The problem is most drivers have zero consideration for slower users like cyclists with their "Must Get In Front" attitude. I'm a ex lorry / van driver in London that has always has had the mindset of give space to a cyclist even if they are in the wrong. I'd never had been able to live with myself if my attitude ended up with a loss of life. We all have to work together to ensure a safe day for all of us.
I go through that junction twice a day but I slowly go across with the pedestrians, it’s much safer. Word of advice… don’t go up the inside of vehicles at any junction. The vehicle might be lost and suddenly turn left without any warning, hang back or get in front before a junction.
Agreed -- cyclists being hit by vehicles turning left is by far the biggest cause of deaths. It's often tempting but you just have to tell yourself never to scoot up the inside.
Best way to protect oneself from a left turning car, is to move out and take the whole lane before the intersection, and move back over once through it. Traffic in London is usually moving so slowly that it's not an issue to do and you're not inconveniencing anyone.
Great video thanks. At 2:13 you cycled past where I smashed my face in on a Boris bike at Holborn Circus 10 years ago. Knocked so senseless that I still don't remember one second of any of it. Went to hospital and turned out the attending City of London Police officer re-docked my bike so I didn't get charged. Like to think I was one of the statistics that got that horrible junction changed to be more bike friendly,.
@@Electroheads Ahh thanks, that's very kind. I had to force myself to get back on a bike but always with a helmet now. Think embarrassingly what caused it was having my bag in the front basket which might have jackknifed the handlebars while turning out of the roundabout. Though still do not remember a single thing. Funny how the brain protects us. Thanks again for an awesome channel, you're so close to the 100K subs!
I ride through Holburn Junction every day (i work in Holborn Tower). Ive had one accident caused by a pedestrian, but seen plenty of near misses. Glad to hear its being upgraded.
Thank you so much for highlighting the issues without blame. I deliver cars country wide, but find London traffic by far the most stressful. Concern for pedestrians and cyclists, anxiety about things like yellow box fines and the shear complexity of signage just pile up on top of time pressure and navigation. Actual driving becomes a minor consideration, which is the whole problem.
Dublin is moving to a cycling city, the big problem is we don’t have the infrastructure either. They have been talking about a cycle path along the Dublin cost into the city for nearly 50 years now, but all we have is a few short segments, this sort of plan needs to be put in place fully. Cars are not the enemy, but we need to allow for smaller road users too.
Thanks for highlighting this! I've got into the habit of walking with the bike through such danger points these days. Similar with big roundabouts. I also wait on the footpath to the left when turning right more at some junctions. Maybe consider a separate video of the dangers of getting up the inside of vehicles which may turn left, esp. HGVs. How they cannot see us or can suddenly change their minds. We all need to get into thinking about "danger points". I nearly go into an accident when distarcted recently, so I made sure I remembered it to learn the lesson. be careful of cycling when low on energy too. Long rides also need regular eating.
Great video Eilish, I live in the Netherlands which used to have roads like this in the past. I am shocked you still have diesel buses?!. Wtf.. Stay safe x
Eilis... That was so courageous to record this... Thanks so much..... Great bike... Looking forward to mine arriving from Electroheads this week... Fortunately our roads are a lot quieter than London main streets.
@@Electroheads The Forme Buxton! ...the very one Eilis was riding ! Whoo hoo! I have a 1 in 10 gradient to try it on from a standing start ...will it test me or the bike ?
I live in a small town with a population of 3500 in the middle of the States, Missouri. I hardly ever see any other bikes on the road. You'd think that mine was the only ebike on my three-mile, round-trip ride everyday, although there are two others. Cars have no problem noticing me since my bike is such a novelty. I imagine many motorists aren't even familiar with ebikes and wonder why I almost never pedal.
It’s difficult to believe people are still driving in London. When I lived there thirty-odd years ago as a daily cycle-commuter, it was already grossly congested, with the average car speed being 8mph. Cars in cities like London just don’t make any sense.
Some people do have good reasons to drive. But if it was only those people who were driving then the traffic level would be low enough that there would be much less of a problem. I think making the whole of zone 1 20 mph might be helpful. If people know it's fast to go y tube they might do that more often.
Super interesting video! I work at TfL and am familiar with a lot of these schemes that are due to go in. And as a London cyclist myself I am in total agreement that change needs to happen and single-patron vehicles need to reduce massively in order to make London a safer and nicer place to be!
To be fair I agree with you, but you have to be quite brutal in order to make it work. If there were high price fines for being a single occupant in a car unless it is a work vehicle or has 1 or more passenger, I'd believe that the rates it would drop would be astronomical as people would be forced to be like taxis and take people into their car or better yet, encourage use of other forms of travel such as Cycling, Buses, Trams, Trains and the Underground.
It just seems cold all the time there. I remember the cold especially trying to get some jogging in in Apr. '94 visiting London. Gosh I froze, then it was compounded with the hot water being cut off in the afternoon at this place we stayed at in Earl's Court. Such a pretty face on this girl to look at. A face to draw me in. I really like seeing how the traffic is there now from a bike person's perspective. Not having lived in a really huge city beyond 700,000, it's always an eye opener for me. Right now in this city it's at 49,000. There have been improvements here in the last few years since 2017; Some new bike paths, paving, lines, with part of it more for recreation and part for more generalized biking. The path turns into a wide sidewalk which the bikes can use. Even here you can get run over at a couple of key points where the drivers don't check for cyclists, not just the Mr. Magoos, and distracted women, but even sometime the cops! The problem is that if you want to take a road bike or an e-bike and cover the distance between our town and the next one, 11 miles away, it's a 45 MPH plus two-lane road with no provisions whatsoever for people on bikes so it's suicidal to be on that for any time at all.. It's just not done. So that translates to your world on a bike being basically confined to the city limits for errands, workouts, and commuting.
2:32 Do try and stick to the stop lines at junctions, they're there for your safety and for the safety of pedestrians although it might be appropriate for the council to put an advance cycling box on that particular junction.
I’ve ridden in many large US cities, but have never had enough courage to cycle in London, even though I’ve made many visits to it. Many US cities have begun to realize the importance of cycling infrastructure, but we still have a long way to go. I live in the suburbs of NYC, and we’re slowly seeing improvements to cycling infrastructure, though commuting by cycle in this area is terrifying in places. I’ve recently started cycle commuting again after the purchase of an electric folder, which I carry on the train for part of my commute.
You looked genuinely overwhelmed after all that. it looks horrific. I'm a new cyclist and anytime I approach anything I find dangerous I stop, dismount and just use crossings. Adds maybe 2 mins but it saves so much hassle. I also use the cyclers app to plot my routes that do not cross any busy roads.
Taking it at your own pace is what's important! Cycling is truly wonderful (despite the bigger obstacles) and I hope you're getting lots of enjoyment from it
I deliberately gave a thumbs down to all the comments saying "wear a hi-vis simply because it leads to victim blaming - "she wasn't wearing a hi-vis when the accident happened". We don't need fluorescent jackets nor powerful strobe lights, we need better infrastructure, better driving standards and far fewer motor vehicles, whether that's cars or vans both of which London is full of.
