John

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
    > If you're reasonable fit and brave, go for it ! Cycling is a fantastic
    > way to get around London, particularly if you're visiting so can afford
    > to take your time, pause to look at stuff and hang out in parks and
    > leafy squares.
    > It's not a risk-free option though as the traffic here is lethal
    > (worse, IMHO, since the Congestion Charge, because there's a bit more
    > space on the roads inside the zone now and everyone's going that bit
    > faster); a certain Zen-like calm is required in the face of multiple
    > brushes with the Grim Reaper.
    > Also, come prepared: you really should make sure that you have the
    > right equipment, e.g.:

I would be renting a bike, so I will assume they will provide everything
needed.









    > - good quality cycle helmet (ABSOULTELY NECESSARY unless you want to be
    > shipped home in a box...)
    > - gloves (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - I have the scars on my right hand to
    > prove this...!)
    > - high visibility tabard or similar (ABSOULTELY NECESSARY unless you're
    > really going to be cycling in nothing but good daylight; but what about
    > when you come out of the pub later on.. ;) ???)
    > - working lights (ditto, though I would hope they'll come with the
    > bike)
    > - good quality bike lock (once again, I would hope this would come with
    > the bike)
    > - waterproofs (it rains a _lot_ here, even in "summer")
    > - elbow protectors (optional - you'll probably look a bit silly in
    > them, to be honest)
    > - knee pads (ditto)
    > - face mask (well, I think they're more trouble than they're worth,
    > some people swear by them - go figure !)
    > Having said all the above, I've only had 2 nasty falls in 15 years -
    > the scars on my right hand are from coming off when cut up by a black
    > cab (no surpise there then !); the other occasion was from riding into
    > the (closed) gates of Richmond Park at the 2 in the morning: I was
    > s**t-faced, of course. That was a laugh, trying to convince local
    > residents that the guy banging on their door covered in blood in the
    > middle of the night needed helping rather than arresting !
    > Which reminds me: strictly speaking, drink-drive limits do apply to
    > riding a bicycle. You'll be _very_ unlucky to get pulled over when
    > riding drunk (you're more likely to _fall_ over), but if you do, and
    > you get one of those young lads with something to prove, you could end
    > up in a bad place.
    > Which prompts another thought: since I moved to London in 1982, I've
    > had very few encounters with the law, but it strikes me that when I
    > have, in every case where the officer's been younger than me I've got a
    > ticket while the older guys just give me a strern lecture and tell me
    > to p*** off ! Not a good outlook now that I'm past 40 !
    > Finally, don't worry about parking, you'll find countless places to
    > leave the bikes all across the capital.
    > At the end of it all, you should go home fitter and happier.
    > Have a great trip !
    > Nick
    >

Congokid

In message <[email protected]>, Padraig
Breathnach <[email protected]> writes
    >congokid <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>In message <[email protected] .com>,
    >>george <[email protected]> writes
    >>> I
    >>>never really looked, but can't remember seeing cyclists on central
    >>>London streets.
    >>There are thousands of us. A pity more car drivers can't see us.
    >Jaysus, man! If they saw you, they'd run you down. Invisible is good.

Invisible is inevitable, it seems, in spite of the bright yellow
clothing many cyclists wear. 'Sorry mate, I didn't see you', or SMIDSY
for short, is the common refrain of drivers who pay more attention to
what's going on inside their cars than to other traffic around them.

The OP could have a look at uk.rec.cycling for more information on this
and other UK cycling related matters.

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com

Congokid

In message <[email protected] .com>,
[email protected] writes

    >- good quality cycle helmet (ABSOULTELY NECESSARY

Or maybe not...

<http://www.lesberries.co.uk/cycling/helmets/helmets.html>

The rest of the site is an excellent resource for cyclists.

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com

Congokid

In message <[email protected]>, John
<[email protected]> writes

    >I would be renting a bike, so I will assume they will provide everything
    >needed.

These ones do.

