This video is very helpful for a new cyclist commuting in London. Having you explain hazards + your thought process as you go is great, as is calling out where in London you are. Would love more of these!
I don't think that this resumes to London! The gentleman code should be one of the papers that we carry along with our id... if we would be concerned about the fellow participants at traffic as a whole we would not have another problem! you should be the change, and the others will follow!
As much as it can be annoying when cars do not pay attention to you, i really like how calm you accept that fact of urban cycling and adapt to that. That really is a train of thought that keeps one safe.
Great vid, useful tips! I often feel pressured by other cyclists to filter when I'm not confident in doing so (once accidentally hit a guy's wing mirror in a panic when I first started). This vid made me realise it's okay to wait if you don't feel safe in doing so!
Absolutely, take your own time. I've been doing this for years, so I'm quite confident through the traffic. If I come across a slower cyclist and there's room, I'll pass, if not I'll wait. I would never moan about a cyclist in front being slower, that's their prerogative. Same thing if a car is close behind or beeps you. Don't be rushed into a situation you're not confident about. Safety first! 🙂👍
I’ve just started cycling into work and watched this before I started. I didn’t realize that most of the route was the same as mine the first time I watched it but recognize it all now. Thanks for the tips; especially the one about the wheel orientation. I’ve used that several times. Glad you’re a red light stopper, collectively cyclists can do more to repair our reputation by adhering to the rules of the road and showing a bit of courtesy.
Glad the video was some use, that front wheel tip has saved me on numerous occasions where drivers haven't indicated. The thing I don't get about cyclists who run red lights is that 99% of the time I catch them at the next junction anyway. There's always a junction too busy that you can't run the red, so you don't ultimately gain anything other than giving the rest of us cyclists a bad name. Safe cycling my friend. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 i agree, in a 12 miles commute i do it like once😅. Still not justifiable. I ride on some of the place from your vids, we'll probably cross paths one day, great content man!!
@@eduardclaudiufadgyas3365 Once lockdown is over and my office is open I hope to see you out there. If you see me on my big orange bike please say hi. 🙂👍
Can really see the attractiveness of using a single speed bike in this environment. Also the drop handlebars being narrower help when filtering some of the really narrow sections. This is a great video for people new to city cycling and to those who are nervous riding in traffic. It's not as dangerous as many people think, you just need to develop the skills and patience.
I've just started watching your videos and it's good to see a responsible cyclist and one who knows the highway code. Your videos actually want me to get cycling again as soon as I've got space to keep a decent bike (moving house soon) although I couldn't keep up with your speeds!
i love cautious driving/cycling, i hope you didn't stop making this kind of videos, as caution is caring for the fellow participant at traffic(motorists, motorcyclists. cyclists and pedestrians) this war has gone to long and caution is the best weapon against it! i especially loved the part about the moral code of the motorist, i did use it as a gentleman way to go in traffic but I learned here the fact that is quite more than that! much love! a great video you have here!
Very helpful video. when filtering traffic I found useful as well to keep the front light on and ringing the bell anytime I consider someone may not notice me. Keep cycling!
The tip about the front wheel is very useful. I think I was doing this unconsciously but now that you have articulated it for me it becomes much more of tool for my safety kit! thank you.
Most welcome, it's a good one to have in the bank as so many people either don't indicate, or flick the indicator on at the same time they turn, giving no notice. Stay safe out there. 🙂👍
An old trick when following a bus was when people stand up the bus is going to stop soon. Bit more difficult now with rear engines and no Routemaster rear platforms.
This kind of narrated video was actually very useful for foreigners like me. I've learnt of refreshed: how to spell "cheek" in "cheeky driver" thanks to the captions, and the phrasal verbs like "hanging in" the cycling and "come around". And then the expressions like "always exercise caution" which we don't usually say because we can just say "be careful"
Most welcome. Be careful is the best advice. I think that cycling in central London isn't that dangerous if you are aware and careful. Safe cycling. 🙂👍
This is the exact same route I do everyday, so interesting watching it. Great tips aswell, especially which way the tires are facing aswell. A tib I have learnt is to always look at how many people are at the bust stop and queing up to get on the bus that may be in front of you, to decide weather to overtake or wait behind if the gap is to small.
These are really helpful. I can train my eye to pay attention to certain things without the stress of the road. I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to wiggle through but it's interesting and good tips for overall safety
Glad the video was useful Nevi. Take care out there. Best tip I can give is to pretend that you are invisible, never assume someone has seen you and plan for that. Keep safe out there. 🙂👍🏻
Very interesting! Riding in London looks quite different from riding in Berlin, because here we have much more cycling infrastructure, also seperated bike paths are much more common. But we also have those two lane streets without any bike infrastructure and I often feel very nervous riding there because the speed of the cars is way faster than mine and drivers can be sometimes very aggressive. And because there is no markings for cycling, I don't really know where to position myself, especially when I want to avoid riding in the door zone. One tip I found very helpful was to position yourself on the position of the right (in your case on the left) wheel of a car. By that your outside the door zone and a driver has to find a gap to pass you, so that they usually keep distance. But I don't know if I would like to go by bike in London, I think it's pretty stressful to ride in heavy traffic without protection.
Thanks for posting this. Even though it's almost 5 years old I don't think the London infrastructure has changed all that much since then, especially in the outer parts where I live. I intend to relearn riding a bike soon so videos like this are invaluable to me.
@@stevenwest6994 Excellent. Take care. If I was to give one bit of advice, it would be to pretend that you are invisible. Cycle on the assumption that nobody has seen you, then you won't be surprised when people pull out on you etc. Safe cycling my friend. 😉👍
This is such a soothing video to watch. Love your useful tips and commentary. Cycling is becoming more common here in Bangalore and the two most annoying things are pedestrians on their phones and cyclists breaking red lights. Cyclists are road users too and therefore must follow traffic lights. It's really simple. Anyway, thanks for the video! Will keep your filtering tips in mind the next time I go outside.
Thank you for your feedback and take care. I have visited Mumbai a few times and I would feel less safe cycling there than I do in London. Ensure you have lots of lights and reflective material on if you're cycling in the dark. 🙂👍
I never knew that about the front wheel of the vehicles. I'll be watching out for it in future. I used to cycle as my main mode of transport until I got knocked down. I've just gone back to it after an 18yr hiatus. I'm very slow at the moment, I always try to keep as near as I possibly can to the kerb so that faster cyclists have room to pass me by.
The front wheel trick has saved me from a few accidents in the past, just buys you an extra second or so of reaction time. Sorry to hear that you had an accident, but glad to hear that you've back on the bike. Take care 🙂👍
You do a better job filtering than I can. Living in Birmingham it was to dangerous to filter because there were always so many lanes cars would change into and lanes going certain directions.
I think it can be easier in London as the traffic is often at gridlock, so if the cars aren't moving it's easier to slip through. Safe cycling my friend. :o)
If all cyclist rode like you then driving in London would be a little better. Plus I did notice the cyclist signal before taking the pavement at the Chelsea house boats. As a school boy I lived in Barnet and would venture out on Sundays, one trip was from home to Beaconsfield Model Village, onto Heathrow to watch planes land on the viewing platform of Ter 2. Then ride how without a map but following buses after checking with conductor who gave me the bus route numbers to get me home. London has always been a busy place but has changed into a mad house now, I'd hate to live and work there now. Stay safe.