The pedestrian fatalities in my country, Trinidad & Tobago, sadly is higher...and we're a tiny island. Please be careful Elish...even when filming for the channel🍺
I saw a clip yesterday about HGV/bus training in Mexico (it might have been on a Not Just Bikes video). They get the drivers to sit on a static bike and pedal and then have someone in bus "close pass" them at speed! Scares the bejeezuz out of them and will hopefully make them more considerate towards bikes. I'd like to see that happen in the UK!
Never realised how dangerous this junction was, I have cycled in London my whole life. I am super sensitive to my surroundings when riding in London and basically own the road and ride in the middle of the lane as if I was a car. There is so much going on so I don’t have headphones in and make clear signals if I am turning or moving lanes. There are so many bad cyclists jumping red lights and riding at such fast speeds in tight areas I am not surprised there are so many accidents !
You are very very brave to tackle this sort of traffic and I thank you for testing this and showing us just how awful this is. Realistically, everyone who rides a bike should wear hi-vis jackets and if possible, trousers to highlight their presence, like road workers, especially in London. This does raise a bigger question though, should people be encouraged to ride bikes under the current conditions? Especially if they are not practiced riders, and practiced in city conditions too? Most people in London are travelling for work or pleasure, they will not own/have a bike, but as bikes are so expensive, especially ebikes, they need to be cheaper to get people to ride more frequently. Also, theft of bikes, what do you do with a bike when you get to your destination? Well done (Just a thought, Holborn is generally pronounced Ho-bun).
I've never cycled in London, but I've walked there a lot, the last time was last week, and a lot of the problems are that everyone drives on the god damn wrong side of the road....🤣😂🤣😂 But back to being serious, you are right that the traffic is very heavy, and a lot of congestion. We found that the tube, the underground, was very effective once we figured out where we were going. It was sometimes confusing to find your way around, for a Norwegian for the first time in London...
We're glad to see change is happening in London, but we also need change in other UK cities that have lots of people commuting regularly with a bicycle.
My bad the double decker is a Hybrid, I guess it makes sense why you could smell the fumes as the engine only powers on to charge the batteries, where I used to live in Kidderminster they had a bus like that it was mad sounded like a spaceships or how you'd think a futuristic spaceship would sound, back then I didn't even realise we had buses like that so it was a fun trip to be but a bit confusing hearing the sound of a electric motor and a diesel when we'd park in traffic 😅
I test rode an e-bike from Fully charged on Saturday across London Bridge and then onto CS3(?) then back across Tower Bridge. Getting caught on the inside of vehicles was not pleasant. Best bit was CS3.
i used to cycle this everyday. tips would be ride defensively: sit in traffic like a car at critical moments so you can't get barged out of the way, go into bus lanes wherever possible, and to flow with traffic - move at the same speed
I live in Hoek van Holland, the cycling infrastructure is great, you could get off the ferry and cycle up the coast on cycle paths with no road next to them 🙂
@@jamesgrover2005 The ferry to Hoek van Holland isn’t my first choice since I am from Sweden. But taking the ferry from Hoek van Holland would be my choice going to the UK by bike 😀
Don't let me put you off! There's loads of great cycle lanes in London, just make sure to research your route before you go. My favourite goes past Big Ben towards St James Park, past Buckingham palace and all along Hyde park! A lovely route for tourists and residents alike
I live in Boulder Colorado, a town that used to be friendly to bikes. But once google moved in and everyone is moving here, with their car mentality, it's no longer as safe to bike. There's a road called the Diagonal, that goes from Boulder to Longmont, about 10 or 12 miles away. I used to be able to bike that road in the 90's. I stopped biking it when I learned cyclists were being killed on the Diagonal. Recently I took a wrong turn and had to be on the Diagonal for a short time (it felt like FOREVER) and I was terrified. There are MORE cars and they are speeding at least 10 miles over the speed limit of 55, probably 15 or 20 miles over the limit. But NOW, thank goodness, Boulder is building an infrastructure right in the middle of the two directions, that will be strictly for bikes. YAY! But it won't be done for a couple of years. Still, at least one gets the feeling local government is listening! Love Electroheads!
Sadiq Khan is trying to expand the ULEZ in order to get more people using bikes and dare I say it, Escooters and EUCs but the amount of hate he is getting is huge. If people really want more cycling they need to show support for what is being done for them. Also it would make good sense to encourage people to use motorcycles as well as cycles because motorcycles help bridge the gab for those longer journeys, they also pollute less due to the engine size most of the time, and the fact they don't get stuck in traffic. But saying all this, Escooters and EUCs plus other battery powered transport with the exception of the Ebike, are all still technically banned from using the roads, in some parts of the UK people still get points on their license for using this tech on the road, some places around London still have posters up banning the use of Escooters in and around their borough, so those that do change are still facing points on their licence if they come accross a cop who got out the wrong side of the bed to start work. So without the changes needed in law, cycling and Escooter use are still thought of as a minority. We still need an upgrade to the Ebike speed.
You've described the traffic woes of the London drivers elaborately. And your foldable EBike solves the problem quite well using public transport. You nailed it, congratulations 🎉 Please try to make some videos on solar electric bicycles too. They're being made in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. And they can go for 200 miles during daytime without charging at 15 miles/hour speed on pedal assist mode 1.
I do Holborn once in a while , it is abit nerve testing but I get to where I like to be, Shoreditch I can’t see what the problem is I cycle that route daily .
These unsafe intersections are just like Sydney except in London your city actually seems to care and is improving them. Progress is super slow here for cyclists and a lot of what we do have is poorly designed (inefficient or still unsafe). I would be happy just to get a cyclist box at the lights, but cars would probably stop across it anyway. Both London and Sydney are making progress though.
You need a medal as big as a church clock for cycling in that environment. I live in Telford so no where near as extreme as London traffic but but where ever possible I avoid roads simple fact is most car drivers simply do not see anything smaller than a car
I cycle round London on my road bike, Boris Bikes and recently a hired Brompton , including that junction at Holborn and in my experience the junctions are only risky to cyclists who do stupid things; like don’t bother stopping at red lights, ride down the inside of large vehicles, cycle across the pedestrian crossing when pedestrians have a green man signal etc. The biggest danger to cyclists in London are the cyclists themselves…fact!
Would it be possible to upload a version of this that shows the riders view uninterrupted. It is difficult to get a sense of how it feels as a rider because the view keeps changing. I appreciate that the editing is done well as a news report but an longer uncut version from the riders view would be really interesting and likely even more alarming.
