Don't argue with idiots.

iPete

Stating the obvious to be honest.

Been riding a new route nearly a year now yet in the last two weeks I've been intentionally forced off the road and had to kick the side of a car. And today someone in a chavved up Peugeot made me sh*t my pads they passed so close I actually had a go and low and behold the guy went ape like I'd just punted his dog under a bus before wheelspinning off. Admittedly laughing and waving wasn't wise but eurgh, its all around one estate, 95% of the route is perfect but now I'm paranoid that I'll come across these two f*ckwits on a regular basis.

Thinking of changing the route but it takes me up to 23 miles each way that or



Anyway, the morale of the story, don't bother. Secondly, whats Kingston like to go through!?

asprilla

n+1 for your own safety.

iPete

Asprilla wrote:

n+1 for your own safety.

Winner and do quite fancy a new helmet and jacket and...

asprilla

iPete wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

n+1 for your own safety.

Winner and do quite fancy a new helmet and jacket and...

Reversible jacket and a selection of helmet covers as well.

EKE_38BPM

I have the solution to your problem.

mudcow007

even better-er clicky

cornerblock

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I have the solution to your problem.

:shock: and Especially like the 'very discreet' one!!!

veronese68

iPete wrote:

Secondly, whats Kingston like to go through!?

I tend to stay off the one way system, people can treat it as a race track and there is no lane discipline so gets a bit hairy. Having said that it's not that hard to avoid the nastier bits of the one way system.

EKE_38BPM

Veronese68 wrote:

iPete wrote:

Secondly, whats Kingston like to go through!?

I tend to stay off the one way system, people can treat it as a race track and there is no lane discipline so gets a bit hairy. Having said that it's not that hard to avoid the nastier bits of the one way system.

Ride the wrong way around the one way system so that you can see the idiots coming.

notsoblue

iPete wrote:

Secondly, whats Kingston like to go through!?

Its pretty appalling imo. The one way system is nuts. The safest way to navigate through Kingston is to actively avoid any and all cycling infrastructure you see and hope you can keep up with the cars.

asprilla

Kingston? Depends where you are going. Some cycling infrastructure is gash; the bit down the side of Richmond Road south of Sopwith way is invisible and nigh on impossible to get to, and I particularly love the cycle crossing between TGI Friday and Bentalls which doesn't actually tell traffic from the left to stop when you get a green light.

However, if you are skirting around the outside then it's not too bad.

davmaggs

Kingston;

I find that using the cycle paths through the centre works fairly well. You do have to roll slowly to avoid pedestrians at certain times and that can be frustrating, but I've found that it takes about the same time to get out the other side of town as going via the one-way at full pelt (as it is more distance on the road and has traffic lights). I therefore decided that the shorter route was worth doing as there was minimal chance of getting run down for the same time expenditure.

PS former central London rider so not shy about busy roads.

iPete

where can I purchase an M4?

Busy London roads don't bother me, its the narrow 40/50mph roads that are the only way out of my stupid suburb and recently the knuckle draggers around the local estate on the new route.

Going to do a few morning runs along the A315, my old route, as the Hammersmith flyover is now open Chiswick should be bearable again. I'll miss Richmond Park mind, prob do that on the way home.

I could do Kingston but that means heading ever further south. There is apparently a footbridge in Teddington I could entertain. Have to try them all, more Strava segments.

Current:
http://app.strava.com/rides/10633127

Previous:
http://app.strava.com/rides/3789899

Knuckle draggers:
http://app.strava.com/segments/999518

veronese68

The footbridge over Teddington Lock is ok. The daft thing about it is it says no cycling, but if you push your bike you are nearly as wide as the bridge. If you are on your bike and treat others with respect moving to the side and stopping if necessary with a cheery greeting there is more room for them to pass but they will probably tut and tell you there's no cycling.
Also, if you go that way you really should do a lap of the BMX track. The more inappropriate the bike the better. I once did some of it with my son on a tagalong.

Koncordski

Cutting through kingston is ok, you can use the cycle lane opposite the specialized store down to the station, then the 2 way one under the railway bridge and then use the pedestrianised high street to get pretty much anywhere. I used to live in teddington and the comments about the footbridge are right, it says no cycling but when you are on the bike you use half the space :roll: (its a narrow victorian bridge). If you go slow everyone is ok, unless they are old or have a dog. If they are old and have a dog then hop off when you see them, it's not worth the grief!

EKE_38BPM

iPete wrote:

where can I purchase an M4?

The bloke down the pub says he can't get an M4 (military only weapon), but he can do you an AR15. Spec it here and he'll do you a nice price.

aeon

Asprilla wrote:

... I particularly love the cycle crossing between TGI Friday and Bentalls which doesn't actually tell traffic from the left to stop when you get a green light.

this is [unpleasant] news to me.

asprilla

aeon wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

... I particularly love the cycle crossing between TGI Friday and Bentalls which doesn't actually tell traffic from the left to stop when you get a green light.

this is [unpleasant] news to me.

It assumes that traffic is stopped at the ped crossing, which it usually is, but if the traffic is backed up over the cycle crossing from the lights just before Horse Fair / John Lewis tunnel then there is nothing to tell the traffic that it's your priority when they start moving again. Wait until the flower show starts and then you'll see it.

If you look at the lights you'll see that there are lights to tell those approaching the crossing in the cycle lane on the southern side that the crossing light is red (like they can't see the light in the middle of the road) but nothing for the cars. It's madness.

I've been in touch with the engineers about it but they can't or refuse to see the problem. This is a council that has just been given £450,000 to spend on infrastructure having been designated a 'biking borough'. My mind is boggled.

iPete

Think I can give Kingston a miss, the A315 is now bliss that Hammersmith flyover is open! A bit more stop start, no hills or downhills and no deer but its direct. Brentford highstreet has actually installed decent on road cycle lanes, moved car parking off the street and loads of bits are now re-tarmaced ahead of the Olympics

If traffic isn't so bad I can make it ever more direct by staying on the A315 all the way but I'd miss out on Embankment :? rejoining after parliament square.

http://app.strava.com/rides/10707328

cyclingprop

Move house?

iPete

cyclingprop wrote:

Move house?

Fortunately I don't live in the iffy bit! and I have it too good at the mo in terms of cost of living. ie my wiggle fund is plenty, if I move its gone!