Interesting way of doing it, I cycle on a fixed gear through London, I always stay in between the two lanes of traffic (overtaking rather than undertaking), just because I feel I can see a lot more than when on the left. It also means I avoid cars turning into me
Whatever works for you my friend, I do use that technique sometimes but I’ve had a few instances where mopeds and bikes coming the opposite way have also been overtaking and nearly had a head on with me. So I prefer the inside. Pros and cons to each. Keep safe out there. 🙂👍🏻
Just came across this really good video four years late. I cycle quite a bit as well as driving but i live in a rural area with surrounding small towns (5,000/- populations) within a 6 to 20km radius and one bigger town (not a city, 30,000+ population) 20km away as well. I use my bike covered in racks and bags as a car alternative or supplement for local commuting and shopping and anything else. I brought home a weekly household shopping on a bike trailer yesterday and almost every week. Just putting out my pro bike credentials! When I'm in bigger towns and cities I see lots of cyclists particularly in roadie gear filtering and even once seen one taking the wing mirror off a car and keep on going. This is what drives motorists mad about reckless cyclists and no accountability. Every day this happens and nearly always the cyclist disapears into the distance. I actually booked a city cycling lesson a few years ago because I wanted to get experience in how to ride and filter safely in heavy city traffic which I normally only do occasionally but then covid hit, it was cancelled and never rearranged. Something I must rearrange again in the near future. It's a confidence and a skill I would like to develop even if I wouldn't need it often. Looking at your video, I don't know how I could get through some of those gaps. I'm 6'6" tall and ride a big 60cm frame hybrid bike with 70cm wide flat handlebars and I think there would have been several wing mirrors broken in my wake if I tried zipping through between some of those cars at that speed. How wide are your handlebars? In my local small towns I rarely filter unless it's really wide open. Usually there's only minimal delays by waiting with traffic and with very few other cyclists, I don't want to be that asshole who knocks someone's mirror off either. And as a bicycle aware driver, the stories I can tell from my experience of reckless and semi suicidal cyclists are many. I'm also a "white van driver" too. Great video and I will sub after I send this.
Thank you for the feedback. I’m 6’3” so a bit shorter than you but still have a big bike frame. I don’t know the exact answer but my handlebars are a standard width. I’d say the fish eye of the GoPro makes the gaps look slightly tighter than they are. However I’ve been cycling London rush hour for something like 15+ years so I’m very used to squeezing through small gaps. I’ve never knocked a wing mirror thankfully. Like you I’ve seen other cyclists hit a wing mirror, bend it back and keep cycling! When I’ve seen this I’ve always helped the driver by popping the mirror back in place. We all get frustrated out there but key to be considerate to the drivers too. Happy cycling and keep safe 🙂
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 Your reply is much appreciated. I didn't expect one as it was mostly just venting on my own behalf. That side mirror I mentioned was taken clean off the car..... When I'm in larger towns in traffic I just don't risk a lot of passes. Although the number of ridiculously close near misses I've had locally on country and suburban roads from reckless and aggressive drivers is also terrifying. I think a good front and rear camera system is going to be a worthwhile investment in the near future. Stay safe and keep pushing one pedal in front of the other!
@@tconnolly9820 Fortunatley where I cycle in London 90% of the roads are 20mph limit, and the volume of traffic means the vehicles are slow. Reduces the risk of careless drivers blasting past you. I’d certainly recommend a camera. Hopefully you never have an incident, but if you do it takes away the “he said she said” element as you have concrete proof.
Probably not meant to be, but your videos are really relaxing to watch. As I am living outside the UK the laws may be a bit different but the problems for us cyclists are pretty common. It's a great video Ryan! Ride safe! PS: Love the area around and towards Richmond and Kew, not so far from where you stopped, right?
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video. That's right, I live in Putney which is South West London, further Southwest is Richmond and Kew which are beautiful parts of the world. I live Richmond Park and Kew Gardens. Have a great week.
On a bicycle undertaking isn’t a thing it’s just called filtering and it is legal. The 1.5m rule does not apply to bicycles filtering past cars, or to bicycles overtaking one another, only to motor vehicles passing bicycles, and if there isn’t that much room they simply shouldn’t be doing it.
Enjoyed the commentary and tips. I do ride on the roads in my locality but not ready to go on the central London roads yet as haven't been bike riding very long.
As a new cyclist given covid situation on public transport watching you go through those tight gaps was very unnerving for me to watch but I'm sure that comes with confidence over time.
I've been cycling through Central London rush hour daily for over 14 years now. In that time I've built up a lot of confidence. If you are starting out then just take your time. The pavement is right there so if you're ever unsure then pull up and hop off and walk the bike past the junction etc that you're not sure about then hop back on after. Don't feel pressured by traffic behind you to push into situations you're not confident about. Over time you'll build experience. Safe cycling my friend.
I recently started cycling to work and I'm really scared of the traffic, there's no way I'm going to central London yet, but I guess it's best to get more comfortable with quieter roads first :)
I wish I watched this when I first moved to London from Canada, the riding in the city + non grid layout + left hand of the road + single lane experience was exhausting. I had no idea what the etiquette/acceptable/legal practices were and still spent a lot of time erring on the side of 'on the road, act as if any other vehicle' standards. Too much lining up and waiting. Another point I'd like to add to the perceived unfairness of cyclists 'jumping the queue' is we have limited energy and traveling takes a lot more time for us than a car, it's not comfortable waiting in the cold when the British rain and winds are battering you. Great video and explains that were massively helpful for me - would love a video on rules of the road, explains on funky british road signs and paintings (what are those yellow grids about? Stop and allow turns when traffic is stuck?) and interpretations of road rules on uncommon but important circumstances (in your opinion). Keep up the good work.
I'm glad you liked the video, I have ideas for more of the same but haven't found the time yet. Great point about energy, often vehicles and pedestrians expect you to stop to let them pull out or cross despite the cyclist having the right of way. They don't consider that we don't have an accelerator and momentum is key for cycling. Especially for the drivers in their warm, dry heated seats with a gas pedal under their right foot, let cyclists pass before you pull out rather than trying to edge out on us and force us to stop for you. The yellow grids at junctions are supposed to be no stopping zones. Basically it's to stop cars queuing across the junction (say at a cross roads), so that they are not blocking it when the lights change and the other steam of traffic wants to go. You're only allowed to stop in the yellow hatching if you're waiting to turn right. You can get a ticket if you're incorrectly caught stopped in the yellow grid. It's a bit of a free for all in London though, lots of drivers ignore this! Safe cycling my friend. 🙂👍
Give fixed gear a chance, you might like it. Coasting is a non-issue, your legs keep moving but you don't put any effort into it. One benefit is that you get better control at low speeds, you can really modulate your speed more finely than with a brake for example when filtering. Indeed with a bit of practice, you can even trackstand at red lights, when you are doing the ultimate "low speed". No more unclipping from pedals and setting foot on the ground!
Wow fixed gears I'd forgotten about that, used to cycle cross country around Barnet Totteridge and found FG great for that as brakes soon got mud covered. I rode a hand made Carpenter bike frame made to measure from Harry Carpenter Kingstone upon Thames. Also time trials along the Barnet bypass. 1959/60
Hey Ryan, I’m a young road cyclist learning how ride the road properly. I’m just wondering how do you filter through traffic when the road doesn’t have a bike box? Where do I go Stay behind cars or just filter
Hi Zane. Firstly I would base it on each individual scenario, and your own level of confidence. If it’s very busy, there’s not much space and you’re a bit nervous then hold back where you are comfortable. My general approach is to filter up the inside to the front regardless of whether there’s a cycle box or not. Just be sure that the light won’t go green, and cars pull away whilst you’re squeezing through to the front. If you think the light may change soon then just hold where you are. Good luck and keep safe. Far better to take slightly longer and get home safe. 🙂👍🏻
So if its ok to filter when approaching a pedestrian crossing shouldnt you as a cyclists slow down ? Also your filtering in the left lane and completely ignore that your in a left turn only lane for the bridge and carry straight on. Also the part of the embankment where you are travelling on Chelsea embankment filtering up the inside at a fair speed as shown when overtaking the lady cyclists did you give any thought of the pedestrians that may be crossing from the numerous traffic Islands ?