I'm a keen cyclist (commuter & recreational, on- & off-road), & I moved out of Melbourne Australia, back to the smaller town beyond the outskirts where I grew up, to try to avoid the crappy traffic conditions that our petrolhead culture in Australia seems to generate without even trying. However, suburban development is heading towards our town, with estates on the next biggest town encroaching on interstitial farmland, and estates on the outskirts of our town reaching towards the expanded boundary of suburbia. All of which generates a fresh crop of stressed-out imbecile motorists worrying distractedly about their mortgages and precarious jobs 40 miles away, and mad mums (/dads, but not many) on the school/daycare run, double-parking outside school & childcare, and turning in & out without looking, almost taking me out several times. A friend of mine was killed last October by a young, inexperienced distracted driver whilst he was riding on a necessary connecting road nearby: bad road engineering left over from when it was a highway, but now just a local road, a parallel motorway duplicating it 30 years ago. The problem, as Eilis identifies, is the culture: "My personal mobility & convenience (and slavish adherence to a social model well past its use-by date : Kenneth Grahame had it bang to rights with his portrayal of Mr. Toad) is vastly more important than your life and safety". Until motorists see the road environment outside of their limited A- & B-pillar framed view, they won't really understand, let alone change their selfish, heedless, reckless behaviour.
I'm so sorry your friend lost their life. It sounds like there's a lot of work to be done in your area. I truly hope things will improve for you and your community
15 years of cycling in London, East End to Tottenham Crt Road was my commute. Loved it, and as cycle lanes came in, it got way worse, a lot of 'less confident' cyclists causing issues for my arrogant self. Nice to see it improving, but its cars/drivers that kill cyclists, never the other way around.
i think the benefiet in the netherlands is, that every/most car drivers are or were cyclists also, so they know what to expect form bikes. but cycling in our bigger cities is an adventure also.
greetings from LA! We also have terrible bike infrastructure, plus speed limit for cars is 35 to 40mph. The only saving grace that we have is that our legal e-bike speed limit is 28mph.Stay safe.
When I went to LA I was not keen on cycling/scooting because of the 35/40mph average speed limit for cars! Venice beach is of course amazing, but by no means a commuter's route
Remove those pedestrian railings as the cyclists get pinned between vehicles and them. Better for the cyclists to fall on a path or even hop the kerb to avoid a vehicle.
I pass this junctions i dont know how many times a day for work on the cargo bike. Had no idea there had been so many deaths. It is a mad one for sure though
Actually take it back. I though the video was for the junction by Holborn Station. 😂. I was gonna say use the one further up. 😢but I use that one alot aswell.
Oh my god Eilis. That looks horrendous. So brave but I could see the fear in your eyes. No wonder women don’t cycle there and if they do? My god! Why is the car still king? The buses and trains are constant unlike here in the country where you are unlikely to see a bus nowadays. ⭐️ cyclist
male cyclists are just as at risk - their bodies are just as squishy, why is this a sex thing? It’s about being alert and having common sense- any gender can do that.
@@Electroheads oh I live in Somerset so I get speeding BMW’s, Landrovers closepassing me in narrow country lanes. Terrifying too. Speed limits aren’t kept either. 30mph is usually 40/50etc…. I grace to take primary all the time for their safety as well as mine. Respect Eilish.
Thanks for doing this video. I think it all helps to force the government to make changes and local councils invest in cycling infrastructure. I do see other European countries that are far more pro cycling because the people in charge are. Also I was wondering do you use a lapel mic? I'm trying to record my rides and my voice gets drowned out by traffic. Cheers 👍
Imagine that a bus or truck driver has to do the same constant check around, and they have big blind soots, so if a cyclist comes from behind the the bus or truck on the side where that driver is not looking at that moment, the cyclist will not be seen.
The average car occupancy is 1.57, meaning that in theory Smart Fortwo is the best urban car. But even that doesn't go far enough. The solution is in the many L categories (from L1 to L7) below car. There are FAR too little options on the market and that's why people are driving 1+ tonne cars at the average cycling speed, which is insane. Best known among them is Renault Twizy, but that was only first gen. A European consortium called RESOLVE project and led by Piaggio has created a striking next gen vehicle that I would love to drive in London, but some millions euro in public funding in the R&D later there is no word about commercialisation. Also, Toyota has shown a perfect urban vehicle in this class called i-Road. Sadly - the same fate. In the US another company is hoping to launch Nimbus One in the same niche. The Mayor would do a bold move by ordering 1000 of them for car-sharing.
So true! It seems the real test now is to change people's mindsets to choose these cars over SUVs we're seeing everywhere. These smaller cars are definitely a part of the solution
@Electroheads Warwick Manufacturing Group at the Warwick University, on the outstrips of Coventry, is the 🇬🇧 leading centre in R&D in anything electric. They have been involved in hella projects, including the above-mentioned RESOLVE. Long story short, if something disruptive, electric and moving is to be launched in the near future, they are working on it. Why not visit them and ask about RESOLVE and what they are cooking now? Don't forget you have an email from me.
I'm surprised to see a person on a bike waiting in traffic. In istanbul, bikers and motorcycles ride through every possible gap! no rules of engagement! You drive on road, you drive on sidewalk, drive on asphalt, grass, you drive over cars especially if it's parked on bike lane, scratching the paint as much as possible to make sure he never does it again. I spend 2.5 h total every day in `normal` traffic( in a company shuttle). Home - work distance is 22 Km. It's 18 minutes (1-way) with motorcycle.
So true! Admittedly I had forgotten it. I have a great reflective cover for my bag and reflective jacket that do the job. But yes, always need to be the best example when filming!
I'd like to make a suggestion, I think you guys should do a Livestream once a week, or once a month where we can ask questions, and make suggestions. I think it would be very popular
It's a balance of improving the infrastructure and encouraging folks to try it with what we have now. We cannot wait for infrastructure improvements, because at least here in the US, it takes a decade for marginal improvement on select roads. Also, people cycling and knowing that their situation is lousy, make the strongest advocates to improve the streets. Slow streets are a way of making the space more compatible for all road users, and by creating visual cues that you should be proceeding slowly, we create a safer environment. Personally, I don't believe cars will be allowed for decades to come, because we can't afford the emissions it takes to build and operate personal cars, including EVs. So, will we build separated bike infrastructure only to have micromobility as the predominant mode along with mass transit? Probably. Maybe best to study what they've done in the Netherlands so far to achieve very high mode share among ped/cycling and reduce car use. Then extrapolate that further by understanding that cars may not be a choice in the future but e-bikes and other micromobility will still be sustainable transportation for most. We also need to look very carefully at bike/transit intersectionality. You fail at improving mode share for bikes or transit, if everyone still owns a car. You are only able to drop your car when walking, biking, and transit can fully replace your car. People will not invest $40-60,000 in an EV and leave it at home.
A lot of that said congestion has been increased because of turning a multi lane road into multi cycle lanes and single vehicle lanes. Having been both a cycle and car driver in London a lot of cyclists put themselves in bad situations like lining up alongside a bus or large vehicle, running red lights, etc. The blame goes both ways. There should be a course or something to cycle on the road because there's too many cyclists (and drivers), who don't seem to use common sense sometimes especially in the dark and just locking off areas to cycles only just to be more green isn't going to help both ends, all that traffic is just going to end up elsewhere.
