Longer but safer/nicer commutes

jeatsy

I was comparing notes the other day with a fellow commuter, and he was surprised to see the lengths I go to (literally) to avoid a road which is too narrow and heavily trafficked for my tastes. Unless I'm REALLY late for work, I tend to take a journey that's 10 to 15 minutes longer than the direct one. Actually it's only 2 km longer but much more stop-start, which is what accounts for the extra time.

This got me thinking, what kinds of "detours" do others take to make their commute safer, or less polluted, or simply more pleasant? And do you take them all year round like I do, or just sometimes?

cookeeemonster

If I leave later than a certain time I'll add a couple miles and take some country lanes to avoid traffic/lights and so on (I'm in London but only just). In fact I do this a lot more now even if I leave early as it's just nicer.

Worth it in my opinion!

roger_merriman

I work north of Heathrow, and live some way south of it, the direct route which is vile multi lane, stop start traffic is about 10 miles, but I link Bushy-crane-Hounslow parks plus the Parkway Cycle path so it’s fairly pleasant route is it slower? Possibly though it does by pass most traffic.

I only every use the direct route with the road bike which is light and fast, but can’t cope with broken glass and what not like the heavy brute of the MTB. My feeling is not much in it, and it’s a far nicer route!

N0bodyOfTheGoat

On the way in, I take the most direct and quickest way, but even though early traffic at 0600-0700 has increased in the last ~5 years it's still not that bad. I also discovered this year that it's marginally quicker to turn off the A3024 after Northam Bridge and head through Bevois Valley and Bedford Place to reach Shirley Rd, rather than going up the A road to Jurys Inn roundabout to Bedford Place, especially if the level crossing is clear.
~4.2 miles.

On the way home though, early to mid afternoon, I stay off the busy main roads altogether if going home without Witts hill reps (which I've rarely done this year so far, been too tired after work most days). Gurney/ Bramston/ St James/ Raymond before using Cemetery to then use Alma/ Spring/ Lawn/ Dukes/ Horsehoe Bridge. Northam Bridge has shared use pathways on both sides, but unless it's been raining heavily recently, I'll use the SUSTRANS boardwalk which leads to the gravel path that goes under Northam Bridge and then use the path to go up Quayside/ Chessel/ Brownlow/ Whites before using the subway to go beyond Bitterne leisure centre.
~5.5 miles, but far more pleasant and worth the extra distance!

gbsahne001

Direct is 7.2 miles but I usually do 15.5 in the morning (sometimes 20 if I leave early enough), as the roads are nicer and it lets me have some "me" time to sort my head out and prepare for the day.

Home is usually a shorter route, anywhere from 10 - 14 miles, depending upon mood.

The only times I go direct, is if I'm late or ill; case in point was earlier in the year when I had a really bad chest infection.

shirley_basso

Direct 52. Nicer route about 60. always take the nice route in but so far have only taken the direct route home.

voodooman

On the way to work - quick as I can, from Upper Shirley (nr King Edward VI school) to Clay Hill on the south side of Brockenhurst. 11 miles.

On the way back any excuse to detour either through the woods to Beaulieu Rd Station and then Ipley and Eling, or even better from Lyndhurst up past Bolderwood and then back across the top of the forest and Nomansland to Romsey; past Broadlands Estate / Nursling and home. 25 miles and bloody glorious with just the A road out of Romsey being a bit crap /scary for about a mile.

voodooman

Not that it matters, as new job in Godalming means a 55 mile commute every day starting in September. I'll be getting fat and unfit I guess, though new job = new house = new man cave rather than shed. No new bike as just won't justify it, and it's back to running after 6 glorious years of cycling 4 days / week.

slowbike

I can ride the country A road the whole way - and keep the commute down to just a smidge over 9 miles - or I can turn off the main road 1/2way and make it just under 11. There are a few other options - most of which take me to ~15 miles and a lot hillier - so I don't tend to do these on the way in.

My route depends on a) the weather and b) what time I've left home or returning - what time do I want to be home (which with a toddler in the house - sooner rather than later )
the country A road traffic isn't nice - but it's not that bad most of the time - they've got used to cyclists being there and tend to give us plenty of room.

cruff

Having done London commuting (I guess that's what this is primarily aimed at) through both South London (from Reigate) and South West (from Woking) I think it's actually MORE dangerous to ride via circuitous routes - the traffic on 'quieter' streets is invariably rat-running or school mums in Chelsea Tractors. Had far more extremely serious near misses on side roads than I have main roads

j_mcd

voodooman wrote:

Not that it matters, as new job in Godalming means a 55 mile commute every day starting in September. I'll be getting fat and unfit I guess, though new job = new house = new man cave rather than shed. No new bike as just won't justify it, and it's back to running after 6 glorious years of cycling 4 days / week.

Keep on the bike! I come in from Shalford (just down up the road from The 'Ming) and it's a 42 mile ride into Canary Wharf. Really nice ride as well and easily doable (although I wouldn't do it home as well). In the winter, when the dark weather gets a little oppressive just cycle to Guildford, get on a slow train and get off somewhere closer to London. My usual stop of choice is Effingham.

njee20

J_MCD wrote:

voodooman wrote:

Not that it matters, as new job in Godalming means a 55 mile commute every day starting in September. I'll be getting fat and unfit I guess, though new job = new house = new man cave rather than shed. No new bike as just won't justify it, and it's back to running after 6 glorious years of cycling 4 days / week.

