Is it safe to cycle on London streets???

trinidadone

surreysaver wrote: »

Do what all the other road users do. Ignore the cycle lanes. Pointless waste of time and money

I think your missing the point somewhat. I am concerned about being hit, so interested to hear about other cyclists who use the blue painted lines, and there safety.

why do you say they are "pointless" and "waste of money" and when you say they are ignored, what do you mean?

esuhl

The route you would take by car/bus is almost never the best route to cycle. It's worth spending some time planning your route so you avoid busy roads. I often use CycleStreets to plan a new route, and look at Google StreetView to get a better idea of whether I think the road is "safe".

https://www.cyclestreets.net/

Just like driving, one of the most important things is to be observant, be aware of what other vehicles around you are doing. Ride predictably, confidently, and give clear signals to other road users.

I absolutely love my CatEye BM-500G wing mirror. I can keep an eye on the car behind without having to take my eyes off what's happening ahead.

I'd recommend getting some flashing lights for the daytime. At night, I use steady lights as well. I also covered my bike in 3M reflective tape -- that definitely helps with side-on visibility (which can be a problem with bikes).

British Cycling have a series of quick videos for people new to cycle commuting, which have some good advice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3rtcT81x_I&list=PLLiHgA3L2mypSAuZ1LQHVnDeDrYiQZA4n

Altarf

trinidadone wrote: »

I am concerned by other motorists driving close to me, and really concerned on those cyclists who cycle quite hard/fast on London streets and hitting me.

Doesn't sound like you are suited to the 'cut and thrust' of traffic in London and are likely to end up under a tipper truck.

Norman_Castle

Altarf wrote: »

Doesn't sound like you are suited to the 'cut and thrust' of traffic in London and are likely to end up under a tipper truck.

If there was a perfectly designed cycle path they would be much safer. You seem to have forgotten to share the location of the cycle path you consider perfect. Will you be sharing its location?

Originally Posted by Altarf
No they won't.

I have mentioned before a wanabee organ donor I pass in the mornings who instead of riding down a perfectly designed £2.5 million cyclepath requested by Sustrans and designed by them, instead takes a longer route down a busy A road (and doesn't bother with high viz either).

Altarf

Norman_Castle wrote: »

If there was a perfectly designed cycle path they would be much safer. You seem to have forgotten to share the location of the cycle path you consider perfect. Will you be sharing its location?

No, I think this one would end up under a tipper truck no matter what.

Anyway, I thought you had an aversion to any sort of cycle path unless they did not deviate more 0.1mm from the road, were surfaced by the wings of angels, and had a 20m thick concrete barrier to protect you from the traffic, and even then you would choose to mix it with the HGVs.

[Deleted User]

My husband cycled around London for 8 years - he had a few near misses (the last one when he went around the Elephant & Castle in rush hour !!) but he mainly stuck to quieter roads - even if it added more distance to his journey. As others have said, the route you would take in a car is seldom the right one for a bicycle. And if it gets a bit hair-raising, do what I used to do which is to get off and walk that bit and then get back on. Before you start commuting on a bike, I would plan out my route and make sure that you can cycle off the main roads - personally, I wouldn't chance those. And the usual stuff - make sure you have a helmet, high visibility clothing (I'm amazed at how many cyclists I see wearing black or grey or another sludgy colour) and good lights.

rbulph

I've done it for about 25 years, several times a week, at least. Been hit by a car just once - badly grazed and bruised but nothing broken. Never had any other significant injuries. I always wear hi-viz after dark and don't wear a helmet. For me it seems safe enough - just take care.

surreysaver

rbulph wrote: »

I've done it for about 25 years, several times a week, at least. Been hit by a car just once - badly grazed and bruised but nothing broken. Never had any other significant injuries. I always wear hi-viz after dark and don't wear a helmet. For me it seems safe enough - just take care.

I wear hi-viz during the day. You need reflective stuff after dark.