My London Commute

On my last journey here from the USA, I packed my bicycle on the plane with me, determined to save money (20-30 British Sterling per week) and time (it has taken me 1 ½ hours to make the 10 mile commute from my dad’s place to work via bus/train/bus). So far, it has proved a worthwhile effort in hauling my beloved Specialized across the Atlantic. The net gain is the money, and now it only takes me about 40 minutes ride time door-to-door. But, the gain is not the whole story. The real story is the adventure of dodging double-decker buses and black taxi-cabs in one of the world’s busiest cities.

My first day riding to work was exhilarating and frightening. I can’t really remember being so UNrelaxed on a ride. First of all, I’m riding on the left hand side of the road, which throws off all my natural instincts in avoiding life-altering collisions. Second, there are vehicles of all shapes everywhere, making up rules as they go. I arrived at work on that first day happy to be alive and wondering if I had what it takes to get home that evening. I’m writing here, so I must have.

My follow-up rides in and out of Central London have been characterized by a lot more confidence, which is beginning to scare me. Riding in Colorado teaches one to stay right, make eye contact with drivers, give right of way to vehicles, and stay in the bike lane when there is one. In London, you stay left unless a huge rectangle-shaped double decker is there instead, don’t worry about eye contact because your too busy observing what the big red rectangle on wheels will do, act as if you are a large vehicle and demand the right of way, and if there is a bike lane, get in it before a bus does.

A few lessons I’ve learned so far:
- Clip in fast / Clip out faster
- Look over your shoulder on the left, not the right… oops, I mean the other way… I think. Shit. Welcome to my ride.
- Don’t draft behind a bus (seems like a good draft, but inhaling the exhaust isn’t fun)
- Roundabouts are not cycle friendly, so avoid them if at all possible
- Businessmen in suits on folding bikes look funny, but they can pound it
- Don’t look at the sights along the way because you’ll run into something big and red
- The sights really are more amazing on a bike
- Bus lanes are awesome as long as a bus isn’t in it
- If you are unsure about where to go, follow other bikes
- Don’t listen to your ipod on this ride….. way too much going on
- In London, bikes are faster than trains, tubes and buses…..
- Commuting is not racing, but deep down we know it is, so don't get dropped by the businessman in a suit on a folding bike

All in all, I am enjoying my daily rides. We have showers at Amnesty, so I arrive at work not only alive, but awake and ready for the day. I arrive back at my dad’s in the evening feeling much better than if I would have sat on a train and bus for 90 minutes. On a serious note, I’m much less depressed about being here as well. I'm sleeping better. Something about working out….., and look, I have time to blog.

What I really want, though, is a pair of glasses with a camera embedded in them. Then you could really appreciate my daily survival trek.

By the way, on my way to work, I cross London Bridge with a view of Tower Bridge. I pass right by St. Paul’s Cathedral and its huge dome. And I deftly avoid intimate encounters with many, many big red rectangles with wheels.

I’ll get that camera sometime. Then watch for me on YouTube. It will be legend.