help for newbie commuter please

I passed my DAS last week and bought myself an SV650S! it's a great bike and I am having lots of fun! I'm getting used to the bike and thought I'd have a go at commuting to work - from west london to City of London along the A40, it's 18 miles one-way. Today was the first day I did it and looking back at it, I had a few hairy moments. So please give this newbie commuter some commuting tips...

- if cars are not crawling along (e.g. above 15 mph), is it ok to weave in and out passed them?

- on a single lane road with traffic travelling in both directions, in a traffic jam can I undertake along the left to get to the front at traffic light, instead of the right and into the path of oncoming traffic?

- should I put on a L plate to show that I just passed, so other bikers and car people might give me a bit more room and time?

anything else, thanks very much
jagjit

Hi and welcome. I have been commuting in London for 2 yrs now and it's still scary

As for your questions, it will all come with practice. You are not supposed to undertake, I believe it is actually illegal (not sure), but if you feel it is safe to do so then it is up to you.

I would never filter traffic moving at more than 20mph, but again that would depend on the situation and how you feel at that time. as a general rule I fell it's unsafe to filter traffic that's moving at more than 20mph, but that's my personal feeling, sure you will have all sorts of different views/advice.

Just be careful, try and read the roads and be safe. With practice you will learn what is safe/not safe and what you can/can't do. Most important of all just enhoy your rides

Hello Jagjit, welcome to the site

I'll have a punt then. Only qualified to do so because I commute into London and haven't fallen off doing it yet (i.e. I'm lucky)

Originally Posted by jst1699

- if cars are not crawling along (e.g. above 15 mph), is it ok to weave in and out passed them?jagjit

Yes, but you need your wits about you. Don't like the sound of 'weaving', but on a bike, provided you don't take the p*ss dual carriageways have got three lanes and motorways have got up to five.

Originally Posted by jst1699

- on a single lane road with traffic travelling in both directions, in a traffic jam can I undertake along the left to get to the front at traffic light, instead of the right and into the path of oncoming traffic?
jagjit

Dodgy one this, especially in London. If the traffic stops on your right hand side, get ready to stop fast. It may well have stopped because someone is being nice and letting a car coming the other way turn right. That car will try to get out of the way quickly and there's no way they'll see you coming up the inside (especially true if you *ahem* abuse C. London bus lanes) If you're just moving past a car or two to get up to the front and the traffic is totally snarled up, I do this all the time.

Originally Posted by jst1699

- should I put on a L plate to show that I just passed, so other bikers and car people might give me a bit more room and time?
jagjit

What's the point? Cars have a 360 degree blind spot when it comes to bikes and bikers are nice anyway. Ride like you're invisible.

Weaving in and out of trafffic? Undertaking? 1 week after passing test? You may need the SV seat resculptured for oversized b*lls

Seriously if you start weaving in and out of traffic with little experience you'll get knocked off very soon. I often see experienced "good" riders doing this at ridiculous speeds which contributes to the aggression towards bikers from other drivers. If you attempt undertaking you'll either get nicked or knocked off too. When cars catch a glimpse or hear you behind them they tend to move over a bit to let you threw. If you then go on the wrong side you're likely to get squished. Especially if the driver swerves at the last minute to let you through.

Learn to ride slowly and take it easy. Overtake normally and get used to avoiding being killed.

Originally Posted by jst1699

I passed my DAS last week and bought myself an SV650S! it's a great bike and I am having lots of fun! I'm getting used to the bike and thought I'd have a go at commuting to work - from west london to City of London along the A40, it's 18 miles one-way. Today was the first day I did it and looking back at it, I had a few hairy moments. So please give this newbie commuter some commuting tips...

welcome to the site. commuted in london for a total of 3 years and agree with noufy, it still has its moments.

re your questions:

- if cars are not crawling along (e.g. above 15 mph), is it ok to weave in and out passed them?

best to keep it smooth and avoid weaving if you can help it. plan every manoeuver very carefully. I tend to go when I know both drivers know Im there and are side by side. less tendency for them to pull over into the gap Im moving into. but everyones different and others will advise you differently based on how they do it. you need to find the way thats comfortable for you.

