London Navigation?

[MisterTommyH]

Hi,

I'm travelling down to east sussex (crowborough) later today, and thought it might be a bit of an adventure to brave the capitals roads - never riden through before.

I'll be coming down the A5, and from what I can see I can follow that / Edgware Road straight through to Hyde Park. I was thinking I could then head for Croyden then pick up signs for the A22 and then Crowborough.

Is this something that I could do easily enough without a sat-nav by just picking up road signs etc? Is this suicide to try with panniers as I've never really been through London before? And, I am right in assuming that I wouldn't have to pay the congestion charge on the bike?

If anyone can help with these questions it would be very helpful.

Thanks.

[rictus01]

A5 to Marble Arch, down park lane to Hydepark corner,grosvener place (towards victoria station, signed), you have to go around the oneway at victoria, then head onto Vauxhall bridge road (obviously to Vauxhall bridge), over the bridge, then under the rail bridge (straight ahead of you), exiting from under the bridge; keep to the right, follow the road, once turned right at those traffic lights move to the Left and it'll filter you onto South Lamberth road, follow this until you come to an odd shaped light controlled roundabout (Jct with the A3/ stockwell tube station), follow around and turn off towards Brixton (A203/ stockwell rd), follow until you come to the end T junction, turn Right and you're on the A23, follow signs for Croydon, then Purley, at Purley turn Left onto the A22.

the route isn't hard to follow and is well signed, so you shouldn't have a problem (famous last words.....),

I've no idea what time of day you'll be trying this or indeed your experience level both on a bike or with London traffic, so it's hard to say, from my perspective it'd be great fun, but then I go out just to play with the traffic.

Likewise to the pannier question, it would depend how big and wide they were as to whether they compromised the progress you made, if you aren't going to be progressively filtering then I doubt it'd make any difference at all, if you are aware of the bikes width with them fitted it should be OK to, but if you aren't comfortable then you'll probably leave bigger gaps than is actually needed and that will slow things down considerably.

Motorcycles don't pay congestion charge, but if for some reason you need to park Westminster charge
(Maida Vale to Vauxhall bridge).

HTH

Cheers Mark.

[MisterTommyH]

That's great thanks.

It's another thing to tick off the list of riding experiences. And it's got to be more fun than an hour on the M25!!!!!

[Ch00]

You should be able to use MOST bus lanes too - check for the motorbike picture on the bus lane boards or failing that check times of operation.

[SoulKiss]

As Rictus says, its a fairly straight road - I do it from Paddington to Vauxhall on my way home from work, if you know what you are doing, Paddington to Victoria is about 5 or 6 mins

Only bit I dont really like about that route (I use a slightly different route to avoid it) is the stretch from Paddington to Marble Arch, the car drivers can be real idiots there.

[Stuuk1]

I used to go home past Leicester square, down the mall, over Westminster bridge etc eventually making it to the a20 back home to Tunbridge Wells which is almost very near Crowborough...

That way you see a couple of nice sights!

Don't bother with a Sat Nav, there's enough distractions in London traffic without checking that.
Signposts are generally good, don't panic if you take the wrong route, you'll get back on track.
Watch out for Black Cabs doing U Turns, they can be buggers doing that and courier cyclists and kamikazee scooter riders, and bendy buses. The suns gone back behind clouds in London today, so no ladyflesh distractions are likely.

You'll be fine.

[MisterTommyH]

Wow, that was fun! Almost as good as a ride into Wales. I'm sure with a bit more guts I'd be making even more progress!

Btw anyone of you lot on a copper pointy with twin pipes? Got talking to you at traffic lights?

[rictus01]

fun isn't it, that's my playground.

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by Tommy H

Wow, that was fun! Almost as good as a ride into Wales. I'm sure with a bit more guts I'd be making even more progress!

Btw anyone of you lot on a copper pointy with twin pipes? Got talking to you at traffic lights?

Glad you enjoyed it.