham Junction to get to the A3). Then following the A3 to OVal & taking the left at the junction there to Waterloo or taking hte A3 to Elephant & Castle & follonig the signs from there.

i passed my test and dived straight into commuting from tooting -> canary wharf, so hopefully that experience will help you...basically just take it slow, because it seems there's always a million things to keep an eye on/watch out for, i.e. not much 'empty quiet space'.
i also do things like never trusting going past a car on the left side unless it's stationary, and i find doing things like looking at drivers can help in certain situations - e.g. i need to pull in to a line of traffic i've been overtaking (junction, or something) if i look round at the driver behind they seem to be much more open to letting you in then if you 'barge' in without looking. funny, but i found it helps!

Originally Posted by muffles

commuting from tooting

I like it - sounds like a correspondent to The Times letters page

lol, no idea what it is you're referring to

[Biker Biggles]

Just take it easy.Don't try to emulate couriers and other riders,as they are time served experts,or in some cases suicidal nutters.Also,it gets easier when you are familiar with your route.You get to know where it is safe to get it on a bit and where to hang back.You learn which junctions are booby trapped and where the busses do strange things.It takes practice,but it's not as bad as you would think.There's a pretty good supply of bike bays around the Waterloo area too.

[Mark_h]

Thanks folks. Guess I'll have to take my brave pills and just give it a go. Next question is leathers and hastle of getting changed at other end or over-trousers and cook if it hits 25 degrees.

Cheers,
Mark