My speed is appropriate, I’m cautious and always ready to stop. There’s no rule preventing me from changing lanes. Many cars often move from the left only lane into the straight ahead lane. And yes, I’m always thinking about pedestrians cutting through the traffic, you have to look constantly to access what’s around you. I wish that pedestrians paid the same level of attention.
I’ve been doing it daily for over 14 years now so any luck would have run out many years ago. Not too much trust either as people are too unpredictable. The main other factor is caution, the camera makes it look faster than it is, I’m typically going at a speed where I can stop dead in just a few metres and my fingers are always on the brakes. Happy new year. 🙂👍🏻
Thank you for these tips! I live really near where you started (along wandsworth bridge road!) and have only cycled on the road once. I went the exact same route as you and it was awful, it was so scary especially before the railway bridge next to Lots Road, especially at rush hour - I thought I was gonna get squeezed by buses But I feel much better now knowing this advice about how to ride through traffic
Thank you Reina. It’s very intimidating when you first start out, but it’s not as bad as it seems. Be cautious and careful and get some experience and you’ll soon feel much more confident. All the best and keep safe. 🙂👍🏻
I enjoyed it, thanks. I feel it would be nice if the cycle hater drivers watched it, to get a different perspective. But they never would, blinded by hate !
Thank you. I use a GoPro chest mount, so the camera is round about my sternum. Gives a good POV view, and far less vibration than if it’s mounted to the bike. Safe cycling 🙂👍🏻
Nice video, and a great introduction to the perils of cycling through rush hour traffic in London. I've ridden that exact same route many times on the way to Teddington via Richmond. As you say, past Putney it generally gets much quieter. BTW you missed a much more interesting car than the Z4 a bit later on, a Citroen SM at 5:44. Cycle safe, my friend.
Man, you all have much different riding laws than here in Indiana. We can't pass a stationary car on the road, we can't weave through traffic. Nope, we have to behave like motor vehicles. Which honestly doesn't make a lot of sense, but it does eliminate a lot of risk if you follow the laws here.
Here in my home Fort Wayne, we even have local laws that allow us to use the pavement. I completely avoid that, as our sidewalks are often in very poor shape.
The rules have just recently changed in the UK to give cyclists additional rights over motorists. These are to ensure drivers give safe space to cyclists. Hope the rules move that way in your state too. Keep safe. 🙂👍🏻
Oh man. Nicely done, but the bike infrastructure is absolutely horrible to nonexistent. Most of what passes as "bike infrastructure" isn't more than paint on the road.
Sadly, cycling in London rush hour there’s not much choice unless you want to just sit in traffic behind a bus sucking up the exhaust fumes. The contingency plan is to bail onto the pavement. Never had to do it, but if necessary a tumble onto the pavement is far preferable to a collision with a car. I would not recommend undertaking where there are railings that would prevent you bailing to the pavement. Keep safe out there 👍🏻
Much better than a Cycling Mikey video, very informative on how to cycle in London, and, not how to cycle, the woman on the pavement, for one of the not how to.
best of transportation in rush hour is cycling....filtering, zigzag lose high traffic, not getting late on working just cycling is the best..👍👍👌👌😁😁 keep safety 🚴♂️🚴♂️ mate...👍
Great video, These kind of things are really useful for less experienced bike riders. I showed a similar one to my girlfriend a couple of years ago rather than just getting her to follow me through traffic. Do you ever filter in the middle of the road (to the right of the cars travelling in the same direction as you)? I find it can be useful sometimes and much less likely to have someone opening their door when stopped in traffic.
Thank you. I do get over to the right sometimes, typically when I know I want to turn right further up and get over in advance. On the whole I keep to the inside. The only time I've been knocked off was by someone opening their car door, long before I had a camera unfortunately.
oh whew , this video is better , i was about to lose faith with the other one you made including the 5 years of crash compilation thru London . Slow motion with an explanation. smiles
Ha yes, most of my videos only show the bad bits (as that gets the most views), I thought I'd try an instructional one to see how it did. Hope it's useful. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 I posted it to my site and to my cycling friends , I was feeling like everyone in London is crazy , after seeing the second video I felt relieved , then noticing the 5 year completion , that calmed me down again . Either way i hate riding in the bigger cities , glad i kayak more than i ride . Good luck to all the brave souls , stay alert , stay safe .
@@klausjensen9150 Thank you. In a strange way, I quite enjoy riding in the city. I think that the cut and thrust of it makes me feel alive. After a hard day at work the cycle home releases the stress of the day and I'm very relaxed by the time I get home. I imagine kayaking is much more relaxing! Take care and keep safe. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 agreed.i feel the same when i used to ride home....but I found out kayaking is a big hit with the ladies . They love it and surprisingly are quite good at it .
For exactly the reason you say, because they were well before the junction. They are indicating but haven't reached the junction yet so can't turn, and are crawling in the congested traffic so no harm in passing in my separate lane. The white car was at the junction and was indicating so I waited until it had turned.
An interesting perspective from an experienced London cycle commuter. At times it sounded a little like the commentary given by a Police driver, it could have been fun to hear you do it live with your cam picking out the audio... it's a left, left, left onto Kings Rd! ;) I'm sure that would get you some interesting looks... would probably help clear the way for you a little! I must say that I prefer the frenetic energy and excitement of your other uploads, but I imagine that it takes you quite some time to accrue footage for those. I look forward to your nexy upload. Stay safe :)
Thank you. Don't worry, the frenetic videos are still coming. I probably have enough to make one for July. Plus I'm thinking of doing a "best of near misses" compilation from my various videos over the years.
What if there are 2 lanes, going the same way and cars going quite slowly in both. If you’re filtering down the left hand lane but you need to go right. Do you signal to get to get into? Also if it’s a stand still and the same scenario applies, would I just weave though them.
I would indicate to the slow moving cars that I wanted to criss through, then once one gave space I’d move to the right hand side of the road along the centre line. I know my route well, so I know where the bottlenecks are and I tend to get across to the right long in advance if the turn if I know the traffic will be slow moving. Often use the preceding set of lights as you can move across the front of the traffic whilst they are stopped at the lights, especially if there’s one of the boxes at the front for cyclists (and someone hasn’t stopped their car in it). 😉👍🏻
Some very tight squeezes/small gaps to cycle through! Requires a lot of concentration and nerve to cycle through such places. One concern is that cycling at some speed where the view ahead (and slightly to the side; right side in particular) is mostly obstructed by the presence of large vehicles (or other large objects). Here is where extreme caution and reduced speed should be employed in the event pedestrians (or whatever else) should suddenly appear from between (large) vehicles. Then one should be able to brake and stop cycling smartly to avoid collision. From this video it appears as though cycling past large vehicles was a such a speed that should have pedestrians or whatever else suddenly appeared from the side in front of the bicycle, stopping/braking in time to avoid collision would have been impossible. This apples mostly to stopped or very slow moving traffic in particular. If I were cycling this same route under the same conditions, I would be cycling much slower in areas where the view ahead and to the sides were (partially) obstructed by large vehicles and other large objects.
