Cycling: issues/noticeboard

[Applespider]

I'm quite tempted to sign up for the days when I don't have my bike with me and just want to go a couple of miles across the city. Can't decide though whether I'm likely to do that 45 times a year... or whether just to go for a daily pass. There's no real information whether you can start daily and then move to an annual one later.

There's a docking station outside my office though and I saw a few people using them at lunchtime today.

[northlondoner]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> I think it's a magical time to be a cyclist and I

> love the scheme.

>

> I hope there's several people wobbling randomly

> over Northlondoner.

Or over my bonnet...

[citizenED]

Having read the papers this morning I see what I didn't see yesterday; not one single member of the public used the bozza-bikes yesterday, it was just a tribe of journalists trying them out.

[Sandperson]

Applespider Wrote:

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> I'm quite tempted to sign up for the days when I

> don't have my bike with me and just want to go a

> couple of miles across the city. Can't decide

> though whether I'm likely to do that 45 times a

> year... or whether just to go for a daily pass.

> There's no real information whether you can start

> daily and then move to an annual one later.

>

> There's a docking station outside my office though

> and I saw a few people using them at lunchtime

> today.

AP you can sign up for any of the access periods and up or down grade online or over the phone. I went for the 24 hours and added 'auto renew' so as I use the 24 hour period it gives me another one straight away on the key. I ride on my own bike most days but as you say it's nice to have the option if I'm in town with out it.

Northlondoner. I look forward to seeing you sued. Why do you come on these threads if you hate cyclists so much?

[Applespider]

Thanks Sandperson. Will go for the daily option and then see how much I'm using it. If it does end up being more than once a week, I'll switch.

I spoke to one guy getting a bike near Victoria, citizenED. He wasn't a journalist but did have a bike of his own so was just really trying it out rather than using it. A couple of people in the office are thinking about trying it - admittedly after I dragged them out to take a look at just how close to the office they were!

[JaneCS]

If anyone is looking for a secure place to lock up their bike in East Dulwich, please get in touch. I might have the solution!

Thanks

Jane

[david_carnell]

Hello cycle-people.

I'm planning on utilising my employer's cycle-to-work scheme to commute from Peckham to Victoria each day. I was hoping for some advice on a couple of issues.

I'm in love with old-fashioned, Dutch style, sit-up-and-beg bicycles(mainly because I'm a bit of a ponce!) and am looking around for the best one. I've fallen for a Velorbis and wondered if anyone had any experience of them or could recommend something different.

Aside from the cost of the bike and initial accessories (locks, lights etc) can anyone give me a rough budget for thru-year maintenance so I can work out how cost effective it will be compared to the train?

Finally, route. I live in the Bellenden Rd area and work, effectively, at Victoria Station (or that end of Victoria St). I was planning to cycle up to Peckham High St, along to Camberwell, past the Oval, round Vauxhall Cross and over Vauxhall Bridge, along V. Bridge Rd and into Victoria. Is that the best route? Is Vauxhall Cross an utter nightmare?

Many thanks and if you see a wally on a Dutch bike with a deerstalker-shaped cycle helmet sometime soon, say hello....it's probably me!

[Pandora]

I cycle Bellenden to Victoria quite often so if you'd like someone to cycle with the first couple of times let me know.

The route you suggest is the one I use. It's quite traffic heavy in the morning, but not too difficult. Vauxhall Cross isn't the most fun on a bike, but there's a fairly good cycle route. The only bit I don't particularly like is coming off the bridge onto Vauxhall Bridge Road, but as long as you're confident with your road position the traffic is fine.

I too had a bit of a thing for sit up and beg bicycles and had one to start with. It was good to learn to cycle in London on, but I quickly got frustrated with the weight and changed to a hybrid/road type bike that's much lighter, and more fun to ride.

If it hasn't already been mentioned on this thread I really like the London Cyclist blog, and if you register you get access to a free e-book about cycling in London which gives you a good list of bike accessories that it's worth buying with the bike, especially through cycle to work as you get the discount on those too.

Happy cycling!

[Sandperson]

The cost of maintaing a bike like that for a year would be next to nothing. Keep it clean and check you tyres regulalry and you'd be looking at no more than the price of a few innertubes (if you are unlucky with punctures), probably new tyres at the end of the year and some sort of lubrication to put on the chain and moving parts. Play your cards right and it'll be easily less than ?50. My advice would be to invest in a bike maintainence book or even a course, which isn't very expensive, and keep your bike cleanish and you'll never look back. I wince everytime I go into a bike shop and hear people being charged ?20+ for a change of innertube, it's the easiest job in the world!