Keep on the bike! I come in from Shalford (just down up the road from The 'Ming) and it's a 42 mile ride into Canary Wharf. Really nice ride as well and easily doable (although I wouldn't do it home as well). In the winter, when the dark weather gets a little oppressive just cycle to Guildford, get on a slow train and get off somewhere closer to London. My usual stop of choice is Effingham.

New job in Godalming, rather than commuting into London from there. Although buying a new house with a massive commute sounds pretty daft! I'd still advocate a drive half ride half or similar though, it's what I do.

I'm contemplating trying a different route tonight as I find the last 7-8 miles of mine a slog. My potential route is 2 miles further, and actually on busier roads, but a change is as good as the rest or whatever!

For anyone with any insight it's between Kingston and Mickleham, I normally ride up Villiers Avenue to the junction then go through Hook, Chessington, past Barwell business park, Malden Rushett and through Leatherhead. Contemplating trying turning off Villiers Avenue, over the railway, A240 through Tolworth (and over the A3 at Tolworth Tower), Ewell, Epsom then down to the Givons Grove roundabout.

The shortest route for me would cut about 3 miles off, going straight up the A24 and along CS7, but it's absolutely horrible, so I don't do it anymore!

milemuncher1

I’d rather do this than do the same journey on trains / public transport, and I do sometimes. It counts as a commute, because I’m usually doing it for the purposes of work as well. There’s a shorter flatter alternative, but that involves using 120 miles of the A3, at rush hour times, which sounds like a worse idea to me, unless I get flattened in the ASL by Parsons Green, which is a traumatic experience by itself.

elbowloh

njee20 wrote:

J_MCD wrote:

voodooman wrote:

Not that it matters, as new job in Godalming means a 55 mile commute every day starting in September. I'll be getting fat and unfit I guess, though new job = new house = new man cave rather than shed. No new bike as just won't justify it, and it's back to running after 6 glorious years of cycling 4 days / week.

Keep on the bike! I come in from Shalford (just down up the road from The 'Ming) and it's a 42 mile ride into Canary Wharf. Really nice ride as well and easily doable (although I wouldn't do it home as well). In the winter, when the dark weather gets a little oppressive just cycle to Guildford, get on a slow train and get off somewhere closer to London. My usual stop of choice is Effingham.

New job in Godalming, rather than commuting into London from there. Although buying a new house with a massive commute sounds pretty daft! I'd still advocate a drive half ride half or similar though, it's what I do.

I'm contemplating trying a different route tonight as I find the last 7-8 miles of mine a slog. My potential route is 2 miles further, and actually on busier roads, but a change is as good as the rest or whatever!

For anyone with any insight it's between Kingston and Mickleham, I normally ride up Villiers Avenue to the junction then go through Hook, Chessington, past Barwell business park, Malden Rushett and through Leatherhead. Contemplating trying turning off Villiers Avenue, over the railway, A240 through Tolworth (and over the A3 at Tolworth Tower), Ewell, Epsom then down to the Givons Grove roundabout.

The shortest route for me would cut about 3 miles off, going straight up the A24 and along CS7, but it's absolutely horrible, so I don't do it anymore!

I don't think the A240 through Tolworth is a nice route. I think i'd try to avoid it in rush hour, particularly that roundabout over the A3.

greenamex2

On a dry day I do an extra 1.5 miles to avoid ending up as a "hood ornament" on the A414.

On wet day day I then do an additional 0.4 miles to cut down on bottom bracket/wheel bearing replacements.

However both routes are still under an hour so acceptable.

roger_merriman

Cruff wrote:

Having done London commuting (I guess that's what this is primarily aimed at) through both South London (from Reigate) and South West (from Woking) I think it's actually MORE dangerous to ride via circuitous routes - the traffic on 'quieter' streets is invariably rat-running or school mums in Chelsea Tractors. Had far more extremely serious near misses on side roads than I have main roads

Living out far to the west, I’m lucky in that I have the Royal and otherwise Parks which I can link together. My not quite 12 mile commute is just over 2 miles of side streets and just over 2 miles of main roads though does have cycle paths mostly and mostly fairly good. Just over 3 miles of the 3 Parks I use, and lastly 4 miles of cyclepaths/routes which is for all but one tiny section traffic free.

I did cut out one section originally but was a rat run so gave the main road a go which I discovered had a decent cyclepath with magic paint to keep cars away which it mostly does, though in fairness other side streets etc aren’t rat runs so are fine.

njee20

elbowloh wrote:

I don't think the A240 through Tolworth is a nice route. I think i'd try to avoid it in rush hour, particularly that roundabout over the A3.

A240 was fine, there's a cycle path route 'through' the roundabout, which is quite neat and was slightly quicker than queuing with the traffic. Route was a bit circuitous though, and I'd forgotten what a slog it is from Epsom to Leatherhead, and then after you've crossed the M25 to the descent to Givon's Grove, and then the traffic was solid down to Givon's Grove, meaning riding into oncoming traffic at speed. All in... bit rubbish, back to the shorter, but not shortest, route.