Oh wow, I can't even be in London afoot without almost getting hit by a car every single time (bloody left hand traffic :-) ) - I could never imagine to cycle there. So very interesting to see. Be safe, Ryan! :- ) Are you on Strava?
It takes a little getting used to! 😉 I'm not on Strava, I don't use any apps like that as the speed of my commute is dictated by traffic and how I catch the lights etc. Thank you for the wishes and have a great day. 🙂👍
I used to ride and drive in and out of London. I drive a large van and always checked mirrors before moving. You just need to have respect for people no matter what transport mode. Now having said that i ride my bike like a crazy bastard that respects only peds. Soz.
I'd be checking my speed more filtering down the n/s. Especially when the traffic is stationary or where there are buses as your line of sight is limited with respect to peds crossing the road - not to mention the door zone. You should have given a shout to the cyclist at the start of your vid. Me personally I tend to filter down the o/s.
I'm ready on the brakes to stop. I look through the windshields of the cars to see if there's a pedestrian coming through. With buses I look through the doors and windscreen to see if anyone is passing in front. It's definitely a risk so it's eyeballs on stalks in those scenarios.
@TheDailyBiker I don't tend to use the off side unless I have too. As you say it puts you more at risk of the oncoming traffic plus I find its usually full of motorbikes zipping past in both directions. Pros and cons to both inside and off side though so I take your point. I'm always wary of any car when approaching a junction, if their front wheel turns even a fraction I'm hard on the brakes. Safe cycling my friend.
This video makes me think like all those cars are cheap. I see luxury cars everywhere, for what? Wearing them at rush hour? Mercedez, Audi, Volvo, BMW, Range Rover, Jaguar and other brands. You overtook all of them. 😄
Usually, drivers have little patience and they do not respect cyclists. In daytime, they will drive so close to cyclists to intimidate. In the nighttime drivers are a little nicer because they are on their ways to parties or home.
Wow, car traffic looks bad in London. Apparently it is really hard for many people to change their behaviour and try something different than driving a car even when it obviously is not the best choice. Foldable bikes and electric (and non-electric) scooters fit in every trunk, even in really small cars and could be used for mixed transportation, e.g. to bridge the distance from avaliable/not overpriced parking space to your final goal of destination.
You'll be giving cyclists a good name if you don't watch out! Seriously though if all cyclists had your attitude there wouldn't be a problem. Well done. BTW shadows can give away hidden pedestrians crossing recklessly behind large vehicles. Consider the direction of the sun. - motorcyclist.
Some are good, the blue cycle Super Highways. Most are very narrow though and there’s a lot of sections without a lane at all. Hopefully cycle infrastructure continues to improve. 🙂👍🏻
this way or another cyclist should pay insurance - do you thing so and be registered may be pass some safety test before ? what about it - Im driving cars and flying drones and i have to ...
I have insurance. That said though, cyclists pose very little risk to anyone, especially when compared to motor vehicles. I'm against measures that place a barrier between people just being able to pick up a bike and go. So I don't think you should license cycles. What I would like to see is mandatory cycle proficiency training given to all children at school. Teach them how to ride. On busy cycle routes (like the main London commutes) I think there should be a few dedicated police officers who hand out fines for those cyclists who run red lights and cycle on pavements etc. They would quickly pay for themselves and would encourage cyclists to follow the rules. Finally there should be more done to make pedestrians aware of cyclists (so they don't just walk out in front of you). Perhaps that's education that also starts at school. Most cyclist collisions with pedestrians involve a level of fault from the pedestrian also, being in the road when they shouldn't. I don't think you should need a licence and insurance to be a pedestrian. 😉👍
This video is very helpful for a new cyclist commuting in London. Having you explain hazards + your thought process as you go is great, as is calling out where in London you are. Would love more of these!
Thank you. Glad it was useful. I've been a bit busy recently but am planning on making some more videos based on safety. Have a great weekend.
I don't think that this resumes to London! The gentleman code should be one of the papers that we carry along with our id... if we would be concerned about the fellow participants at traffic as a whole we would not have another problem! you should be the change, and the others will follow!
you will see the magic happen when you will gesture a motorist that he can cut you off... i think that traffic pretty much saved humanity!
As much as it can be annoying when cars do not pay attention to you, i really like how calm you accept that fact of urban cycling and adapt to that. That really is a train of thought that keeps one safe.
Agreed, you can’t swim against the tide. I just hope one day the tide will change. 🙂👍🏻
Great vid, useful tips! I often feel pressured by other cyclists to filter when I'm not confident in doing so (once accidentally hit a guy's wing mirror in a panic when I first started). This vid made me realise it's okay to wait if you don't feel safe in doing so!
Absolutely, take your own time. I've been doing this for years, so I'm quite confident through the traffic. If I come across a slower cyclist and there's room, I'll pass, if not I'll wait. I would never moan about a cyclist in front being slower, that's their prerogative.
Same thing if a car is close behind or beeps you. Don't be rushed into a situation you're not confident about. Safety first! 🙂👍
I’ve just started cycling into work and watched this before I started. I didn’t realize that most of the route was the same as mine the first time I watched it but recognize it all now. Thanks for the tips; especially the one about the wheel orientation. I’ve used that several times. Glad you’re a red light stopper, collectively cyclists can do more to repair our reputation by adhering to the rules of the road and showing a bit of courtesy.
Glad the video was some use, that front wheel tip has saved me on numerous occasions where drivers haven't indicated.
The thing I don't get about cyclists who run red lights is that 99% of the time I catch them at the next junction anyway. There's always a junction too busy that you can't run the red, so you don't ultimately gain anything other than giving the rest of us cyclists a bad name.
Safe cycling my friend. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 if you know your commute by heart, you know which red lights can be jumped😁
@@eduardclaudiufadgyas3365 It's easy to do, you shouldn't though. Gives all cyclists a bad name. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 i agree, in a 12 miles commute i do it like once😅. Still not justifiable. I ride on some of the place from your vids, we'll probably cross paths one day, great content man!!
@@eduardclaudiufadgyas3365 Once lockdown is over and my office is open I hope to see you out there. If you see me on my big orange bike please say hi. 🙂👍
Thanks I’ve just started cycling and this video was very helpful. Be proud that you’ve left a mark on the internet that has potentially saved life’s
Thank you, glad that you found it useful. 🙂👍
Can really see the attractiveness of using a single speed bike in this environment. Also the drop handlebars being narrower help when filtering some of the really narrow sections. This is a great video for people new to city cycling and to those who are nervous riding in traffic. It's not as dangerous as many people think, you just need to develop the skills and patience.
More videos like these!! It's interesting to hear your thinking as you cycle - that tip with the front wheels is gold mate
Will do, more is planned. The front wheel tip has saved me many times! 😉👍
I've just started watching your videos and it's good to see a responsible cyclist and one who knows the highway code. Your videos actually want me to get cycling again as soon as I've got space to keep a decent bike (moving house soon) although I couldn't keep up with your speeds!
i love cautious driving/cycling, i hope you didn't stop making this kind of videos, as caution is caring for the fellow participant at traffic(motorists, motorcyclists. cyclists and pedestrians) this war has gone to long and caution is the best weapon against it! i especially loved the part about the moral code of the motorist, i did use it as a gentleman way to go in traffic but I learned here the fact that is quite more than that! much love! a great video you have here!
Thank you, glad you found it useful. Keep safe out there. 🙂👍
Very helpful video. when filtering traffic I found useful as well to keep the front light on and ringing the bell anytime I consider someone may not notice me. Keep cycling!