[david_carnell]

Thanks for the advice - much appreciated.

Can I ask something a little more contentious - who amongst you regular commuting cyclists doesn't wear a helmet? And who does? And why? I'm debating whether too and have found the arguments against just as interesting and compelling.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Don't wear hair grips if you are going to use a helmet.

I contentiously allow my teenager to ride without one; research suggests that using a helmet and a high vis. vest give a false sense of security and engender stupid behaviour on a bike. I did insist however, on her having free lessons from Southwark which teach good road placement.

[Sandperson]

I wear one. It's comfortable, takes seconds to put on and I'd rather have it than not. I've not heard of anyone, and I cycle a lot and know a lot of cyclists, who has been injured BECAUSE they were wearing one.

[Applespider]

I go from near the Horniman to Victoria. I thought about going via Peckham but ended up going across to Herne Hill and through Brixton and then over at Vauxhall. My cycle instructor suggested taking Lambeth Bridge rather than Vauxhall but I soon swapped over. Pandora is right that the worst bit is getting off the bridge on the north side. You want to be in the second lane of traffic rather than in the cycle lane when you get to the lights and you have to deal with cars trying to move into the leftmost lane to turn left. It's one of the few places in London where I almost hope that the lights DO change as you get closer since then it's much much easier to position yourself!

Would advise doing the route outside of rush hour before you start off. It makes life much easier in terms of figuring out where things go. It is worthwhile doing the cycle lesson (free from Southwark Council) before you start - just a refresher in road positioning and they can help with route (i.e. finding out how to get onto the cycle paths on various junctions!)

Helmets - there's evidence both ways as to how useful they actually are. They're only apparently certified to protect a 12mph drop of 1m which probably isn't more than trundling speed by the time you add in the speed of the fall. There's also evidence that suggests motorists give more room to those not wearing helmets than those who do. Having said that, there's also a school of thought that says since public opinion is that cyclists should wear them, if there was an accident with you not wearing it, would you be treated as more negligent? As Sandperson says, I don't know anyone who was injured because they were wearing one. I wear one on my commute or if I'm taking a trip somewhere but if I was going to use a Boris bike and didn't have one handy, I wouldn't worry about it.

One other thing - it is addictive. I got a cycle to work bike because I wanted a bike. Since it is suggested that at least 50% of your trips should be to/from work, I figured that I should at least try cycling to work on it. Now I find it highly frustrating to have to catch the bus/train/tube. It feels so much slower and more frustrating than it used to (and I used to quite like public transport!)

[Sandperson]

The first thing an addict has to do is admit their addiction!

I'm Sandperson and I'm a cyclist. :))

[Ladymuck]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> Hello cycle-people...

> Finally, route. I live in the Bellenden Rd area

> and work, effectively, at Victoria Station (or

> that end of Victoria St). I was planning to cycle

> up to Peckham High St, along to Camberwell, past

> the Oval, round Vauxhall Cross and over Vauxhall

> Bridge, along V. Bridge Rd and into Victoria. Is

> that the best route? Is Vauxhall Cross an utter

> nightmare?

Hello DC...I commuted to just short of Victoria (Pimlico) for around 3.5 years - took me just under 20 mins (whereas bus could take over an hour on a bad day). Can be a nightmare if not used to it. Why don't you take advantage of Southwark's free assertive cycling instruction before the cuts start to bite? You can arrange for the instructor to show you the best route to work - and it really won't cost you a bean. I posted the link before, but it won't hurt to post it again.

Enjoy! (Should be a doddle for someone with calves of steel!).

[northlondoner]

Sandperson Wrote:

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>

>

> Northlondoner. I look forward to seeing you sued.

> Why do you come on these threads if you hate

> cyclists so much?

Sandperson, I happen to be a cyclist. I just don't happen to think that when I get out of my car and onto my bike, that I am magically exempted from the laws of the road, common courtesy or - most importantly - physics.

And funny you should mention recourse to legal action. Last week a friend of mine was sat stationary in a jam when a cyclist runs into the back of her, trying to squeeze through the lanes of traffic. He ended up on his arse, in the middle of the road. He's only agreed to pay for the damage to my mate's car after being threatened with the police and lawyers. So yes, if some over adrenalised tw@t does wobble over my bonnet, I'm the one who'll be suing.

