London Commute

[M.J.]

So things have been interesting in London for the past few weeks. There've been alot more peple on their bikes as a result. Here's my daily 8 mile ride from Hornsey to the City. It accounts for 70-80% of my yearly miles. I ride year round in all weather.

These first two pictures are leaving my neighbourhood.

[M.J.]

The first picture is the Clock Tower - a local landmark - the others are lane splitting and heading up the hill out of Crouch End

[Kerry Irons]

The first picture is the Clock Tower - a local landmark - the others are lane splitting and heading up the hill out of Crouch End

Hey, all of the cars are on the wrong side of the road

[M.J.]

more lane splitting - the last picture is at Seven Sisters road - in the distance is the new Arsenal stadium

[M.J.]

approaching Highbury & Islington

Holloway Road is unusual for London - it's four lanes wide

the red road pavement is a bus lane - meant for buses, taxis and cyclists - I ride in the middle of the bus lane

[M.J.]

under construction

[M.J.]

and cycle lights

[M.J.]

heading towards the Angel

trendy and busy

[M.J.]

unless you're on a motorcycle or scooter

central London has congestion charging - £5 per day to drive in (not that there's anywhere to park when you get there) - there's been a huge increase in two wheeled transit - I hate scooter drivers

[M.J.]

- it's like Gotham you know

I like the curve punctuated by the high rise in the first picture

the next two are of ordinary traffic and lane splitting

last one is heaing in to the ring of steel towards the round about at the Museum of London

[M.J.]

second picture is an ASL - Advanced Start Line - transport planners want cyclists to pull to the front of queues of traffice to start off first - the next pictures have cycle lanes onthe left (in green) which are pretty useless and mostly ignored - in the distance for the last two pictures you can see the dome of St Paul's Cathedral - I often get a "London moment" when I see it every morning...

[M.J.]

a passing shot

next is me passing a line of buses - see the pedestrian poking out looking the wrong way - two seconds after I took this picture I almost smacked her down - pedestrians are the most dangerous part of cycling in heavy urban areas - they just don't look and always mouth off when you shout at them to pay attention before you hit them

[M.J.]

then heading up towards the Lloyd's building - I work across the street from Lloyd's

[MB1]

With all that traffic and narrow roads it looks as bad as the mean streets of DC. At least here in DC there are lots of nice alternates for cyclists.

Take care.

[YuriB]

Nice to see a commute on the other side of the pond.
MB1 is right - you gotta have some cajones to commute in that

[bigbill]

Reminds me of my Portsmouth, VA commute. I had to constantly watch for cars and pedestrians and try to not get smacked by a bus the whole time. When I visited Grenada, Spain a few years ago, I was amazed by the scooters. I was driving a rental car and each time I would stop at a light, within seconds I was surrounded by dozens of lane splitting scooters that I would pass again before the next light. I wasn't racing them, they just didn't seem to go much faster than 40K/hr. The city streets stunk of moped and scooter exhaust. Here in paradise, I only have to deal with them on the MUT.

[M.J.]

is where I lock up every day now - just under / past the trees

notice that I take my axel with me when I take the front wheel off - anyone who steals a bike around here will ride it away

the fact that's the front wheel is off, without an axel and fixed will, I hope, deter cycle thieves

[M.J.]

With all that traffic and narrow roads it looks as bad as the mean streets of DC. At least here in DC there are lots of nice alternates for cyclists.

Take care.

it was difficult for me to take pictures on a fixed in traffic!!

the speed of traffic is pretty slow which makes it seem less dangerous - and if you ride smart most pitfalls can be avoided

I have an alternative route on a disused railway which allows me to increase the length of the commute by a third and I can avoid the first 25% of the road route - but for the most part there are few alternatives to traffic - it's only through sheer numbers (critical mass) on roads that it gets safer for cyclists

[M.J.]

