Olympics: How the f*ck am I gonna get to and from work

DonDaddyD

Previously I thought riding through or past Straford would be cool, however it just dawned on me. How the f*ck am I gonna get to work.

Route 1: Train from Liverpool Street to Goodmayes (just after ilford) this train goes through Stratford which is where the olympic games will be held. Right now you'll be lucky to see more than 5 people in each carriage on the trains going out of Liverpool Street in the Morning. The trains during the evening going into Liverpool Street are empty as well.

During the games however I'm expecting to see trains packed and stacked high full of people, which mean no room for my bike.

Route 2: Ride my bike from Liverpool Street to Goodmayes. Now this isn't usually a problem as like the train there is less traffic heading away from Liverpool Street in the morning. Likewise there is less traffic heading towards Liverpool Street in the evening. However during the games I'm expecting a considerable amount of increased traffic going towards Stratford in the Morning and towards the City in the evening.

What am I going to do?

These "olympic lanes" can cyclists ride in them too?

Help.

bails87

Cyclists can't ride in the olympic lanes, as far as I'm aware.

Why can't you ride your bike to work?

Cafewanda

Rent a room in Goodmayes and go home for the weekends. You can always Skype the family

It'll be interesting. My employers are currently trying to work out that problem too. I guess they'll offer flexi-time/work from home for those who can.

bigmat

Cycle to the next stop after Stratford on the way out and pick up train there? You should be OK coming back I would have thought, just get off when it gets packed. Or cycle the whole way...

DonDaddyD

bails87 wrote:

Cyclists can't ride in the olympic lanes, as far as I'm aware.

Why can't you ride your bike to work?

I can but that, as with the train, involves riding through Stratford.

SimonAH

Simply hang one of those gold plastic toy medals around your neck and carry a javelin with you whenever you travel. Apart from having to sign the odd autograph it should smooth your progress nicely!

Kieran_Burns

DonDaddyD wrote:

bails87 wrote:

Cyclists can't ride in the olympic lanes, as far as I'm aware.

Why can't you ride your bike to work?

I can but that, as with the train, involves riding through Stratford.

Wear Team GB kit - you'll get cheered through and people will get out the way

DonDaddyD

BigMat wrote:

Cycle to the next stop after Stratford on the way out and pick up train there? You should be OK coming back I would have thought, just get off when it gets packed. Or cycle the whole way...

Interesting. Annoyingly, I'd have to detour my route to get on a train at the station (Maryland I think) after Stratford.

I could ride the full route - whether this could be done everyday, I'm not sure. It's the getting through Stratford (town centre) that is the biggest issue as it's where the olympic park is and it'll be mayhem.

The Route back, well technically I'll be on th train well before it gets to Stratford. I could get off at Stratford and ride home from there. Or just look miserable and stay on the train until Livepool street and have my bike get in the way of everyone.

Cafewanda

Ensure your bike is filthy. Guaranteed an exclusion zone around you

TheStone

Are we really gonna get the influx of people that's being suggested?
Seems very optimistic. It'll be busy, but will it really be that noticeable?

Pufftmw

Ride out the A13 (Commercial Road) to Caanning Town & then up the A124 (Barking Road) to Goodmayes - simples

rick_chasey

Ben6899

TheStone wrote:

Are we really gonna get the influx of people that's being suggested?
Seems very optimistic. It'll be busy, but will it really be that noticeable?

I honestly think it'll be a nightmare, mate. I'll be working from home.

EKE_38BPM

TheStone wrote:

Are we really gonna get the influx of people that's being suggested?
Seems very optimistic. It'll be busy, but will it really be that noticeable?

Are you being serious?!
Have you ever been to London? Ever seen a rush hour? DDD has to go past the main stadia of the the Olympics! Rush hour (thats a misnomer if ever I've heard one) is bad enough under normal circumstances, throw in tens of thousands of extra tourists and it will be a nightmare. DDD is right to be concerned.

jonginge

I'll be mainly working from home. But, yeah, it'll be grim. The (now partial) closure of Hammersmith flyover has gridlocked other bits of SW london during rush hour. The extra olympics traffic will have a similar effect in the east, I reckon

spen666

Cafewanda wrote:

Rent a room in Goodmayes and go home for the weekends. You .........

for a small say nominal fee, I can offer you my Garden shed in Goodmayes - or for a slightly larger fee, the dog will let you share its kennel


[ BTW I have neither a garden shed or a dog but I am v near Goodmayes- infact a couple of hundred yards from your work DDD]

Perhaps you could do my work and I'll go to your place of work

DonDaddyD

I must have seen you by now! Interestingly enough Spen, how will you be dealing with the extra traffic?