Couldn't agree more. It goes both ways. I've seen too many hair-raising incidents where cyclists have run a red or ride through tight gaps between a bus and car. It's all about being sensible
⚡🤙🏼🤙🏼⚡ *I avoid big roundabouts and huge junctions, ride/ walk the bike/board over pavement next to them, it's just not worth riskin it day in day out*
I find it hard to believe that London is the most congested city in the world 🌍 What about cities like Mumbai, which gets totally grid locked! Or other developing countries that have undeveloped infrastructure?
Are those Double Deckers not electric?, I have no idea as I don't live in London I live in Wales but I swear the one James May tested on Top Gear around 2013-14 was electric?
@@Electroheads I'll looking forward to seeing you on the cyclist fast tracks taking people to work every morning from quite a bit of ways out of town, which I'll start doing myself as of April 1 😃🚴
My own city of Geneva (Switzerland) has done a lot of good for cyclists and other "soft mobility" users. That said, there's still a stupid amount of cars commuting to the city center with just the driver. It's stupid. We have great public transportation! There is no reason to use a car unless you're disabled or are car sharing. Anything else, it's just bollocks excuses. I cycle all year around and it's fine! When it rains it's a bit more difficult but the right gear it's not the end of the world! And I think we should follow the Japanese model where you can only buy a car if you have a private parking place to place it.
There's a couple of things I'd like to ask? Have you tried getting in contact with the mayor of London Sadiq khan about how you think London could be changed? Also, about you saying in the video that we need to get people out of cars, I think you forgot to mention that since the pandemic car use went up because people wanted to avoid public transport due to covid. Oh, and another thing is, how can disabled, elderly and people with health problems cycle? Also, do you really agree with the council's new road? It looks to me like the road is only going to increase congestion because traffic can still be used and people won't change their behaviour as quickly. The road should be made for no cars, and be for bikes and buses and taxis only. I think you should try and get in touch with the mayor of London and council and give them your thoughts, that'll help our roads.
Thanks for this! We have tried to reach out before with not much luck. But as you say it's worth another try. I did mention a rise in car use during/post pandemic! But with the elderly/people with disabilities that totally depends on their capabilities. I spoke to a man with Spina bifida that finds an escooter to be a massive help with his mobility. Unfortunately they are currently illegal here in the UK. Ebikes and their electric assist is a huge help, too. You can get ebike with a love step through frame for those that can't kick their leg over a high bike frame. There's options out there!
Yes there are those with disabilities who use bikes as their mobility aid as mentioned before by Electrohead. There's an organisation called Wheels for wellbeing that raises awareness about this and some people tell there stories how they get around. What some people don't consider is that some disabled are unable to drive and some of those may not have regular access for someone else to drive them places. They still have to get on with their lives. Public transport does help but that depends where you are if have good service. Using a bike as a mobility aid provides cheap autonomous travel. More people on bicycles means that eventually there will be more room on the road for those that have to drive or be driven around. There will be less stressful roads.
Them junctions are terrible. They just need to have cycle only, then car only lights Also they should be no turning at these junctions. Straight only. Sometimes I think the no car it’s centre would be the only way.. there us no need for cars in the city
There are 800,000 cycle journeys in London every day. Let's say 20% of those chose to drive instead, & 80% switched to public transport, London would grind to a complete standstill & there would be permanent gridlock on the roads.
But there is an increase in cars which is causing the problem so if the 800,000 cyclists then drive cars the congestion would get worse. London is an old city and therefore space to expand is not there. As cyclists we are taking up far less room and as a smaller vehicle can move and flow a lot easier then a huge chunk of metal that kills pedestrians and cyclists at an alarming rate 😢
Terrible statistics for cycle fatalities in London. The authorities will have accurate details of each fatality from the Police investigations which they should use to implement safety improvements on road layout etc..for each problem location. London could be so much better for everyone if the streets were safe for pedestrians and cyclists etc. I think they are trying to change the environment for cycling...however, stupid culture war nonsense appears to slow progress. Like lots of other things in this disunited Kingdom we are sorely in need of good governance for the public good. When was the last time this Govt actually did anything to help young people at all...they do not give a flying F*#£ about cyclists...only think about themselves. Rant over.
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The problem is most drivers have zero consideration for slower users like cyclists with their "Must Get In Front" attitude.
I'm a ex lorry / van driver in London that has always has had the mindset of give space to a cyclist even if they are in the wrong.
I'd never had been able to live with myself if my attitude ended up with a loss of life.
We all have to work together to ensure a safe day for all of us.
Thankyou for your careful driving!
If only more drivers had your mindset...
Alot hate us ,they skim by me thinking its fun ,only once has anyone passed me leaving the correct distance, and I'm out nearly every day.
I go through that junction twice a day but I slowly go across with the pedestrians, it’s much safer. Word of advice… don’t go up the inside of vehicles at any junction. The vehicle might be lost and suddenly turn left without any warning, hang back or get in front before a junction.
Agreed -- cyclists being hit by vehicles turning left is by far the biggest cause of deaths. It's often tempting but you just have to tell yourself never to scoot up the inside.
Best way to protect oneself from a left turning car, is to move out and take the whole lane before the intersection, and move back over once through it. Traffic in London is usually moving so slowly that it's not an issue to do and you're not inconveniencing anyone.
Many cyclists do not get this danger. I saw a report saying women are the worse at this. This needs a vid in its own right!
Great video thanks. At 2:13 you cycled past where I smashed my face in on a Boris bike at Holborn Circus 10 years ago. Knocked so senseless that I still don't remember one second of any of it. Went to hospital and turned out the attending City of London Police officer re-docked my bike so I didn't get charged. Like to think I was one of the statistics that got that horrible junction changed to be more bike friendly,.
Woah. That sort of experience can really shake you. Glad to hear you're okay
@@Electroheads Ahh thanks, that's very kind.
I had to force myself to get back on a bike but always with a helmet now.
Think embarrassingly what caused it was having my bag in the front basket which might have jackknifed the handlebars while turning out of the roundabout.
Though still do not remember a single thing.
Funny how the brain protects us.
Thanks again for an awesome channel, you're so close to the 100K subs!
You should run for London government Eilish! You’re so good on camera, I bet you could win and make real decisions about cycling infrastructure!
I ride through Holburn Junction every day (i work in Holborn Tower). Ive had one accident caused by a pedestrian, but seen plenty of near misses. Glad to hear its being upgraded.
UK should be look at Holland for circling infrastructure it's amazing, they've even have under ground bike parks.
Sounds dreamy
We need segregated cycle lane everywhere.
👍and much better-designed infrastructure as a whole
Absolutely.
we need segregated vehicle lanes everywhere, why should cyclists be corralled and restricted
@@petewitney5982 potato patata
Thank you so much for highlighting the issues without blame. I deliver cars country wide, but find London traffic by far the most stressful. Concern for pedestrians and cyclists, anxiety about things like yellow box fines and the shear complexity of signage just pile up on top of time pressure and navigation. Actual driving becomes a minor consideration, which is the whole problem.
The amount of vigilance you need when driving/cycling/traversing through London is huge!
Dublin is moving to a cycling city, the big problem is we don’t have the infrastructure either. They have been talking about a cycle path along the Dublin cost into the city for nearly 50 years now, but all we have is a few short segments, this sort of plan needs to be put in place fully. Cars are not the enemy, but we need to allow for smaller road users too.