- on a single lane road with traffic travelling in both directions, in a traffic jam can I undertake along the left to get to the front at traffic light, instead of the right and into the path of oncoming traffic?

Not advisable. I only tend to do it when theres no oncoming traffic and its at the junction of the A13/Docklands/Blackwall tunnel junction. But when I do, Im very very very careful of people constantly being in the wrong lane or getting impatient queuing. Guess thats one time you just need to weigh up the risks vs being 2 mins ahead. Ime its not worth it, you'll make the time up soon enough.

Down Commercial St, I tend to go down the rhs of queuing traffic, very very slowly and always having somewhere to pull in incase of an oncoming HGV. If I cant see a place to pull in if something comes up from the lights, I stay put and just wait a minute til the traffic moves and I find room to go round.

- should I put on a L plate to show that I just passed, so other bikers and car people might give me a bit more room and time?

not a bad idea. may stop a few posts on bike forums complaining about slow filtering bikes not getting out the way where the poster presumes you are a riding god as good as them and are doing it deliberately :P

anything else, thanks very much

since you dont do the miles I do, you probably wont need heated grips in winter. or 3 sets of bike clothing. but I would suggest keeping clothes in the office in winter as you'll get soaked even in a short distance in some of the rain that we had last year.

as for the rest:

1. just take it easy.
2. if in doubt dont do it. but be careful of overconfidence too.
3. dont ride mm up the end of someone else or in their blind spot, you stop yourself from seeing the hazzards they will brake for.
4. be prepared for scooter riders to do the stupidest things. actually read that as cagers/van drivers/bus drivers too.
5. accept the fact london driving is aggressive and people will pull out on you regardless. never ride faster than you can stop for the driver at the juntion to pull out on you.
6. always have an escape route.
7. if red mist descends, deep breaths, try and chill and let it go. its better to let it go than end up hurt.
8. make sure your bikes mechanically sound and brakes and horn work
9. dont always gun it at the lights. you'll find out which junctions are worst for people going through red lights.
10. in bad weather take it very easy. the roads are slippy as hell. let people who want to go faster go.
11. probably most important, ride your own ride. be safe, considerate and remember youre the one that will get hurt if you feel the need to make a point to a driver and it goes wrong. Being in the rights no good if its your epitaph.

Oh and avoid crashing into panel vans if you can. They really dont do you much good

HTH all common sense stuff really

[TSM]

Seems it all has been covered by people above.

I might add that you may want to change the can on the bike if it is still stock and possably as some people have done fit better horns to your bike.

Use your head and eyes, be alert at all times and learn to read the danger signs. In 2 months time you will be a lot wiser with filtering and will have developed your own style so just go with what makes you feel sure and safe

right - when filtering (the weaving you describe) its best to do it on the right hand side,

take it really slowly at first, keeping your wits about you,

planning is the key, when traffic comes to a stand still - you want to look for a space you can get into - check its safe then go, once your there, pick another space and go.

you really have to keep an eye out for the impatient. early warning signs are drivers hands moving on the steering wheel, also check the wheels for dry turning, they turn the wheels before accelerating - so this could keep you one step ahead.

i went through london the other day - i hated it

anyone else find the slower the traffic becomes the more you have to concentrate?

I find when traffics moving people are less prone to making lane changes unless theyre going to overtake or just completed one. Most are making progress so tend to stick with the lane hogging syndrome.

As traffic snarls up it gets bad. Impatience leads to lane changes even to move 3 ft ahead. And sheep syndrome kicks in with cagers seeming to think the guy ahead must have seen something to make him change lane so Ill do it too kind of thinking. When its stationary I find it worst, people really want those extra inches ahead of where they are...

well that pretty much sums up rush hour blackwall tunnel approach