YOU COMMUTER BOYS AND GIRLS ARE AMAZING/NUTS/COOKOO…
Jesus that was a shock to the system, not done a rush hour commute for years and even that was the Oxford ring road, not Kent to the City via the blackwall tunnel!!!
The GSXR750 is definatly NOT a commuter bike (sorry for stating the obvious) and I’ll be buggered if I’m doing it again unless theres a very good reason… like a bike meet one eve near here.
Met a work mate on the A20 on her R6 cos i’d only been into work via train before and didn’t know the way by road lol. Now I do understand the “London mindset” that needs to be adopted as I’ve ridden round here loads on my CBR400 years ago, every journey was a mission then, I got lost and almost killed every time but got used to it. Then I used to join the meets at the Ace and Cubana in the day on my fireblades. I’ve even done the “riding in the rain” malarky too but this morning has confirmed… I’m passed this and I definatly am a fair weather rider who only rides for pleasure
Big respect to you guys who do it every day, its definatly a test of survival out there. I wasn’t in a mad rush, I even pulled over to let some bikes past… and I’m not the slowest of filterers I was just trying to understand my route and not just follow as well as look out for all the nutters changing lanes without looking while entering the tunnel.
Well i’ll try to have a lil fun with the traffic on the way home, maybe i’ll do it again on early shifts, 0530 traffic will be bliss compared to 0830 yesterday morning I’m sure
Then in the eve I wrote…
The journey home was just horrific!!! Tell you what, it wouldn’t be too bad if I could manover the bike easily while sat on it like normal people, being 5ft 1ish its a nightmare… but who needs to do that while on a good blast down a wicked road… which is what i do best and will be sticking to from now on
Thanks to all the bikes who asked if I was ok and nodded while parked up waiting for her in the shell at 5 ways on the A20 and sorry to those who I got in the way of.
I think I may have even ran a red light!!! … theres just waaaay too much stuff going on in city traffic
I’d much rather drive in my R32 to a train station and enjoy a 25 minute sit down on the train reading the metro and 4 minute walk to work… ahhh bliss
I just spent the last 2 days in London. It’s as bad as I remember it. I had two car drivers overtake/undertake me (1 in a 50, 1 in a 30) and cut close by on purpose to ‘scare’/attempted murder me. I don’t understand that. How small must your balls be if you have to do that? I mean, if you’re too gutless to get a bike, you can’t filter your car in traffic and you can’t pass me on a national, what does overtaking me in a 30 prove when I won’t break the limit?
Can’t say I miss it. Filtering like a maniac just doesn’t give me the thrill it used to.
There’s a bit in These Are the Days that Must Happen to You where Dan Walsh writes about riding through London traffic, filtering etc. It rang a few bells with me.
hehe, stop being a girls blouse, get on the bike and give me the R32, i hate london, but i think i wouldn’t mind in your car… i hope you got it in blue?
The only colour hun (although before that I never thought i’d want a blue car)
The funny thing is, the door to door time is shorter on the train than the bike… and as I already have my season ticket i’ll leave the bike for the fun stuff although it probably be fun on an upright bike, scooter or something I could at least tough the floor on.
However, I do feel that riding daily through London keeps me really sharp and despite the huge number of careless drivers, brainless pedestrians, suicidal cyclists and general morons out there … I still enjoy my ride.
My route is Hampstead - Wapping and I usually cut through the City. The run home is much more fun because it’s usually not until around midnight, the roads are pretty clear and my exhaust makes a lovely noise!
Have to say that my normal commute from Enfield to West End is pretty fun compared to Kent to London. Context on that - I had to go down to Folkstone yesterday for a meeting, so thought that the weather was good it should be a laugh. Was I ever wrong, the 20 is defo one of the most boring stretches of road - no traffic and pretty straight, got boarded real quick. One thing though must have seen at least 6/7 'busa’s in 20 mins are they breeding them in Kent? Other highlight was the 20 odd convoy of 'wings coming back from channel tunnel.
Give me my morning commute, battling with the taxi’s/school run mums and Mr White van any day - I get more satisfaction/buzz from that than a mile munching route some of you guys have. No offense and hats of to you, question though how do you stop the rear end aches as mine killed after yesterday???
Carla?, how right you are mate ! Just takes us one ride into london to understand how our other biker using friends have to compete every day to get to work !! Im same as you, my first time i couldnt believe it either, i even put out a post on here too years ago, giving a “big up” and “respect” to all of us that have to make that journey!I still say the same today…its a nightmare, talk about riding with ur wits about u every second !! There just seems to be no end of potential accidents !! sod that !!
Actually I used to ride in at either at 0600 and out at 2000 for my old job in the West end from Kent and that wasn’t a problem at all, think it was just the route we took. Maybe I could try the A2/old kent road route when i’m feeling brave and on earlies, thats better apparently… Kim, which way do you go hun?
I do Bromley to Islington every day, its quite nice, could do without KingWilliam Street as its just crap, but by the time i reach the office i am eyes open wide awake. You always get the odd moment but equally you get a funny moment or two. Today at the lights at the bank of englad a bus had a few ‘issues’ clearing the junction. The whole queue of traffic just went bonkers honking and shouting, there is me and 3 other bikers at the front just p***g ourselves laughing. The rage on these peoples faces over somethign so trivial was funny as FK. made my ride quite entertaining! Well that and my daily “good morning officers” to the boys in blue with the hairdryer at london wall.
(although before that I never thought i’d want a blue car)
although it probably be fun on an upright bike, scooter or something I could at least tough the floor on.