You look at places like Amsterdam and Copenhagen and you wonder why officials aren't following
Thanks for highlighting this! I've got into the habit of walking with the bike through such danger points these days. Similar with big roundabouts. I also wait on the footpath to the left when turning right more at some junctions. Maybe consider a separate video of the dangers of getting up the inside of vehicles which may turn left, esp. HGVs. How they cannot see us or can suddenly change their minds. We all need to get into thinking about "danger points". I nearly go into an accident when distarcted recently, so I made sure I remembered it to learn the lesson. be careful of cycling when low on energy too. Long rides also need regular eating.
Great video Eilish, I live in the Netherlands which used to have roads like this in the past.
I am shocked you still have diesel buses?!. Wtf..
Stay safe x
Thank you! Electric buses are on the up in London, but there's a hangover of diesel buses still in use. Not so fun to be stuck behind!
@@Electroheads That bus you complained about was hybrid lol.
Eilis... That was so courageous to record this... Thanks so much..... Great bike... Looking forward to mine arriving from Electroheads this week... Fortunately our roads are a lot quieter than London main streets.
Thank you! What bike did you go for?? Can't wait to hear what you think of it 😊
@@Electroheads The Forme Buxton! ...the very one Eilis was riding ! Whoo hoo! I have a 1 in 10 gradient to try it on from a standing start ...will it test me or the bike ?
Thank you for making this 👍
I live in a small town with a population of 3500 in the middle of the States, Missouri. I hardly ever see any other bikes on the road. You'd think that mine was the only ebike on my three-mile, round-trip ride everyday, although there are two others. Cars have no problem noticing me since my bike is such a novelty. I imagine many motorists aren't even familiar with ebikes and wonder why I almost never pedal.
It’s difficult to believe people are still driving in London. When I lived there thirty-odd years ago as a daily cycle-commuter, it was already grossly congested, with the average car speed being 8mph. Cars in cities like London just don’t make any sense.
Some people do have good reasons to drive. But if it was only those people who were driving then the traffic level would be low enough that there would be much less of a problem. I think making the whole of zone 1 20 mph might be helpful. If people know it's fast to go y tube they might do that more often.
Things have not changed one bit it seems
Thank you for this video! It really highlights the problems people cycling face, not just in London but the whole of the UK.
I would think that the tube would be the preferred method of transportation there. I was scared when I visited there...and I was in a bus!
It's a lot to take in if you're new to the area!
And in most of Copenhagen we have bikepasses, specially for bikes!
Super interesting video! I work at TfL and am familiar with a lot of these schemes that are due to go in. And as a London cyclist myself I am in total agreement that change needs to happen and single-patron vehicles need to reduce massively in order to make London a safer and nicer place to be!
To be fair I agree with you, but you have to be quite brutal in order to make it work.
If there were high price fines for being a single occupant in a car unless it is a work vehicle or has 1 or more passenger, I'd believe that the rates it would drop would be astronomical as people would be forced to be like taxis and take people into their car or better yet, encourage use of other forms of travel such as Cycling, Buses, Trams, Trains and the Underground.
It just seems cold all the time there. I remember the cold especially trying to get some jogging in in Apr. '94 visiting London. Gosh I froze, then it was compounded with the hot water being cut off in the afternoon at this place we stayed at in Earl's Court. Such a pretty face on this girl to look at. A face to draw me in. I really like seeing how the traffic is there now from a bike person's perspective. Not having lived in a really huge city beyond 700,000, it's always an eye opener for me. Right now in this city it's at 49,000. There have been improvements here in the last few years since 2017; Some new bike paths, paving, lines, with part of it more for recreation and part for more generalized biking. The path turns into a wide sidewalk which the bikes can use. Even here you can get run over at a couple of key points where the drivers don't check for cyclists, not just the Mr. Magoos, and distracted women, but even sometime the cops! The problem is that if you want to take a road bike or an e-bike and cover the distance between our town and the next one, 11 miles away, it's a 45 MPH plus two-lane road with no provisions whatsoever for people on bikes so it's suicidal to be on that for any time at all.. It's just not done. So that translates to your world on a bike being basically confined to the city limits for errands, workouts, and commuting.
2:32 Do try and stick to the stop lines at junctions, they're there for your safety and for the safety of pedestrians although it might be appropriate for the council to put an advance cycling box on that particular junction.
I’ve ridden in many large US cities, but have never had enough courage to cycle in London, even though I’ve made many visits to it. Many US cities have begun to realize the importance of cycling infrastructure, but we still have a long way to go. I live in the suburbs of NYC, and we’re slowly seeing improvements to cycling infrastructure, though commuting by cycle in this area is terrifying in places. I’ve recently started cycle commuting again after the purchase of an electric folder, which I carry on the train for part of my commute.
You looked genuinely overwhelmed after all that. it looks horrific. I'm a new cyclist and anytime I approach anything I find dangerous I stop, dismount and just use crossings. Adds maybe 2 mins but it saves so much hassle. I also use the cyclers app to plot my routes that do not cross any busy roads.
Taking it at your own pace is what's important! Cycling is truly wonderful (despite the bigger obstacles) and I hope you're getting lots of enjoyment from it
I deliberately gave a thumbs down to all the comments saying "wear a hi-vis simply because it leads to victim blaming - "she wasn't wearing a hi-vis when the accident happened".
We don't need fluorescent jackets nor powerful strobe lights, we need better infrastructure, better driving standards and far fewer motor vehicles, whether that's cars or vans both of which London is full of.
The pedestrian fatalities in my country, Trinidad & Tobago, sadly is higher...and we're a tiny island. Please be careful Elish...even when filming for the channel🍺
Thank you. There's been such an increase in pedestrian deaths as more people turn to their cars. It's so awful...
Continue the fight. It’s worth it. Hope the PTB improve the cycling conditions.
I saw a clip yesterday about HGV/bus training in Mexico (it might have been on a Not Just Bikes video). They get the drivers to sit on a static bike and pedal and then have someone in bus "close pass" them at speed! Scares the bejeezuz out of them and will hopefully make them more considerate towards bikes. I'd like to see that happen in the UK!
The proctor turn is crazy right now. I normally find myself getting squeezed as it goes to a single lane around the turn.
Another issue is the number of unfit drivers on the roads.
Whether they be from abroad or (in many cases) unlicensed.
Never realised how dangerous this junction was, I have cycled in London my whole life. I am super sensitive to my surroundings when riding in London and basically own the road and ride in the middle of the lane as if I was a car. There is so much going on so I don’t have headphones in and make clear signals if I am turning or moving lanes. There are so many bad cyclists jumping red lights and riding at such fast speeds in tight areas I am not surprised there are so many accidents !