Thank you, keep safe out there. 🙂👍
The tip about the front wheel is very useful. I think I was doing this unconsciously but now that you have articulated it for me it becomes much more of tool for my safety kit! thank you.
Most welcome, it's a good one to have in the bank as so many people either don't indicate, or flick the indicator on at the same time they turn, giving no notice.
Stay safe out there. 🙂👍
An old trick when following a bus was when people stand up the bus is going to stop soon. Bit more difficult now with rear engines and no Routemaster rear platforms.
Good video, I expect that 20 minute cycle would have taken more than 90 mins to drive.
Oh absolutely, I can't understand why anyone would drive in London during rush hour, so depressing! I'll take the bike anytime, sun, rain or snow! 😉👍
This kind of narrated video was actually very useful for foreigners like me. I've learnt of refreshed: how to spell "cheek" in "cheeky driver" thanks to the captions, and the phrasal verbs like "hanging in" the cycling and "come around". And then the expressions like "always exercise caution" which we don't usually say because we can just say "be careful"
Most welcome. Be careful is the best advice. I think that cycling in central London isn't that dangerous if you are aware and careful.
Safe cycling. 🙂👍
This is the exact same route I do everyday, so interesting watching it. Great tips aswell, especially which way the tires are facing aswell.
A tib I have learnt is to always look at how many people are at the bust stop and queing up to get on the bus that may be in front of you, to decide weather to overtake or wait behind if the gap is to small.
@@muj3 Many thanks. Great tip on the Buses also. Keeps safe out there. 👍🏻
These are really helpful. I can train my eye to pay attention to certain things without the stress of the road. I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to wiggle through but it's interesting and good tips for overall safety
Glad the video was useful Nevi. Take care out there. Best tip I can give is to pretend that you are invisible, never assume someone has seen you and plan for that.
Keep safe out there. 🙂👍🏻
Very interesting! Riding in London looks quite different from riding in Berlin, because here we have much more cycling infrastructure, also seperated bike paths are much more common. But we also have those two lane streets without any bike infrastructure and I often feel very nervous riding there because the speed of the cars is way faster than mine and drivers can be sometimes very aggressive. And because there is no markings for cycling, I don't really know where to position myself, especially when I want to avoid riding in the door zone. One tip I found very helpful was to position yourself on the position of the right (in your case on the left) wheel of a car. By that your outside the door zone and a driver has to find a gap to pass you, so that they usually keep distance.
But I don't know if I would like to go by bike in London, I think it's pretty stressful to ride in heavy traffic without protection.
Amazing to see the ground you can cover during peak hour traffic!
very help vid i am use to edinbrough but this is another level nice tips on keeping safe in london .
@@davidfelton577 Thank you. Keep safe out there 👍🏻
Thanks for posting this. Even though it's almost 5 years old I don't think the London infrastructure has changed all that much since then, especially in the outer parts where I live. I intend to relearn riding a bike soon so videos like this are invaluable to me.
Most welcome. Keep safe out there 👍🏻
Fantastic video! Would love to see more like this
Thank you Steven. I'm planning on putting out a safety tips one, hopefully soon. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 Brilliant, I am planning to start cycle commuting when I move to Newcastle. So that will be a huge help
@@stevenwest6994 Excellent. Take care. If I was to give one bit of advice, it would be to pretend that you are invisible. Cycle on the assumption that nobody has seen you, then you won't be surprised when people pull out on you etc. Safe cycling my friend. 😉👍
Your technique is the same as mine, this is how I rode when I lived in England. I still prefer to have gears though!
It did take a bit of getting use to the single speed. Love it though, so much easier to maintain. 🙂👍
This is such a soothing video to watch. Love your useful tips and commentary. Cycling is becoming more common here in Bangalore and the two most annoying things are pedestrians on their phones and cyclists breaking red lights. Cyclists are road users too and therefore must follow traffic lights. It's really simple. Anyway, thanks for the video! Will keep your filtering tips in mind the next time I go outside.
Thank you for your feedback and take care. I have visited Mumbai a few times and I would feel less safe cycling there than I do in London. Ensure you have lots of lights and reflective material on if you're cycling in the dark. 🙂👍
I never knew that about the front wheel of the vehicles. I'll be watching out for it in future. I used to cycle as my main mode of transport until I got knocked down. I've just gone back to it after an 18yr hiatus. I'm very slow at the moment, I always try to keep as near as I possibly can to the kerb so that faster cyclists have room to pass me by.
The front wheel trick has saved me from a few accidents in the past, just buys you an extra second or so of reaction time. Sorry to hear that you had an accident, but glad to hear that you've back on the bike. Take care 🙂👍
You do a better job filtering than I can. Living in Birmingham it was to dangerous to filter because there were always so many lanes cars would change into and lanes going certain directions.
I think it can be easier in London as the traffic is often at gridlock, so if the cars aren't moving it's easier to slip through. Safe cycling my friend. :o)
If all cyclist rode like you then driving in London would be a little better. Plus I did notice the cyclist signal before taking the pavement at the Chelsea house boats.
As a school boy I lived in Barnet and would venture out on Sundays, one trip was from home to Beaconsfield Model Village, onto Heathrow to watch planes land on the viewing platform of Ter 2. Then ride how without a map but following buses after checking with conductor who gave me the bus route numbers to get me home.
London has always been a busy place but has changed into a mad house now, I'd hate to live and work there now. Stay safe.
Interesting way of doing it, I cycle on a fixed gear through London, I always stay in between the two lanes of traffic (overtaking rather than undertaking), just because I feel I can see a lot more than when on the left. It also means I avoid cars turning into me
Whatever works for you my friend, I do use that technique sometimes but I’ve had a few instances where mopeds and bikes coming the opposite way have also been overtaking and nearly had a head on with me. So I prefer the inside. Pros and cons to each.
Keep safe out there. 🙂👍🏻
Just came across this really good video four years late.
I cycle quite a bit as well as driving but i live in a rural area with surrounding small towns (5,000/- populations) within a 6 to 20km radius and one bigger town (not a city, 30,000+ population) 20km away as well. I use my bike covered in racks and bags as a car alternative or supplement for local commuting and shopping and anything else. I brought home a weekly household shopping on a bike trailer yesterday and almost every week. Just putting out my pro bike credentials!
When I'm in bigger towns and cities I see lots of cyclists particularly in roadie gear filtering and even once seen one taking the wing mirror off a car and keep on going. This is what drives motorists mad about reckless cyclists and no accountability.
Every day this happens and nearly always the cyclist disapears into the distance.
I actually booked a city cycling lesson a few years ago because I wanted to get experience in how to ride and filter safely in heavy city traffic which I normally only do occasionally but then covid hit, it was cancelled and never rearranged. Something I must rearrange again in the near future. It's a confidence and a skill I would like to develop even if I wouldn't need it often.
Looking at your video, I don't know how I could get through some of those gaps.
I'm 6'6" tall and ride a big 60cm frame hybrid bike with 70cm wide flat handlebars and I think there would have been several wing mirrors broken in my wake if I tried zipping through between some of those cars at that speed. How wide are your handlebars?
In my local small towns I rarely filter unless it's really wide open.
Usually there's only minimal delays by waiting with traffic and with very few other cyclists, I don't want to be that asshole who knocks someone's mirror off either.
And as a bicycle aware driver, the stories I can tell from my experience of reckless and semi suicidal cyclists are many. I'm also a "white van driver" too.
Great video and I will sub after I send this.
