Streatham - Oval = an absolute sodding nightmare

cruff

I ride this every day on my commute - and the A23 between Streatham and the Oval is, hands-down, the worst section of road for ar5eholery I've ever encountered. Three times in the past month I have had drivers pull out on me without looking - incoluding most memorably one utter cockwomble in a white van on Streaham High Rd pull across two lanes of traffic upon spotting a parking spot - straight into me.

The section between Brixton and the Oval is especially bad - WTF are people on round there? Actually, I know what at least one of them is on - after he pulled into the bus lane without indicating and almost hit me at 40 k/h and wound down his window to inevitably give me pelters for not having my Cap Of Ultimate Prescience And Knowledge Aforethought on - I got a contact high when I bollocked him.

It's getting worse out there...

sswiss

I used to ride this section 20 years ago.... Sounds like it's has got no better. Was a plethora of white vans and unlicensed minicabs back then.

mtb-idle

I would try turning left at Tooting Bec Road and then right onto the A24/CS7. Can't be any worse than your current journey

buccal

MTB-Idle wrote:

I would try turning left at Tooting Bec Road and then right onto the A24/CS7. Can't be any worse than your current journey

I commute daily from streatham and do the same. Longer route but generally a bit more pleasant.

cruff

That's a great bit of advice, I'll give it a go. I think I know the route - takes you round the back of Tooting Common, up through Balham and then Clapham & Stockwell, right?

Thanks!

mtb-idle

yup, that's the one. straight road once you are on CS7

raymondo60

CS7 is the way to Heaven!

TheStone

zebulebu wrote:

That's a great bit of advice, I'll give it a go. I think I know the route - takes you round the back of Tooting Common, up through Balham and then Clapham & Stockwell, right?

Cut through the Common, then Cavendish Road, Klea Ave, before turning up to CS7.

kurako

If you're coming up Streatham High Road you can also go to Garrad's Road then left onto Bedford Hill which will bring you out at Balham. It's a bit more direct. You just need to remember how to navigate the stupid one way system which I still struggle with after months of taking the young un to skating.

Medders

OP - commuting in from reigate? respect. One of the main reasons I discounted it as a place to live when we moved recently was because I deemed it too far to cycle commute. Clearly not the case...

keyser__soze

Left after Streatham Hill: Drewstead Rd, Sternhold, Thornton, Kings Ave, Bedford Road, hit CS7 at Clapham North. Less traffic than CS7, fewer traffic lights.

option_click

Medders wrote:

OP - commuting in from reigate? respect. One of the main reasons I discounted it as a place to live when we moved recently was because I deemed it too far to cycle commute. Clearly not the case...

It's not that bad really, particularly as the A23 route in to town is largely flat.

What I struggle with is the sheer monotony/boredom of the route - the A23 is not known for its beauty - oh, and the 'danger mile' that is Norbury. Every single close call I've had has been there.

cruff

I've actually moved since this - now in Croydon (unfortunately), so same route (unfortunately!) Reigate is only 25 miles out - on a good day it's do-able in an hour 15 including traffic (faster if you're able to get up at sparrow-fart o'clock)

Yesterday I got my bars swiped by some ar5ehole in a white van round Vauxhall Cross - actually pushed my brake hood in he hit me that hard - apologies if you were the rather shaken looking cyclist who passed me with a look of horror on your face as I pulled his passenger side door open to remonstrate with him. Thankfully though, that's the only near miss I've had for a few weeks now - though it's bound to get worse now that the light is fading in the evening.

Have done the Mitcham, CS7 route a few times, but that bit through Mitcham and turning right onto CS7 is horrendous. I quite like CS7 - apart from the imbeciles cutting across you to go left halfway up Clapham Common.

Going back to Croydon up the A23 is actually not too bad - though the phasing of the lights up Brixton Hill is f***ing annoying - have come close to the KOM on that on three or four occasions only to be foiled by the lights either right at the top or halfway up by the nick.

rjsterry

Carshalton to Farringdon, here. When I've got the time, I ride up through Mitcham, Tooting Broadway, Earlsfield and Wandsworth to pick up the Embankment by Lots Road, but when I'm in a hurry/knackered (mostly the latter of late) my route is as follows:

Up through Mitcham and bear right towards Streatham; just before you get into Streatham (just after going over the railway) turn left into Riggindale Rd (bike only) then wind your way up to Ambleside Ave. Cross the junction and head up Garrard's Road, then right up Woodfield Ave. At the crest of the hill duck right into Mt. Ephraim Rd, then left, then right onto Drewstead Rd. Bear left as you go up and over the railway at Streatham Hill Station, then follow Thornton Rd, Kings Avenue and Bedford Rd to Clapham Rd/CS7. Haven't worked out how to bypass the last stretch up to Kennington and Blackfriars, but until I get to Clapham it's pretty quiet and mostly leafy. The Kings Ave/Bedford Road crossroads gets a few queues, but nothing you can't scoot past.

sketchley

+1 for through / across tooting common and coming out at Clapham North. It can be quite nice to get off the roads for a bit.

elbowloh

Sketchley wrote:

+1 for through / across tooting common and coming out at Clapham North. It can be quite nice to get off the roads for a bit.

I do CS7 from Colliers Wood to Clapham, then cut across Clapham Common to Wandsworth Road, to Vauxhall Cross and over VB to Millbank.

sketchley

elbowloh wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

+1 for through / across tooting common and coming out at Clapham North. It can be quite nice to get off the roads for a bit.

I do CS7 from Colliers Wood to Clapham, then cut across Clapham Common to Wandsworth Road, to Vauxhall Cross and over VB to Millbank.

You could do that easily, across tooting common, out by the shell garage at Clapham South, Across Clapham Common, then ......