You are very very brave to tackle this sort of traffic and I thank you for testing this and showing us just how awful this is. Realistically, everyone who rides a bike should wear hi-vis jackets and if possible, trousers to highlight their presence, like road workers, especially in London. This does raise a bigger question though, should people be encouraged to ride bikes under the current conditions? Especially if they are not practiced riders, and practiced in city conditions too? Most people in London are travelling for work or pleasure, they will not own/have a bike, but as bikes are so expensive, especially ebikes, they need to be cheaper to get people to ride more frequently. Also, theft of bikes, what do you do with a bike when you get to your destination? Well done (Just a thought, Holborn is generally pronounced Ho-bun).
You came down Holborn viaduct ,
That’s the easy route especially on an E bike 😊, try procter street
Change can’t come soon enough! There just isn’t enough respect between car/lorry and bikes/scooter users! Rip Emily hart
I've never cycled in London, but I've walked there a lot, the last time was last week, and a lot of the problems are that everyone drives on the god damn wrong side of the road....🤣😂🤣😂
But back to being serious, you are right that the traffic is very heavy, and a lot of congestion. We found that the tube, the underground, was very effective once we figured out where we were going. It was sometimes confusing to find your way around, for a Norwegian for the first time in London...
London can be very confusing if you're new to the area! The tube is a great connector but also another beast to wrap your head around 😅
You should protest cycling safety, on behalf of all cyclists, at the WNBR in June. 😁
With the other perverts.
😂
Very brave tackling those busy junctions, but much easier to make a quick getaway on an electric bike 😎
That electric assist was a real help that day 😎
We're glad to see change is happening in London, but we also need change in other UK cities that have lots of people commuting regularly with a bicycle.
My bad the double decker is a Hybrid, I guess it makes sense why you could smell the fumes as the engine only powers on to charge the batteries, where I used to live in Kidderminster they had a bus like that it was mad sounded like a spaceships or how you'd think a futuristic spaceship would sound, back then I didn't even realise we had buses like that so it was a fun trip to be but a bit confusing hearing the sound of a electric motor and a diesel when we'd park in traffic 😅
(Road + Bike lane + Sidewalk) MUST be a minimum standard requirement for all cities, just like the (electricity + water + gas) standard for houses.
I test rode an e-bike from Fully charged on Saturday across London Bridge and then onto CS3(?) then back across Tower Bridge. Getting caught on the inside of vehicles was not pleasant. Best bit was CS3.
i used to cycle this everyday. tips would be ride defensively: sit in traffic like a car at critical moments so you can't get barged out of the way, go into bus lanes wherever possible, and to flow with traffic - move at the same speed
Couldn't agree more!
Ellis, risking her life so I don't have to! This put me off biking in London, I think I go to the Netherlands on vacation instead 😀
I live in Hoek van Holland, the cycling infrastructure is great, you could get off the ferry and cycle up the coast on cycle paths with no road next to them 🙂
@@jamesgrover2005 The ferry to Hoek van Holland isn’t my first choice since I am from Sweden. But taking the ferry from Hoek van Holland would be my choice going to the UK by bike 😀
Don't let me put you off! There's loads of great cycle lanes in London, just make sure to research your route before you go. My favourite goes past Big Ben towards St James Park, past Buckingham palace and all along Hyde park! A lovely route for tourists and residents alike
I live in Boulder Colorado, a town that used to be friendly to bikes. But once google moved in and everyone is moving here, with their car mentality, it's no longer as safe to bike. There's a road called the Diagonal, that goes from Boulder to Longmont, about 10 or 12 miles away. I used to be able to bike that road in the 90's. I stopped biking it when I learned cyclists were being killed on the Diagonal. Recently I took a wrong turn and had to be on the Diagonal for a short time (it felt like FOREVER) and I was terrified. There are MORE cars and they are speeding at least 10 miles over the speed limit of 55, probably 15 or 20 miles over the limit. But NOW, thank goodness, Boulder is building an infrastructure right in the middle of the two directions, that will be strictly for bikes. YAY! But it won't be done for a couple of years. Still, at least one gets the feeling local government is listening! Love Electroheads!
Sadiq Khan is trying to expand the ULEZ in order to get more people using bikes and dare I say it, Escooters and EUCs but the amount of hate he is getting is huge.
If people really want more cycling they need to show support for what is being done for them.
Also it would make good sense to encourage people to use motorcycles as well as cycles because motorcycles help bridge the gab for those longer journeys, they also pollute less due to the engine size most of the time, and the fact they don't get stuck in traffic.
But saying all this, Escooters and EUCs plus other battery powered transport with the exception of the Ebike, are all still technically banned from using the roads, in some parts of the UK people still get points on their license for using this tech on the road, some places around London still have posters up banning the use of Escooters in and around their borough, so those that do change are still facing points on their licence if they come accross a cop who got out the wrong side of the bed to start work.
So without the changes needed in law, cycling and Escooter use are still thought of as a minority.
We still need an upgrade to the Ebike speed.
Here here!!
I agree with your fundamental points, but please remember during your commentary, it’s less in mass, FEWER in number. Thank you.
You've described the traffic woes of the London drivers elaborately. And your foldable EBike solves the problem quite well using public transport. You nailed it, congratulations 🎉
Please try to make some videos on solar electric bicycles too. They're being made in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. And they can go for 200 miles during daytime without charging at 15 miles/hour speed on pedal assist mode 1.
Thank you! The solar electric bikes sound really interesting
Thank you for your bravery on horrible roads, the message needs to get out that our car-centric infrastructure is killing us!
I do Holborn once in a while , it is abit nerve testing but I get to where I like to be, Shoreditch I can’t see what the problem is I cycle that route daily .
These unsafe intersections are just like Sydney except in London your city actually seems to care and is improving them. Progress is super slow here for cyclists and a lot of what we do have is poorly designed (inefficient or still unsafe). I would be happy just to get a cyclist box at the lights, but cars would probably stop across it anyway. Both London and Sydney are making progress though.
You need a medal as big as a church clock for cycling in that environment. I live in Telford so no where near as extreme as London traffic but but where ever possible I avoid roads simple fact is most car drivers simply do not see anything smaller than a car
you wanna see Cardiff stuff of nightmares..
I cycle round London on my road bike, Boris Bikes and recently a hired Brompton , including that junction at Holborn and in my experience the junctions are only risky to cyclists who do stupid things; like don’t bother stopping at red lights, ride down the inside of large vehicles, cycle across the pedestrian crossing when pedestrians have a green man signal etc. The biggest danger to cyclists in London are the cyclists themselves…fact!