Thank you for the feedback. I’m 6’3” so a bit shorter than you but still have a big bike frame. I don’t know the exact answer but my handlebars are a standard width.
I’d say the fish eye of the GoPro makes the gaps look slightly tighter than they are. However I’ve been cycling London rush hour for something like 15+ years so I’m very used to squeezing through small gaps. I’ve never knocked a wing mirror thankfully. Like you I’ve seen other cyclists hit a wing mirror, bend it back and keep cycling! When I’ve seen this I’ve always helped the driver by popping the mirror back in place. We all get frustrated out there but key to be considerate to the drivers too.
Happy cycling and keep safe 🙂
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 Your reply is much appreciated. I didn't expect one as it was mostly just venting on my own behalf.
That side mirror I mentioned was taken clean off the car.....
When I'm in larger towns in traffic I just don't risk a lot of passes.
Although the number of ridiculously close near misses I've had locally on country and suburban roads from reckless and aggressive drivers is also terrifying.
I think a good front and rear camera system is going to be a worthwhile investment in the near future.
Stay safe and keep pushing one pedal in front of the other!
@@tconnolly9820 Fortunatley where I cycle in London 90% of the roads are 20mph limit, and the volume of traffic means the vehicles are slow. Reduces the risk of careless drivers blasting past you.
I’d certainly recommend a camera. Hopefully you never have an incident, but if you do it takes away the “he said she said” element as you have concrete proof.
I love your videos, and hope to be as good as you cycling through London, keep up the good work Ryan.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the videos.
Probably not meant to be, but your videos are really relaxing to watch. As I am living outside the UK the laws may be a bit different but the problems for us cyclists are pretty common. It's a great video Ryan! Ride safe!
PS: Love the area around and towards Richmond and Kew, not so far from where you stopped, right?
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video.
That's right, I live in Putney which is South West London, further Southwest is Richmond and Kew which are beautiful parts of the world. I live Richmond Park and Kew Gardens.
Have a great week.
Im nervous about cycling in my very small city with barely any congestion so this really helped boist my confidence! 😂
On a bicycle undertaking isn’t a thing it’s just called filtering and it is legal.
The 1.5m rule does not apply to bicycles filtering past cars, or to bicycles overtaking one another, only to motor vehicles passing bicycles, and if there isn’t that much room they simply shouldn’t be doing it.
100% 🙂👍🏻
Another great video, and for those riding, or planning to ride, in London it will be very helpful. Don’t think I would risk it however 👍🏴
Thank you Jim. Have a great weekend. 🙂👍
Enjoyed the commentary and tips. I do ride on the roads in my locality but not ready to go on the central London roads yet as haven't been bike riding very long.
Thank you. Best advice I can give is to always be alert and to assume that you’re invisible. Keep safe. 🙂👍🏻
As a new cyclist given covid situation on public transport watching you go through those tight gaps was very unnerving for me to watch but I'm sure that comes with confidence over time.
I've been cycling through Central London rush hour daily for over 14 years now. In that time I've built up a lot of confidence.
If you are starting out then just take your time. The pavement is right there so if you're ever unsure then pull up and hop off and walk the bike past the junction etc that you're not sure about then hop back on after.
Don't feel pressured by traffic behind you to push into situations you're not confident about. Over time you'll build experience.
Safe cycling my friend.
Great, I like to watch the move from the first person
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
I recently started cycling to work and I'm really scared of the traffic, there's no way I'm going to central London yet, but I guess it's best to get more comfortable with quieter roads first :)
Yes, build up to it. Ensure that you’re always paying attention and never assume that others have seen you. Keep safe. 🙂👍🏻
Great Video very helpful and weel explained
Thank you. 🙂👍
Thanks for the safety tips, from NYC.
I wish I watched this when I first moved to London from Canada, the riding in the city + non grid layout + left hand of the road + single lane experience was exhausting. I had no idea what the etiquette/acceptable/legal practices were and still spent a lot of time erring on the side of 'on the road, act as if any other vehicle' standards. Too much lining up and waiting. Another point I'd like to add to the perceived unfairness of cyclists 'jumping the queue' is we have limited energy and traveling takes a lot more time for us than a car, it's not comfortable waiting in the cold when the British rain and winds are battering you.
Great video and explains that were massively helpful for me - would love a video on rules of the road, explains on funky british road signs and paintings (what are those yellow grids about? Stop and allow turns when traffic is stuck?) and interpretations of road rules on uncommon but important circumstances (in your opinion). Keep up the good work.
I'm glad you liked the video, I have ideas for more of the same but haven't found the time yet.
Great point about energy, often vehicles and pedestrians expect you to stop to let them pull out or cross despite the cyclist having the right of way. They don't consider that we don't have an accelerator and momentum is key for cycling. Especially for the drivers in their warm, dry heated seats with a gas pedal under their right foot, let cyclists pass before you pull out rather than trying to edge out on us and force us to stop for you.
The yellow grids at junctions are supposed to be no stopping zones. Basically it's to stop cars queuing across the junction (say at a cross roads), so that they are not blocking it when the lights change and the other steam of traffic wants to go. You're only allowed to stop in the yellow hatching if you're waiting to turn right. You can get a ticket if you're incorrectly caught stopped in the yellow grid. It's a bit of a free for all in London though, lots of drivers ignore this!
Safe cycling my friend. 🙂👍
Give fixed gear a chance, you might like it. Coasting is a non-issue, your legs keep moving but you don't put any effort into it. One benefit is that you get better control at low speeds, you can really modulate your speed more finely than with a brake for example when filtering. Indeed with a bit of practice, you can even trackstand at red lights, when you are doing the ultimate "low speed". No more unclipping from pedals and setting foot on the ground!
Wow fixed gears I'd forgotten about that, used to cycle cross country around Barnet Totteridge and found FG great for that as brakes soon got mud covered. I rode a hand made Carpenter bike frame made to measure from Harry Carpenter Kingstone upon Thames. Also time trials along the Barnet bypass. 1959/60
It’s not about your max speed or your cruising speed - it’s your reluctance to slow down sufficiently for potential or apparent hazards.
Slowed sufficiently enough to avoid a collision didn't I?!
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007the real question is how many incidences have you had?
Hey Ryan, I’m a young road cyclist learning how ride the road properly. I’m just wondering how do you filter through traffic when the road doesn’t have a bike box? Where do I go
Stay behind cars or just filter
Hi Zane.
Firstly I would base it on each individual scenario, and your own level of confidence. If it’s very busy, there’s not much space and you’re a bit nervous then hold back where you are comfortable.
My general approach is to filter up the inside to the front regardless of whether there’s a cycle box or not. Just be sure that the light won’t go green, and cars pull away whilst you’re squeezing through to the front. If you think the light may change soon then just hold where you are.
Good luck and keep safe. Far better to take slightly longer and get home safe. 🙂👍🏻
Moved out of London last year and I do not envy that ride at all! but nice informative video :)
Thank you. Take care. 🙂👍
Good tip regarding position of tyres.
So if its ok to filter when approaching a pedestrian crossing shouldnt you as a cyclists slow down ? Also your filtering in the left lane and completely ignore that your in a left turn only lane for the bridge and carry straight on. Also the part of the embankment where you are travelling on Chelsea embankment filtering up the inside at a fair speed as shown when overtaking the lady cyclists did you give any thought of the pedestrians that may be crossing from the numerous traffic Islands ?
My speed is appropriate, I’m cautious and always ready to stop.
There’s no rule preventing me from changing lanes. Many cars often move from the left only lane into the straight ahead lane.
