Just don’t tell these guys central London may become a 20mph zone. The City of London has just approved an investigation in to the benefits of applying a 20mph speed limit across the whole of the Square Mile. This follows similar moves by Islington ...
Safe cycling in London
What an RAF pilot can teach us about being safe on the road
“Sorry mate, I didn’t see you”. Is a catchphrase used by drivers up and down the country. Is this a driver being careless and dangerous or did the driver genuinely not see you? According to a report by John Sullivan of the RAF, the answer may have ...
How to make your next bike ride safer than the last
Have you ever heard any of the below advice that is frequently thrown around: Wear high-vis Wear a helmet Wear appropriate clothing Typically, this will come from a journalist writing for a car publication or someone with a deadline, and ...
How a simple sticker is reducing the number of doorings in New York
In New York City, the Department of Transportation (the equivalent of our TfL) has unveiled a new initiative aiming to reduce the number of doorings. This is when a driver or passenger opens their door in the way of a cyclist. Something that here in ...
Police cracking down on cyclists in London’s parks
A few weeks back, I was trying to become a little less pasty, by catching the sun near the Highgate Ponds in Hampstead Heath. Being a people (and bike) watcher, I observed the number of cyclists pedalling past. All of them were riding respectfully ...
What would you do if you saw a cyclist getting doored?
On a recent ride along the Camden High Street London Cyclist reader Kylie witnessed a cyclist being doored. Unbelievably, instead of apologising and checking the cyclist was okay the driver aggressively told him off for getting in the way. Kylie ...
Safe cycling TV advertising – Good or bad idea?
We all remember the advert. A child is being filmed by his friend on a camera phone playing around. As he crosses the street he doesn’t look left and a car runs him over. The advert still sends shivers up my spine. Some will claim the advert is a ...
Is it safe to cycle in London?
Hey - my name is Anna, writing to you from Denmark, I have a rookie question you might be able to answer. I don't know anything about the bike culture in London or the facilities on the roads and would like to ride in zone one. Do you ...
A chance to remember the cyclists killed in London this year
This table lists the cyclists killed in London in 2011: Gary Mason (48, male) Sandy Lane South Daniel Cox (28, male) Dalston Junction Tom Barrett (44, male) A40 David Poblet (20, male) Tanner Street Paula Jurek (20, female) Camden ...
Saturday ride visiting ten most dangerous junctions comes in the wake of Boris Johnson’s negative comments towards cyclists
"It grieves me to sometimes, to see the way that [Transport for London] is blamed.” was Boris Johnson’s response when pushed by Jenny Jones about cyclist safety. In his response, the Mayor then continues by denouncing suggestions for safer ...
Do you occasionally cycle up one way streets?
I was on my way to the Little Greek Pie Company the other day feeling the need for a delicious pie. (I frequently get this need). Time was on my hands so I thought, you know what, I don’t fancy battling it out on the busy roads, I’m going to hit the ...
Three simple rules to follow if you want to stay safe on your bike
Here are three simple rules that should be etched into your mind to help you stay safe whilst out cycling in London. 1# Thou shall never undertake a moving vehicle There’s a reason they put this on all Boris Bikes! When you pass a vehicle on the ...
How to get your bike stolen
It’s fairly easy to get your bike stolen and in this article I’ll talk you through some of the best ways of doing so. I know not everyone wants to have their bike stolen, in the same way, so please feel free to choose one of the methods below that ...
Have you ever had a bike stolen?
For this weeks Comment Friday it’s time to revisit a deep and repressed memory! Bike Theft! Have you had it happen to you and if so what happened? I remember well my bike being stolen outside college. I returned from my class, walked to the bike ...
My Night Riding Bike Set Up
Thank goodness there are less than 30 days to go until the start of British Summer Time but even when the clocks go back, we still have a good few weeks cycling before the light nights enable us to cycle home without our lights. As you all know, I'm ...
How do you deal with aggressive drivers?
We can all spot an aggressive driver a mile off. Revving the engine, driving up too close to the back wheel and generally being a nuisance. I’ll never forget the approach of my friend Godwyns. When he spots an aggressive driver, he will tend to ...
Turning right on a multi-lane roundabout
I don't know how many other people would relate to this but I have a problem summoning up the nerve to turn right at multi-lane roundabouts. I would be interested to get advice on best way to survive this manoeuvre. I'll only go left or straight over ...
How the rest of the world sees us cyclists and how not to answer an interview
Recently LBC radio invited me to talk about an exciting topic: “How safe is London for cycling?”. I was glad that finally main stream media were asking the right questions. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. The topic that was pitched to me was very ...
Should the news of Gary Mason make me doubt myself?
Post by Nicole Hands up those who were spooked by the untimely death of former boxer Gary Mason in a cycling accident at the weekend? I was. Apart from the awful loss of another human being, there are two reasons why this made such an ...
Snow skidding on your bike
Guest post by Godwyns Onwuchekwa Due to the treacherous nature of snow, it can be difficult for the non-fair-weather cyclist to keep up. But there is always a way. For me, the more dangerous it is to cycle, the merrier I am. Living in London for ...