TheStone

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Are you being serious?!
Have you ever been to London? Ever seen a rush hour? DDD has to go past the main stadia of the the Olympics! Rush hour (thats a misnomer if ever I've heard one) is bad enough under normal circumstances, throw in tens of thousands of extra tourists and it will be a nightmare. DDD is right to be concerned.

Not convinced. The stadium only holds 80k. There doesn't seem to be much overlap between the events at the Olympic Park, so what's the difference between that and an England game at Wembley, or Arsenal at home?

And it's the summer, so maybe 1 million (?) less children going to/from school.

rebs

My mum works for a roofing company which is just off a normal road which is to be turned into a Olympic lane near Stratford. They have yet to be told how they are expected to get the vans in and out of their depot as of yet.

EKE_38BPM

TheStone wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Are you being serious?!
Have you ever been to London? Ever seen a rush hour? DDD has to go past the main stadia of the the Olympics! Rush hour (thats a misnomer if ever I've heard one) is bad enough under normal circumstances, throw in tens of thousands of extra tourists and it will be a nightmare. DDD is right to be concerned.

Not convinced. The stadium only holds 80k. There doesn't seem to be much overlap between the events at the Olympic Park, so what's the difference between that and an England game at Wembley, or Arsenal at home?

And it's the summer, so maybe 1 million (?) less children going to/from school.

Right, I'm guessing that you live in a cave so cannot comprehend a crowd of more than 4 or 5 people.
The athletic stadium holds 80k
The aquatic centre holds 17.5k
Basketball 12k
BMX 6k
Volleyball 6k
Hockey 16k

There will be tourists milling around, officials, athletes, media etc for the olympics itself plus lots of people just milling around enjoying the atmosphere.

Are you really comparing a one off event like an Arsenal game to the three weeks of the "Greatest show on Earth"?
Come on. Engage your brain cell and have a good hard think about it!

DonDaddyD

It's not just one staium or multiple events happening at the same time, there is the whole Olympic park, visitors and revellers and then there is the small matter of that gigantic shopping centre that is sure to attract more people.

And even without the Olympic tourists - transport disruptions folding two lanes into one so the other lane can be used for "Olympic" traffic is going to have a knock on effect.

Ben6899

I am preparing myself to endure some pretty substandard Tube Etiquette.

TheStone

The media will be large. But those event capacities are tiny in the whole scheme of things and there's not that much overlap.

The Olympic lanes will probably cause the most issues, but generally people will stay away in anticipation of the increased traffic. Are people really gonna go shopping at Westfield deliberately because the Olympics are on and there will be more traffic?

rick_chasey

Ben6899 wrote:

I am preparing myself to endure some pretty substandard Tube Etiquette.

Hell yeah.

Was explaining to a chap that just because he's tall doesn't mean he should put his legs where I need to stand only this morning.

Ben6899

TheStone wrote:

Are people really gonna go shopping at Westfield deliberately because the Olympics are on and there will be more traffic?

Yes. The general public are fucking idiots.

il_principe

I'm planning a holiday. Anyone here been to Croatia?

The Olympic traffic lanes thing annoys me. Why can't they use the river as much as possible?

Ben6899

My mate got a job as one of the VIP chauffeurs. He hasn't driven in 12yrs. I look forward to his stories.

TheStone

Ben6899 wrote:

TheStone wrote:

Are people really gonna go shopping at Westfield deliberately because the Olympics are on and there will be more traffic?

Yes. The general public are ******* idiots.

..... was thinking that as I typed !!

EKE_38BPM

The more I think about this, the more I doubt The Stone's sanity!
Obviously not a city dweller or just someone with no imagination.

Ben6899

TheStone wrote:

Ben6899 wrote:

TheStone wrote:

Are people really gonna go shopping at Westfield deliberately because the Olympics are on and there will be more traffic?

Yes. The general public are ******* idiots.

..... was thinking that as I typed !!

You should see the tourists where I live - they're like fucking moths to a flame; zig-zagging all over the footway, stepping out in front of cars, buses and bikes. I think one can multiply this erratic behaviour by 100 come July.

DonDaddyD

I may go on holiday.