And yes, I’m always thinking about pedestrians cutting through the traffic, you have to look constantly to access what’s around you. I wish that pedestrians paid the same level of attention.
Mixture of skill, trust, confidence and luck.
I’ve been doing it daily for over 14 years now so any luck would have run out many years ago. Not too much trust either as people are too unpredictable.
The main other factor is caution, the camera makes it look faster than it is, I’m typically going at a speed where I can stop dead in just a few metres and my fingers are always on the brakes.
Happy new year. 🙂👍🏻
Thank you for these tips!
I live really near where you started (along wandsworth bridge road!) and have only cycled on the road once. I went the exact same route as you and it was awful, it was so scary especially before the railway bridge next to Lots Road, especially at rush hour - I thought I was gonna get squeezed by buses
But I feel much better now knowing this advice about how to ride through traffic
Thank you Reina. It’s very intimidating when you first start out, but it’s not as bad as it seems. Be cautious and careful and get some experience and you’ll soon feel much more confident. All the best and keep safe. 🙂👍🏻
I enjoyed it, thanks. I feel it would be nice if the cycle hater drivers watched it, to get a different perspective. But they never would, blinded by hate !
Citroen SM at 5.40 - very nice :)
informative and interesting. Nice vid.
Thank you. 🙂👍
Another great video, Ryan! Could you please tell me how you have your camera mounted? My handle bar is getting too cluttered 😅
Thank you. I use a GoPro chest mount, so the camera is round about my sternum. Gives a good POV view, and far less vibration than if it’s mounted to the bike. Safe cycling 🙂👍🏻
Brilliant video
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. 🙂👍🏻
I’ve only just started riding again and the fact that I have to go on the road when cars can hit you gives me anxiety
Love filtering in London. Every driver thinks it’s faster than a cyclist, should watch this video
It's such a waste of time trying to drive through Central London rush hour, the cycle wind every time
Nice video, and a great introduction to the perils of cycling through rush hour traffic in London. I've ridden that exact same route many times on the way to Teddington via Richmond. As you say, past Putney it generally gets much quieter. BTW you missed a much more interesting car than the Z4 a bit later on, a Citroen SM at 5:44. Cycle safe, my friend.
An absolute classic, I rode in one as a child and it glided along the road, lovely suspension! 😉👍 Safe cycling to you my friend.
Man, you all have much different riding laws than here in Indiana. We can't pass a stationary car on the road, we can't weave through traffic. Nope, we have to behave like motor vehicles. Which honestly doesn't make a lot of sense, but it does eliminate a lot of risk if you follow the laws here.
Here in my home Fort Wayne, we even have local laws that allow us to use the pavement. I completely avoid that, as our sidewalks are often in very poor shape.
The rules have just recently changed in the UK to give cyclists additional rights over motorists. These are to ensure drivers give safe space to cyclists. Hope the rules move that way in your state too.
Keep safe. 🙂👍🏻
Damn, that sucks. My condolences.
Where's indiana?
Indiana is in the Continental United States. Bordered by Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois.
Oh man. Nicely done, but the bike infrastructure is absolutely horrible to nonexistent. Most of what passes as "bike infrastructure" isn't more than paint on the road.
5:40 Citroen SM 👀
Lovely car! 🙂👍🏻
nice video...are you clipped in?
The force is strong with this one.
Ha ha, I'm yet to turn to the dark side! 😉👍
Very informative.
As a keen cyclist Ithink this undertaking is extremely dangerous, there is not much room for manouvering in a emergency as too close to kerb.
Sadly, cycling in London rush hour there’s not much choice unless you want to just sit in traffic behind a bus sucking up the exhaust fumes.
The contingency plan is to bail onto the pavement. Never had to do it, but if necessary a tumble onto the pavement is far preferable to a collision with a car. I would not recommend undertaking where there are railings that would prevent you bailing to the pavement.
Keep safe out there 👍🏻
Bersepeda di tengah kota yang penuh tantangan, banyak kendaraan jam sibuk macet di mana apa jalanannya yang terlalu sempit
this is like slow tv. love it.
Ha, maybe I should put my full commute up.
I’ve just bought a single-speed for my commuting - what gearing are you using on this one?
Much better than a Cycling Mikey video, very informative on how to cycle in London, and, not how to cycle, the woman on the pavement, for one of the not how to.
Thank you, glad it was useful. 🙂👍
best of transportation in rush hour is cycling....filtering, zigzag lose high traffic, not getting late on working just cycling is the best..👍👍👌👌😁😁 keep safety 🚴♂️🚴♂️ mate...👍
Ha ha I agree! You keep safe too my friend. 😉👍
You are the role model of city cyclists!
Nice video
Thank you 🙂👍🏻
Great video,
These kind of things are really useful for less experienced bike riders. I showed a similar one to my girlfriend a couple of years ago rather than just getting her to follow me through traffic.
Do you ever filter in the middle of the road (to the right of the cars travelling in the same direction as you)? I find it can be useful sometimes and much less likely to have someone opening their door when stopped in traffic.
Thank you. I do get over to the right sometimes, typically when I know I want to turn right further up and get over in advance. On the whole I keep to the inside.
The only time I've been knocked off was by someone opening their car door, long before I had a camera unfortunately.
oh whew , this video is better , i was about to lose faith with the other one you made including the 5 years of crash compilation thru London . Slow motion with an explanation. smiles
Ha yes, most of my videos only show the bad bits (as that gets the most views), I thought I'd try an instructional one to see how it did. Hope it's useful. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 I posted it to my site and to my cycling friends , I was feeling like everyone in London is crazy , after seeing the second video I felt relieved , then noticing the 5 year completion , that calmed me down again .
Either way i hate riding in the bigger cities , glad i kayak more than i ride . Good luck to all the brave souls , stay alert , stay safe .
@@klausjensen9150 Thank you. In a strange way, I quite enjoy riding in the city. I think that the cut and thrust of it makes me feel alive. After a hard day at work the cycle home releases the stress of the day and I'm very relaxed by the time I get home. I imagine kayaking is much more relaxing! Take care and keep safe. 🙂👍
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 agreed.i feel the same when i used to ride home....but I found out kayaking is a big hit with the ladies . They love it and surprisingly are quite good at it .
@@klausjensen9150 Well that's a damn fine reason to go Kayaking!!! 🤣👍
Great tips
Thank you. 🙂👍
Good content
Thank you. Planning to do more this winter.
that is insane, terrifying and just stupid to go through cars like a ghost, you may become one a day eventually, DON'T TRY IT EVERYONE!
A 6 foot 3 “ghost” on a big steel bright orange bicycle with a flashing light front and rear… 🤣
6:21 why undertake a car that had been indicating left in plenty of time well before the junction you were going straight ahead at?
For exactly the reason you say, because they were well before the junction. They are indicating but haven't reached the junction yet so can't turn, and are crawling in the congested traffic so no harm in passing in my separate lane. The white car was at the junction and was indicating so I waited until it had turned.
Love your channel Ryan. What kind of car is that at 5:42?
Thank you. I'm no expert but I think it's a Citroen SM.
I thought it might have been. Looked vintage. Don't see many of them here in North Carolina.
What age do u have to be to ride in the roads
I wondre what Cycling Mikey would think of the cyclist at 4:35, pulling out in front of the bus like that!
This guy just undertook 436 cars
An interesting perspective from an experienced London cycle commuter. At times it sounded a little like the commentary given by a Police driver, it could have been fun to hear you do it live with your cam picking out the audio... it's a left, left, left onto Kings Rd! ;) I'm sure that would get you some interesting looks... would probably help clear the way for you a little!