Would it be possible to upload a version of this that shows the riders view uninterrupted. It is difficult to get a sense of how it feels as a rider because the view keeps changing. I appreciate that the editing is done well as a news report but an longer uncut version from the riders view would be really interesting and likely even more alarming.
they sholud extend the road and put bike lanes on every main road
I'm a keen cyclist (commuter & recreational, on- & off-road), & I moved out of Melbourne Australia, back to the smaller town beyond the outskirts where I grew up, to try to avoid the crappy traffic conditions that our petrolhead culture in Australia seems to generate without even trying. However, suburban development is heading towards our town, with estates on the next biggest town encroaching on interstitial farmland, and estates on the outskirts of our town reaching towards the expanded boundary of suburbia. All of which generates a fresh crop of stressed-out imbecile motorists worrying distractedly about their mortgages and precarious jobs 40 miles away, and mad mums (/dads, but not many) on the school/daycare run, double-parking outside school & childcare, and turning in & out without looking, almost taking me out several times. A friend of mine was killed last October by a young, inexperienced distracted driver whilst he was riding on a necessary connecting road nearby: bad road engineering left over from when it was a highway, but now just a local road, a parallel motorway duplicating it 30 years ago. The problem, as Eilis identifies, is the culture: "My personal mobility & convenience (and slavish adherence to a social model well past its use-by date : Kenneth Grahame had it bang to rights with his portrayal of Mr. Toad) is vastly more important than your life and safety". Until motorists see the road environment outside of their limited A- & B-pillar framed view, they won't really understand, let alone change their selfish, heedless, reckless behaviour.
I'm so sorry your friend lost their life. It sounds like there's a lot of work to be done in your area. I truly hope things will improve for you and your community
15 years of cycling in London, East End to Tottenham Crt Road was my commute. Loved it, and as cycle lanes came in, it got way worse, a lot of 'less confident' cyclists causing issues for my arrogant self. Nice to see it improving, but its cars/drivers that kill cyclists, never the other way around.
i think the benefiet in the netherlands is, that every/most car drivers are or were cyclists also, so they know what to expect form bikes.
but cycling in our bigger cities is an adventure also.
greetings from LA! We also have terrible bike infrastructure, plus speed limit for cars is 35 to 40mph. The only saving grace that we have is that our legal e-bike speed limit is 28mph.Stay safe.
When I went to LA I was not keen on cycling/scooting because of the 35/40mph average speed limit for cars! Venice beach is of course amazing, but by no means a commuter's route
Remove those pedestrian railings as the cyclists get pinned between vehicles and them. Better for the cyclists to fall on a path or even hop the kerb to avoid a vehicle.
Great point!
I pass this junctions i dont know how many times a day for work on the cargo bike. Had no idea there had been so many deaths. It is a mad one for sure though
Actually take it back. I though the video was for the junction by Holborn Station. 😂. I was gonna say use the one further up. 😢but I use that one alot aswell.
Oh my god Eilis. That looks horrendous. So brave but I could see the fear in your eyes. No wonder women don’t cycle there and if they do? My god! Why is the car still king? The buses and trains are constant unlike here in the country where you are unlikely to see a bus nowadays. ⭐️ cyclist
If you look around, most cyclists are male. Safe cycle lanes will help more female cyclists be brave enough to cycle these busy junctions.
male cyclists are just as at risk - their bodies are just as squishy, why is this a sex thing? It’s about being alert and having common sense- any gender can do that.
The fear was there! Thankfully my years of riding on London roads came into good use. What country are you in? 😊
@@Electroheads oh I live in Somerset so I get speeding BMW’s, Landrovers closepassing me in narrow country lanes. Terrifying too. Speed limits aren’t kept either. 30mph is usually 40/50etc…. I grace to take primary all the time for their safety as well as mine. Respect Eilish.
Multiple lanes are really annoying as a cycle. I indicate but some cars just ignore me :/
It's all too common unfortunately...
try indicator + hand gesture before turning / changing lanes. moving hand do catches their attention.
another great video and nice seeing London again!
Rock n Roll Ellish! 😀
Thanks for doing this video. I think it all helps to force the government to make changes and local councils invest in cycling infrastructure.
I do see other European countries that are far more pro cycling because the people in charge are.
Also I was wondering do you use a lapel mic? I'm trying to record my rides and my voice gets drowned out by traffic. Cheers 👍
Thank you! Yes I use a Rode mic which I clip onto my jacket with a fluffy cover to stop the wind from affecting sound and you're good to go 😀
Imagine that a bus or truck driver has to do the same constant check around, and they have big blind soots, so if a cyclist comes from behind the the bus or truck on the side where that driver is not looking at that moment, the cyclist will not be seen.
The average car occupancy is 1.57, meaning that in theory Smart Fortwo is the best urban car. But even that doesn't go far enough. The solution is in the many L categories (from L1 to L7) below car. There are FAR too little options on the market and that's why people are driving 1+ tonne cars at the average cycling speed, which is insane. Best known among them is Renault Twizy, but that was only first gen. A European consortium called RESOLVE project and led by Piaggio has created a striking next gen vehicle that I would love to drive in London, but some millions euro in public funding in the R&D later there is no word about commercialisation. Also, Toyota has shown a perfect urban vehicle in this class called i-Road. Sadly - the same fate. In the US another company is hoping to launch Nimbus One in the same niche. The Mayor would do a bold move by ordering 1000 of them for car-sharing.
So true! It seems the real test now is to change people's mindsets to choose these cars over SUVs we're seeing everywhere. These smaller cars are definitely a part of the solution
@Electroheads Warwick Manufacturing Group at the Warwick University, on the outstrips of Coventry, is the 🇬🇧 leading centre in R&D in anything electric. They have been involved in hella projects, including the above-mentioned RESOLVE. Long story short, if something disruptive, electric and moving is to be launched in the near future, they are working on it.
Why not visit them and ask about RESOLVE and what they are cooking now?
Don't forget you have an email from me.
I'm surprised to see a person on a bike waiting in traffic.
In istanbul, bikers and motorcycles ride through every possible gap! no rules of engagement!
You drive on road, you drive on sidewalk, drive on asphalt, grass, you drive over cars especially if it's parked on bike lane, scratching the paint as much as possible to make sure he never does it again.
I spend 2.5 h total every day in `normal` traffic( in a company shuttle). Home - work distance is 22 Km.
It's 18 minutes (1-way) with motorcycle.
Did you notice the brave cyclist riding ahead of the bus at 4:39 and popping up over your left shoulder at 4:42?
What about cycles not stopping at red lights or zebra crossings and how many of those cycles were killed by going through red lights?
So how many?
Bright riding vest next time E! Looks nerdy but puts you less at risk from the distracted driver.
So true! Admittedly I had forgotten it. I have a great reflective cover for my bag and reflective jacket that do the job. But yes, always need to be the best example when filming!
I'd like to make a suggestion, I think you guys should do a Livestream once a week, or once a month where we can ask questions, and make suggestions. I think it would be very popular
We did try this when we had a much smaller following! Perhaps it's something we can revisit 😊
Bloomberg say's London is the most congested city in the world, surely places in India, China & Japan that are more congested.
Many Drivers give riders space to ride safely BUT many only slow down for speed cameras not for fellow humans
It's a balance of improving the infrastructure and encouraging folks to try it with what we have now. We cannot wait for infrastructure improvements, because at least here in the US, it takes a decade for marginal improvement on select roads. Also, people cycling and knowing that their situation is lousy, make the strongest advocates to improve the streets.
Slow streets are a way of making the space more compatible for all road users, and by creating visual cues that you should be proceeding slowly, we create a safer environment.