<http://www.londonbicycle.com/>

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com

Padraig Breathnach

congokid <[email protected]> wrote:

    >In message <[email protected]>, Padraig
    >Breathnach <[email protected]> writes
    >>congokid <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>In message <[email protected] .com>,
    >>>george <[email protected]> writes
    >>>> I
    >>>>never really looked, but can't remember seeing cyclists on central
    >>>>London streets.
    >>>There are thousands of us. A pity more car drivers can't see us.
    >>Jaysus, man! If they saw you, they'd run you down. Invisible is good.
    >Invisible is inevitable, it seems, in spite of the bright yellow
    >clothing many cyclists wear. 'Sorry mate, I didn't see you', or SMIDSY
    >for short, is the common refrain of drivers who pay more attention to
    >what's going on inside their cars than to other traffic around them.
It's worse than that. Motorists see four-wheeled vehicles, and some of
them see motorcycles. Those things are large enough to do damage to a
car and its occupants. Cyclists and pedestrians constitute no
significant threat, so are less likely to be seen.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

The Reids

Following up to John

    >Is it practical or safe to use a bicycle rather than Tube and buses to get
    >around London during daylight hours?
    >We have accommodations near Hammersmith and plan to use rented bikes to
    >sightsee within 5 miles of that area.

there are now plenty of cycle lanes but the main roads are busy
with traffic. BTW its about 6 miles in to the centre from
Hammersmith. Cycling along the river side (Thames path) might be
a good traffic free idea as long as you dont endanger walkers,
that way you get into the centre safely to have your bikes
stolen.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

The Reids

Following up to congokid

    >>>There are thousands of us. A pity more car drivers can't see us.
    >>Jaysus, man! If they saw you, they'd run you down. Invisible is good.
    >Invisible is inevitable, it seems, in spite of the bright yellow
    >clothing many cyclists wear. 'Sorry mate, I didn't see you', or SMIDSY
    >for short, is the common refrain of drivers who pay more attention to
    >what's going on inside their cars than to other traffic around them.

the other side of the coin is the high number of cyclists without
lights who fail to conform to traffic rules and treat pedestrians
with the contempt they believe drivers have for them. I'm sure
that's not you, but there are plenty in Central London. One of
the big problems is that powered bikes and cycles want to beat
the traffic by weaving through. On my three times a week run i'm
expected to maintain my position perfectly while bikes undertake
through narrow gaps, one slip at the wrong moment and a biker
goes to hospital, its not a good situation.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

The Reids

Following up to Padraig Breathnach

    >It's worse than that. Motorists see four-wheeled vehicles, and some of
    >them see motorcycles. Those things are large enough to do damage to a
    >car and its occupants. Cyclists and pedestrians constitute no
    >significant threat, so are less likely to be seen.

Oh, come on, what might happen to a motorist if he kills someone?
I regard hitting another car as much less threat to *me* than
hitting a pedestrian or cyclist.
Visibility is purely about size and road positioning, very few
car drivers are other than normal people, having normal regard
for others, in or out of a car. Many car drivers are, amazingly,
also pedestrians and cyclists.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Don Wiss

On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 09:17:14 -0700, John <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Is it practical or safe to use a bicycle rather than Tube and buses to get
    >around London during daylight hours?

Yes. I've done it twice.

    >We have accommodations near Hammersmith and plan to use rented bikes to
    >sightsee within 5 miles of that area.

For my second time I wrote up a trip report, which you can find here:
http://donwiss.com/london2001.txt

If you are there for the last Friday of the month you can join their
Critical Mass bike ride. A good place to start is http://www.lcc.org.uk/.
Along the right is a link to cycle hires.

Don <www.donwiss.com> (e-mail link at home page bottom).

The Reids

Following up to Don Wiss

    >If you are there for the last Friday of the month you can join their
    >Critical Mass bike ride.

that's the one that f**** up the traffic, including buses and
ambulances for hours, is it?
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

proo

It's down to awareness. There aren't that many cyclists in London so drivers don't look out for them. I lived and cycled in Cambridge and drivers know they're everywhere so they look out before turning/changing lanes. Except for taxis (I hate them) who would come cms up to you but then they always drove like crap.

Jim Ley

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 14:03:01 +0100, The Reids
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Following up to Don Wiss
    >>If you are there for the last Friday of the month you can join their
    >>Critical Mass bike ride.
    >that's the one that f**** up the traffic, including buses and
    >ambulances for hours, is it?

Nah, it's not that long, I often do the friday night skate (every
friday...) and when passing critical mass on normal ones they go past
in about 5 minutes no more, it's only on bigger ones that they'll be
any disruption.

Jim.