I must say that I prefer the frenetic energy and excitement of your other uploads, but I imagine that it takes you quite some time to accrue footage for those.
I look forward to your nexy upload. Stay safe :)
Thank you. Don't worry, the frenetic videos are still coming. I probably have enough to make one for July. Plus I'm thinking of doing a "best of near misses" compilation from my various videos over the years.
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 not sure my heart can take a 'best of near misses' video... I'll make sure the local defib is on standy ;)
@@tonetoobtwo 🤣 I hope it's not necessary! 👍
Yes, the Highway Code 'recognises' that filtering, undertaking etc take place, it does NOT recommend such practices.
What if there are 2 lanes, going the same way and cars going quite slowly in both. If you’re filtering down the left hand lane but you need to go right. Do you signal to get to get into? Also if it’s a stand still and the same scenario applies, would I just weave though them.
I would indicate to the slow moving cars that I wanted to criss through, then once one gave space I’d move to the right hand side of the road along the centre line.
I know my route well, so I know where the bottlenecks are and I tend to get across to the right long in advance if the turn if I know the traffic will be slow moving. Often use the preceding set of lights as you can move across the front of the traffic whilst they are stopped at the lights, especially if there’s one of the boxes at the front for cyclists (and someone hasn’t stopped their car in it). 😉👍🏻
@@ryansedgwick-londoncycling9007 thanks for the reply.
@@mathew66 Most welcome. Keep safe out there Mathew. 👍🏻
Some very tight squeezes/small gaps to cycle through! Requires a lot of concentration and nerve to cycle through such places.
One concern is that cycling at some speed where the view ahead (and slightly to the side; right side in particular) is mostly obstructed by the presence of large vehicles (or other large objects). Here is where extreme caution and reduced speed should be employed in the event pedestrians (or whatever else) should suddenly appear from between (large) vehicles. Then one should be able to brake and stop cycling smartly to avoid collision.
From this video it appears as though cycling past large vehicles was a such a speed that should have pedestrians or whatever else suddenly appeared from the side in front of the bicycle, stopping/braking in time to avoid collision would have been impossible. This apples mostly to stopped or very slow moving traffic in particular.
If I were cycling this same route under the same conditions, I would be cycling much slower in areas where the view ahead and to the sides were (partially) obstructed by large vehicles and other large objects.
Oh wow, I can't even be in London afoot without almost getting hit by a car every single time (bloody left hand traffic :-) ) - I could never imagine to cycle there. So very interesting to see. Be safe, Ryan! :- )
Are you on Strava?
It takes a little getting used to! 😉 I'm not on Strava, I don't use any apps like that as the speed of my commute is dictated by traffic and how I catch the lights etc.
Thank you for the wishes and have a great day. 🙂👍
I cycle in Singapore on the road but it sure looks more scary where you cycle.....
There's not a lot of space on many of London's roads, so it can be quite exciting at times! 😉👍
Unfortunately the only thing I could focus on for the whole 15:29 was your not-quite-in right bar end plug ;-)
Well spotted! Both came out quite soon after getting the bike. Keep meaning to get some more but never get around to it!
I used to ride and drive in and out of London. I drive a large van and always checked mirrors before moving. You just need to have respect for people no matter what transport mode. Now having said that i ride my bike like a crazy bastard that respects only peds. Soz.
So simple just to check your mirrors, or for pedestrians to look before stepping out. If only more drove like you! 😉👍🏻
I'd be checking my speed more filtering down the n/s. Especially when the traffic is stationary or where there are buses as your line of sight is limited with respect to peds crossing the road - not to mention the door zone. You should have given a shout to the cyclist at the start of your vid. Me personally I tend to filter down the o/s.
I'm ready on the brakes to stop. I look through the windshields of the cars to see if there's a pedestrian coming through. With buses I look through the doors and windscreen to see if anyone is passing in front. It's definitely a risk so it's eyeballs on stalks in those scenarios.
@TheDailyBiker I don't tend to use the off side unless I have too. As you say it puts you more at risk of the oncoming traffic plus I find its usually full of motorbikes zipping past in both directions. Pros and cons to both inside and off side though so I take your point.
I'm always wary of any car when approaching a junction, if their front wheel turns even a fraction I'm hard on the brakes.
Safe cycling my friend.
@TheDailyBiker You're one of the good ones, sometimes motorbikers will block a gap, not realising cyclists can fit.
Have a great week. 😉👍
This video makes me think like all those cars are cheap. I see luxury cars everywhere, for what? Wearing them at rush hour?
Mercedez, Audi, Volvo, BMW, Range Rover, Jaguar and other brands.
You overtook all of them. 😄
Ha yes, you can have a fancy luxury car, doesn't make you any faster through rush hour! Cycle is still much better 😉👍
Very helpful! A shame the sound of the voice is.not higher!
more like this please
Thank you. I'm putting together a film on my top tips to keep safe. 👍
Usually, drivers have little patience and they do not respect cyclists. In daytime, they will drive so close to cyclists to intimidate. In the nighttime drivers are a little nicer because they are on their ways to parties or home.
Wow, car traffic looks bad in London. Apparently it is really hard for many people to change their behaviour and try something different than driving a car even when it obviously is not the best choice. Foldable bikes and electric (and non-electric) scooters fit in every trunk, even in really small cars and could be used for mixed transportation, e.g. to bridge the distance from avaliable/not overpriced parking space to your final goal of destination.
The UK is legalising e-scooters for the roads so I suspect many will take up that option.
You'll be giving cyclists a good name if you don't watch out!
Seriously though if all cyclists had your attitude there wouldn't be a problem. Well done.
BTW shadows can give away hidden pedestrians crossing recklessly behind large vehicles. Consider the direction of the sun.
- motorcyclist.
@@ironfart4584 Great tip on shadows, thank you. Keep safe out there. 👍🏻
If you think London's bad Sheffield has so many one way systems you can't ever find your way round especially when filtering
I've never cycled in Sheffield but I can imagine that's bad. Safe cycling my friend. 🙂👍
What’s the bicycle do you have?
I have a Genesis Day One 10 2019 gravel bike. I've swapped the tyres for road tyres (Continent Hardshell) and I've increased the gear ratio a little.
The bike lanes in London are so narrow!
Some are good, the blue cycle Super Highways. Most are very narrow though and there’s a lot of sections without a lane at all.
Hopefully cycle infrastructure continues to improve. 🙂👍🏻
this way or another cyclist should pay insurance - do you thing so and be registered may be pass some safety test before ? what about it - Im driving cars and flying drones and i have to ...
I have insurance. That said though, cyclists pose very little risk to anyone, especially when compared to motor vehicles. I'm against measures that place a barrier between people just being able to pick up a bike and go. So I don't think you should license cycles.
What I would like to see is mandatory cycle proficiency training given to all children at school. Teach them how to ride.
On busy cycle routes (like the main London commutes) I think there should be a few dedicated police officers who hand out fines for those cyclists who run red lights and cycle on pavements etc. They would quickly pay for themselves and would encourage cyclists to follow the rules.
Finally there should be more done to make pedestrians aware of cyclists (so they don't just walk out in front of you). Perhaps that's education that also starts at school.
Most cyclist collisions with pedestrians involve a level of fault from the pedestrian also, being in the road when they shouldn't. I don't think you should need a licence and insurance to be a pedestrian. 😉👍
You don’t have to do that in the nl
Is it true it’s a 600£ fine if you ride on the pavement ?????????
I don't know to be honest, that sounds high. I know some people who got an £80 fine for running red lights.