|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
Hello,
I cycle every day from Perivale (just north of Ealing) to Oxford Circus and then back again in the evening. In the summer the journey is nice because I can take the Grand Union Canal towpath all the way to Paddington. This then leaves me with just 2 miles of central London traffic which in any case is on side streets. Now that it is dark in the evening, I can't use the canal and I am forced to travel along Bayswater Road, Holland Park Avenue, Holland Park roundabout, Shepherd's Bush, and Uxbridge Road. None of this is very nice or safe! The roads are busy and the drivers can be irate. The other day I was cut up by a driver who either hadn't seen me or thought he would take a chance to overtake the traffic by squeezing in on the left. Does anyone travel in this direction? I have studied the map and so far haven't come up with a decent alternative route. Does anyone know of a better route, i.e. less traffic, fewer unpredicatble pedestrians, buses, taxis etc? Thanks, Pawel |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
Now that it is dark in the evening, I can't use the canal and I am forced to travel along Bayswater Road, Holland Park Avenue, Holland Get yourself some proper lights and a headlight and a May-West. 10watts of smart light and a cateye 320 backup would not break the bank and I think that would be plenty of light. TerryJ |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
But the canal towpath isn't very safe after dark. Remember we're
talking about London here. I don't fancy going down a quiet, unlit path in London for 30 minutes. I think it's asking for trouble. Does anyone actually travel in my direction and use a route other than the one I mentioned? Pawel wrote: Now that it is dark in the evening, I can't use the canal and I am forced to travel along Bayswater Road, Holland Park Avenue, Holland Get yourself some proper lights and a headlight and a May-West. 10watts of smart light and a cateye 320 backup would not break the bank and I think that would be plenty of light. TerryJ |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
But the canal towpath isn't very safe after dark. Remember we're
talking about London here. I don't fancy going down a quiet, unlit path in London for 30 minutes. I think it's asking for trouble. Does anyone actually travel in my direction and use a route other than the one I mentioned? Pawel wrote: Now that it is dark in the evening, I can't use the canal and I am forced to travel along Bayswater Road, Holland Park Avenue, Holland Get yourself some proper lights and a headlight and a May-West. 10watts of smart light and a cateye 320 backup would not break the bank and I think that would be plenty of light. TerryJ |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
Thanks Tony, that's exactly the sort of thing I was after! I will
print out the suggested route and study my map later! Pawel Try using the LCN and minor roads route planner at http://www.cyclemaps.net/gaz.asp to give you some options to consider -- Tony "Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
|
#8
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
POHB wrote: wrote: Now that it is dark in the evening, I can't use the canal and I am forced to travel along Bayswater Road, Holland Park Avenue, Holland Park roundabout, Shepherd's Bush, and Uxbridge Road. None of this is very nice or safe! I did that route for about 2 years and can sympathise, but I never found a nicer route that wasn't miles longer and involved a whole load more junctions at which you don't have priority. The Holland Park Roundabout is a bit scary in the morning, but at least in the evening rush it is usually virtually stationary so you can just dodge around the motors. Is that the one with the water thingy in the middle? three lane roundabout at the end of the A41(M) spur? I never had any problem on it by taking the lane and going pretty fast, my biggest worry was that a mechanical failure like a chain jam might leave me stranded in the middle. Bayswater Road is so solid in the evening that you can pretty much treat the motors as bollards for a slalom down the hill - wheeeeee! Give it a couple of weeks and you'll get used to it, you'll know what lanes to take and where the drivers normally pull out without looking. Safety is mostly about perception and confidence. If you are not confident and are hugging the kerb then it will appear intimidating and will be more dangerous than a more assertive style. The main obstacle IMO is the HP roundabout as it is a climb to it from both directions and you really want some speed to negotiate it happily. Not one for the timid or unconfident. ...d |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
David Martin wrote: Is that the one with the water thingy in the middle? three lane roundabout at the end of the A41(M) spur? Yep, that's the one. At the moment it's worse than usual because there are roadworks. Yesterday, even though the lights were green in my favour, traffic was still entering the roundabout from the next exit, presumably because drivers had become impatient. So there was lots of hooting all round. There is a cycle lane of sorts there so I might use that from now on. I never had any problem on it by taking the lane and going pretty fast, my biggest worry was that a mechanical failure like a chain jam might leave me stranded in the middle. Bayswater Road is so solid in the evening that you can pretty much treat the motors as bollards for a slalom down the hill - wheeeeee! Give it a couple of weeks and you'll get used to it, you'll know what lanes to take and where the drivers normally pull out without looking. Safety is mostly about perception and confidence. If you are not confident and are hugging the kerb then it will appear intimidating and will be more dangerous than a more assertive style. The main obstacle IMO is the HP roundabout as it is a climb to it from both directions and you really want some speed to negotiate it happily. Not one for the timid or unconfident. From my experience you can be very confident until your first accident ;-) I have seen very confident cyclists who zip in between lanes of traffic without looking behind them. IMO they are stupid (or at least very naive), not confident. There will come a time when a motorbike or scooter or another cyclist will run into them as a result. There are loads of times when I look over my shoulder before overtaking a bus or parked car/taxi only to find a scooter or other cylists already overtaking me, some leaving me very little room. I wonder how many of the other cyclists check over their shoulder before overtaking. Not that many from my experience. I prefer to slow down and let them go. Anyway, other than the traffic and pedestrians, it is polluted, so doing back streets might be a lot nicer in that respect too. Pawel |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
West London commute - any suggestions for a safer route?
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Trip Report: Key West - Savannah - Arkansas - Milwaukee | Ron Wallenfang | Rides | 16 | August 25th 06 03:10 AM |
Bicycle is king of the road as gas costs rise | cfsmtb | Australia | 14 | May 9th 06 12:35 AM |
Route suggestions from Hebden Bridge to Ramsbottom? | Edward Hibbert | UK | 1 | March 14th 06 12:06 AM |
Rec.Bicycles Frequently Asked Questions Posting Part 1/5 | Mike Iglesias | General | 4 | October 29th 04 07:11 AM |
Lane Cove to North Sydney - Suggestions for cycle commute? | Dave_H | Australia | 12 | August 21st 03 01:16 PM |