Personally, I don't believe cars will be allowed for decades to come, because we can't afford the emissions it takes to build and operate personal cars, including EVs. So, will we build separated bike infrastructure only to have micromobility as the predominant mode along with mass transit? Probably. Maybe best to study what they've done in the Netherlands so far to achieve very high mode share among ped/cycling and reduce car use. Then extrapolate that further by understanding that cars may not be a choice in the future but e-bikes and other micromobility will still be sustainable transportation for most.
We also need to look very carefully at bike/transit intersectionality. You fail at improving mode share for bikes or transit, if everyone still owns a car. You are only able to drop your car when walking, biking, and transit can fully replace your car. People will not invest $40-60,000 in an EV and leave it at home.
5:44 , Yellow Coat. Thats 50% of the problem right there. Safe cycling is only viable if the cyclist ride safely.
A lot of that said congestion has been increased because of turning a multi lane road into multi cycle lanes and single vehicle lanes.
Having been both a cycle and car driver in London a lot of cyclists put themselves in bad situations like lining up alongside a bus or large vehicle, running red lights, etc. The blame goes both ways.
There should be a course or something to cycle on the road because there's too many cyclists (and drivers), who don't seem to use common sense sometimes especially in the dark and just locking off areas to cycles only just to be more green isn't going to help both ends, all that traffic is just going to end up elsewhere.
Couldn't agree more. It goes both ways. I've seen too many hair-raising incidents where cyclists have run a red or ride through tight gaps between a bus and car. It's all about being sensible
Important video
Of course! I would also be scared if riding in the wrong side! Finn. Denmark
⚡🤙🏼🤙🏼⚡
*I avoid big roundabouts and huge junctions, ride/ walk the bike/board over pavement next to them, it's just not worth riskin it day in day out*
I find it hard to believe that London is the most congested city in the world 🌍
What about cities like Mumbai, which gets totally grid locked! Or other developing countries that have undeveloped infrastructure?
We don't want our world to become a fiery hellscape!
THIS IS STRANGE ACORDING TO THE WEF, LONDON DOESN'T EVEN COME IN THE TOP TEN OF CONGESTED CITIES.
Holland got their transport policy right. Why cant the UK ??
For a country with such a strong cycling heritage, it must be shameful seeing the state of your capital.
Are those Double Deckers not electric?, I have no idea as I don't live in London I live in Wales but I swear the one James May tested on Top Gear around 2013-14 was electric?
It's a real mix at the moment. There are electric buses around but the ICE versions are still very much in use
You are one courageous woman! Here in Copenhagen things are looking much better for cyclists. Come over!
Copenhagen is top of my list to visit! I'm worried I'll never come back it sounds so great over there
@@Electroheads I'll looking forward to seeing you on the cyclist fast tracks taking people to work every morning from quite a bit of ways out of town, which I'll start doing myself as of April 1 😃🚴
Sometimes you you're better going straight at junctions like these and finding another way to your destination
I hear you. It's all about having to make the right judgement call for your safety
You need to try an electric unicycle!!! 😎🥷
Great for London, just hope us in the North East don't get left out when the money is being dished out again.
Cycling infrastructure for alll!
My own city of Geneva (Switzerland) has done a lot of good for cyclists and other "soft mobility" users. That said, there's still a stupid amount of cars commuting to the city center with just the driver. It's stupid. We have great public transportation! There is no reason to use a car unless you're disabled or are car sharing. Anything else, it's just bollocks excuses. I cycle all year around and it's fine! When it rains it's a bit more difficult but the right gear it's not the end of the world! And I think we should follow the Japanese model where you can only buy a car if you have a private parking place to place it.
I'd never heard of the Japanese model! Very interesting... I'm going to have a look into that
There's a couple of things I'd like to ask? Have you tried getting in contact with the mayor of London Sadiq khan about how you think London could be changed? Also, about you saying in the video that we need to get people out of cars, I think you forgot to mention that since the pandemic car use went up because people wanted to avoid public transport due to covid. Oh, and another thing is, how can disabled, elderly and people with health problems cycle? Also, do you really agree with the council's new road? It looks to me like the road is only going to increase congestion because traffic can still be used and people won't change their behaviour as quickly. The road should be made for no cars, and be for bikes and buses and taxis only. I think you should try and get in touch with the mayor of London and council and give them your thoughts, that'll help our roads.
Thanks for this! We have tried to reach out before with not much luck. But as you say it's worth another try.
I did mention a rise in car use during/post pandemic! But with the elderly/people with disabilities that totally depends on their capabilities. I spoke to a man with Spina bifida that finds an escooter to be a massive help with his mobility. Unfortunately they are currently illegal here in the UK. Ebikes and their electric assist is a huge help, too. You can get ebike with a love step through frame for those that can't kick their leg over a high bike frame. There's options out there!
Yes there are those with disabilities who use bikes as their mobility aid as mentioned before by Electrohead. There's an organisation called Wheels for wellbeing that raises awareness about this and some people tell there stories how they get around. What some people don't consider is that some disabled are unable to drive and some of those may not have regular access for someone else to drive them places. They still have to get on with their lives. Public transport does help but that depends where you are if have good service. Using a bike as a mobility aid provides cheap autonomous travel. More people on bicycles means that eventually there will be more room on the road for those that have to drive or be driven around. There will be less stressful roads.
A yellow hi viz vest is an essential safety aid and powerful flashing led lights front and rear are also recommended.
Can you ride the sidewalks in London?
You can't! We're too nippy on bikes to merge with pedestrians 😊
That junction should have a separate way for cyclists. Holborn, I do 168 there daily as I drive it, but as a cyclist is not the junction I would use.
Reduce the speed limit for everyone to 15 mph!
Them junctions are terrible. They just need to have cycle only, then car only lights
Also they should be no turning at these junctions. Straight only.
Sometimes I think the no car it’s centre would be the only way.. there us no need for cars in the city
Have a cycle advanced stop box and separate cycle traffic lights so they can go first would solve 95% of the problem.
The world needs to slow down and get peddling.😂💯🤠🙏🇬🇧👍
Clearly this video shows that we should ban cycles in big cities. Then do more to improve traffic flow .
There are 800,000 cycle journeys in London every day. Let's say 20% of those chose to drive instead, & 80% switched to public transport, London would grind to a complete standstill & there would be permanent gridlock on the roads.
But there is an increase in cars which is causing the problem so if the 800,000 cyclists then drive cars the congestion would get worse. London is an old city and therefore space to expand is not there. As cyclists we are taking up far less room and as a smaller vehicle can move and flow a lot easier then a huge chunk of metal that kills pedestrians and cyclists at an alarming rate 😢
Terrible statistics for cycle fatalities in London. The authorities will have accurate details of each fatality from the Police investigations which they should use to implement safety improvements on road layout etc..for each problem location. London could be so much better for everyone if the streets were safe for pedestrians and cyclists etc. I think they are trying to change the environment for cycling...however, stupid culture war nonsense appears to slow progress.
Like lots of other things in this disunited Kingdom we are sorely in need of good governance for the public good.
When was the last time this Govt actually did anything to help young people at all...they do not give a flying F*#£ about cyclists...only think about themselves. Rant over.