Reminds me of my Portsmouth, VA commute. I had to constantly watch for cars and pedestrians and try to not get smacked by a bus the whole time. When I visited Grenada, Spain a few years ago, I was amazed by the scooters. I was driving a rental car and each time I would stop at a light, within seconds I was surrounded by dozens of lane splitting scooters that I would pass again before the next light. I wasn't racing them, they just didn't seem to go much faster than 40K/hr. The city streets stunk of moped and scooter exhaust. Here in paradise, I only have to deal with them on the MUT.

in London aren't as dirty as the continental variety - they are becoming more plentiful though and in time I'm sure it'll get nasty - the real danger of scooters is that anyone can drive them - you don't need a license for most varieties - if you see a wreck during commute time in town - it's almost always a scooterist - and - usually a woman scooterist

[M.J.]

Nice to see a commute on the other side of the pond.
MB1 is right - you gotta have some cajones to commute in that

I'm happy to give anyone a cycle tour who makes it over - I have a few extra bikes on the go

[DPV]

Nice photos, how'd you manage to get them so clear on the fly?
It's a great idea -- I'll try and do the same as my London commute is a real contrast -- I live east of MJ and have a commute which is almost entirely on back roads (but just as fast as the heavy-traffic route).

It's great to see so many cyclists on the road, but it's especially dispiriting that so many have no idea about riding sensibly (being aware of traffic at the very least, and don't get me started on using headphones and sending text messages while riding).

[shaieb]

Hi man!

Thats a great route blog. Well done on the pics. I too cycle to work and happen to work next to the Guildhall building. My commute is from NW london, but looking at your blog i think i may have to find the time to do something similar.

I too cant stand scooters... hairdryers on wheels if you ask me.

[M.J.]

Hi man!

Thats a great route blog. Well done on the pics. I too cycle to work and happen to work next to the Guildhall building. My commute is from NW london, but looking at your blog i think i may have to find the time to do something similar.

I too cant stand scooters... hairdryers on wheels if you ask me.

see some more London commute reports

where are you commuting from in NW London?

[M.J.]

Nice photos, how'd you manage to get them so clear on the fly?
It's a great idea -- I'll try and do the same as my London commute is a real contrast -- I live east of MJ and have a commute which is almost entirely on back roads (but just as fast as the heavy-traffic route).

It's great to see so many cyclists on the road, but it's especially dispiriting that so many have no idea about riding sensibly (being aware of traffic at the very least, and don't get me started on using headphones and sending text messages while riding).

a bunch of pictures and hoped for the best - some got deleted some turned out ok - I've done quite a few ride reports so am getting used to taking pictures while moving - this was the first time on the fixed in heavy traffice though! - it took some serious concentration

where are you in east London - what's your route?

post bombing plus it being nice weather and the amateurs have come out - let's see how many of them are around in December/January/February!

[DPV]

where are you in east London - what's your route?

I am in Stamford Hill heading toward Russell Square. My preferred route is quite complicated but I'll summarize it below. I'll do the route/photo thing soon.

Stamford Hill to Clissold Park, cut through the park as this avoids tight traffic at the signals for Green Lanes. Cross Green Lanes and head SW through the neighbourhood to the top of Highbury Fields. Deal with confused peds on a short shared-access path to Highbury Corner, cut over towards Liverpool Road (avoiding the bottom of Upper Street which is mighty irritating). Go south on Liverpool Road for a while, then get over to Barnsbury Rd (plenty of streets to choose from to get there). Cross Pentonville Rd (along with loads of other cyclists) then turn, going down the hill at Percy Circus (avoids the massive traffic snarls around Kings Cross station), then head toward the segregated cycle lanes which are gradually working their way east on Tavistock Place.

There are lots and lots of turnings but usually in quiet back streets where there is hardly any traffic to deal with. The most direct route would be to take Seven Sisters Road (a major traffic artery) and follow the route of the #29 bus all the way in (cough, choke, cough). Loads of cyclists go that way, but it feels like a death trap to me (and takes 5-8 minutes longer).