Richmond Park - well that was interesting

lanternerouge79

Many years ago i used to enjoy RP as it was a relatively safe and not too busy place to cycle, even on a Saturday morning between 7 and 10. I was even worth the near 2 hour round trip to get there and back.

Due to massive increase in cycling it just became for me too busy with dangerous/inconsiderate chaingang and TT's.

I've nothing against chaingangs in principle as they teach good bike handing etc but when groups of 20 regally overtake and completely swamp you at speed and cut in front of you enough is enough.

Far easier to cycle 30 minutes north and hit the hertfordshire county roads, which ironically are more safer. Well it feels like it anyway.

As for cars using the park they should either be banned or only allowed one way but hell will freeze over first i guess.

Ben6899

I only end up in the park when making my way to - or from - the Surrey hills.

So I'm not the greatest authority... but, I can't see why cars should be banned although there's merit in implementing a 1-way system.

Oh and in the early life of this thread, I just love all the lazy, moderately offensive "Londoner" generalisations.

Mikey23

i have only been in RP once which was this years RL and my opinion is jaundiced by the fact that i had to stand in it for 20 minutes in the pouring rain while they scraped some guy off the tarmac. at least everyone was going at the same speed and in the same direction. i thought it was ok but there are dozens of places i would rather be riding locally and not have to put up with the arrogant and ignorant cretins of which you speak...

IShaggy

I reckon I've completed at least 1000 laps of the park over the years. It's a great resource for London cyclists. Not sure there's anywhere else close by where you can get a quality ride (great for Z4 + efforts) uninterupted by traffic lights or junctions, or queues of cars. But that's during the week when it's quiet. During peak times at the weekends it can be a little crazy and the behaviour of a few cyclists and drivers does leave a little to be desired. But I would disagree with some of the other posters who seem to infer that it is the majority. It is only a minority, but obviously these are the ones we remember. The trick at the weekends is to cycle clockwise. 90% seem to cycle anti-clockwise. I suspect that this is because it is perceived to be faster? You will get held up going either way. And this is usually behind a line of cars, queuing behind slower cyclists. So if you're after a quick lap then don't bother. But if you're prepared to be patient and slow up every so often then you'll still get a good - only occasionally interupted - ride in.

I hope the consultation meeting goes well, and is a balanced discussion rather than the typical 'cyclists are public enemy number one and will steal your children away' public flogging. The park is a wonderful resource, and I'd hate for its use to be limited.

Having said all that, I'm moving to Bristol in a few weeks time, as London is way too busy for me these days. I currently do most of my riding in the Surrey hills, and it's so busy that it feels like being in a sportive every day. There's no longer the camaraderie that there was a few years ago. If you were to ackowledge every rider that you pass in the hills, then you'd look like a nodding dog.

KnightOfTheLongTights

IShaggy wrote:

And this is usually behind a line of cars, queuing behind slower cyclists.

Another of my bugbears (sorry veronese, i know, I need to be a bit more live and let live, but ...): if you are riding at 12 miles an hour, please single out, it is NOT your god-given right to ride two abreast, especially not if you have a long queue of cars and cyclists behind you.

And whilst I'm getting it off my chest: people who drive to RP, and get their bike out of their car to ride!!? Now I'm talking youthful men with flash bikes here (often TT'ers / tri), not the elderly or those with kids... If you live far enough away from RP that you have to drive to get there then you live near real countryside, so why not get a map out and use that instead? Otherwise, ride to the f'ing park.

IShaggy wrote:

I currently do most of my riding in the Surrey hills, and it's so busy that it feels like being in a sportive every day.

On a sunny weekend, yes.
I sometimes work Saturdays and have Monday off, and yesterday and last Monday (when, if you recall it absolutely hooned it down) I barely saw one other person riding in anger.
Likewise just watch the numbers at the weekend drop right off from now until next April ...
But yes, I yearn for less congested countryside than Surrey.

veronese68

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

IShaggy wrote:

And this is usually behind a line of cars, queuing behind slower cyclists.

Another of my bugbears (sorry veronese, i know, I need to be a bit more live and let live, but ...): if you are riding at 12 miles an hour, please single out, it is NOT your god-given right to ride two abreast, especially not if you have a long queue of cars and cyclists behind you.

These are the people that I think would be happier on the trail.
They wouldn't have a line of cars behind them and they are going slowly enough not to be a menace to families. Even singled out the roads are often too narrow to pass on.

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

And whilst I'm getting it off my chest: people who drive to RP, and get their bike out of their car to ride!!? Now I'm talking youthful men with flash bikes here (often TT'ers / tri), not the elderly or those with kids... If you live far enough away from RP that you have to drive to get there then you live near real countryside, so why not get a map out and use that instead? Otherwise, ride to the f'ing park.

There was a girl that lived next door to me a few years back that would drive to the gym at the top of the Bentalls centre. It takes longer to drive and park than it does to walk from my place even if there is no traffic. I really can't explain that. Although as you say families with kids and such like are a different proposition.

kingstonian

Veronese68 wrote:

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

IShaggy wrote:

And this is usually behind a line of cars, queuing behind slower cyclists.

Another of my bugbears (sorry veronese, i know, I need to be a bit more live and let live, but ...): if you are riding at 12 miles an hour, please single out, it is NOT your god-given right to ride two abreast, especially not if you have a long queue of cars and cyclists behind you.

These are the people that I think would be happier on the trail.
They wouldn't have a line of cars behind them and they are going slowly enough not to be a menace to families. Even singled out the roads are often too narrow to pass on.

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

And whilst I'm getting it off my chest: people who drive to RP, and get their bike out of their car to ride!!? Now I'm talking youthful men with flash bikes here (often TT'ers / tri), not the elderly or those with kids... If you live far enough away from RP that you have to drive to get there then you live near real countryside, so why not get a map out and use that instead? Otherwise, ride to the f'ing park.

There was a girl that lived next door to me a few years back that would drive to the gym at the top of the Bentalls centre. It takes longer to drive and park than it does to walk from my place even if there is no traffic. I really can't explain that. Although as you say families with kids and such like are a different proposition.

You and I should meet up for a beer one day in Kingston because we would have a great time moaning about exactly the same things !!!

mm1

Must be nearly 20 years since I last rode in the park, but my formative cycling years were spent riding through or round it (grew up in Hounslow, lived in Twickenham and on my 2nd ever clubrun we rode through the park on our way to the Surrey hills).

I remember seeing a bad crash on the mountain bike track shortly after it opened and the road was already too busy for me in the mid 80's so lord knows what its like now. Though I have very fond memories of RP, I had to smile when a clubmate who moved to London recently described cycling round it now as being "like a fashion parade".

veronese68

Kingstonian wrote:

You and I should meet up for a beer one day in Kingston because we would have a great time moaning about exactly the same things !!!

That could be a long night of ranting. Sounds good, I'll be in the Wych Elm later...moaning probably.

kingstonian

Veronese68 wrote:

Kingstonian wrote:

You and I should meet up for a beer one day in Kingston because we would have a great time moaning about exactly the same things !!!

That could be a long night of ranting. Sounds good, I'll be in the Wych Elm later...moaning probably.

Blimey, that's a 2 min walk from my house. Am feeling crap with man flu, so won't share germs with you, but enjoy your pint.