So,I wonder if the time has come for cyclists, like other road users, to have some form of registration ? I'd be happy to part with a few pounds if it meant safer roads.

And re your ban on criticism of cyclists, does it merely apply to posting on this and other threads -or does it extend to reading them as well? Just asking, like.

[Applespider]

Definitely don't have room for a license plate on the bike that would be big enough to see easily (frame is too small to get all the things I HAVE to have - like lights and reflectors)!

But I do agree that cyclists should have some form of 3rd party insurance in case they do cause injury/damage. We'd expect drivers to pay if they drove into us so it is only fair that it works the other way around.

And yes, cyclists as a whole also have to recognise that it's not always necessary to filter to the front of the lights - yes, if there's an obvious safe route it makes sense. But squeezing down narrow gaps for the sake of a few seconds is a bit loopy.

[Sandperson]

northlondoner Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sandperson Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> >

> >

> > Northlondoner. I look forward to seeing you

> sued.

> > Why do you come on these threads if you hate

> > cyclists so much?

>

> Sandperson, I happen to be a cyclist. I just don't

> happen to think that when I get out of my car and

> onto my bike, that I am magically exempted from

> the laws of the road, common courtesy or - most

> importantly - physics.

>

> And funny you should mention recourse to legal

> action. Last week a friend of mine was sat

> stationary in a jam when a cyclist runs into the

> back of her, trying to squeeze through the lanes

> of traffic. He ended up on his arse, in the middle

> of the road. He's only agreed to pay for the

> damage to my mate's car after being threatened

> with the police and lawyers. So yes, if some over

> adrenalised tw@t does wobble over my bonnet, I'm

> the one who'll be suing.

>

> So,I wonder if the time has come for cyclists,

> like other road users, to have some form of

> registration ? I'd be happy to part with a few

> pounds if it meant safer roads.

>

> And re your ban on criticism of cyclists, does it

> merely apply to posting on this and other threads

> -or does it extend to reading them as well? Just

> asking, like.

Oh, I get it. You're one of those perfect cyclists and perfect drivers. I didn't ban you from this or any other thread, that's not in my power more's the pity, I just don't understand why you have to be antagonistic and why you'd come on here to be so negative. Every time there's a cycling related thread you decide it's your place to tell us how crap we are. Your opinions for me were negated when you brushed aside a poster on this forum who had smashed their face up after hitting a pothole and facing thousands of pounds of dental treatment you said they should chalk it up to experience.

As a daily cyclist I stop at red lights, let cars out in front of me and I'm courteous. I see countless examples of other riders, just like me, who obey the rules of the road and are responsible. I also see cyclists who aren't but the same goes for drivers.

I am a British Cycling and British Triathlon member so I have 3rd party insurance.

As for licensing bikes, where do you start? Does my two year old have to have a license on her push along? It's a ridiculous idea and unworkable.

[Ladymuck]

Thought the link for the Cycle Hire Scheme might be useful here.

[Ladymuck]

Applespider Wrote:

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> But squeezing

> down narrow gaps for the sake of a few seconds is

> a bit loopy.

I agree Applespider...I always shudder when I see that.

[omniprescient]

To me the helmet/no helmet debate is a no-brainer. All that "research' which shows that people cycle more dangerously when wearing one and car drivers behave more considerately towards non-wearers is utter tosh. I've been riding my bike for coming on 30 years now and have had a number of incidents when my helmet has saved me from serious injuries including going straight over the handlebars and smacking my head on the road. The advocation of not wearing a helmet is a political stance advanced by libertarians who do not want to see helmets made compulsory. I too do not want them to be compulsory but that doesn't stop me wearing one.

['bout now]

My friend is a Consultant of emergency medecine. He refers to any cyclist brought in with head trauma who wasn't wearing a helmet as a Donor.

I don't need research to tell me that my bonce hitting the deck will hurt more without a helmet, so I choose to wear one. Which is thankfully what it is, a choice.

[waynetta]

Mountain bikers. Stop that irritating squeal from your brakes and reduce wear on them by oiling the rims of your wheels before taking on that tricky descent.

[Ladymuck]

I always wear a helmet. I wear gloves too - those phalanges and meta-carpals will appreciate the added protection in the event that they should hit the ground. I am under no legal obligation to do so, but for me, this too is a no-brainer.

[waynetta]

Motorists. Enjoy the freedom of cycling by removing your windscreen, sticking half a melon skin on your head, then jumping red lights and driving the wrong way up one-way streets.