On Fri, 8 Apr 2005, David Splett wrote:

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
...

What's a good route to cycle from Holloway (round about the Nag's
Head) to Bloomsbury (specifically, UCL)?

I frequently make this or similar journeys, and I would recommend the
following:-

Caledonian Road - Market Road - York Way (closed at the moment) - Goods
Way - Pancras Road - Euston Road - Judd Street - Hunter Street -
Russell Square. I've no idea how direct this is, but I'd guess it could be
done in 20 minutes, and can't think of any sections of road which would be
particularly hazardous.

Okay, i'll try that. The general approach - a route to the west of King's
Cross - is exactly what i need.

Now, is Copenhagen Street usable westbound? If so, that looks like it
might be a quicker way from Caledonian Road to York Way than Market Road.
If there were convenient access points, the canal would also be a handy
route from Caledonian Road to Goods Way.

And rather than Goods Way - Pancras Rd - Euston Rd - Judd St, how about
Goods Way - Midland Rd - Judd St? Providing there aren't one-way bits
there, that would deal with Euston Road by going straight over it, rather
than along it. This would be better for me, since i have an irrationally
great hatred of that road!

Anyway, it looks like i'm going to have to get on my bike and have a poke
about. I'll post my findings!

For a northbound journey you would have a problem of a banned-turn
turning right from Judd Street in to Euston Road, but I normally do this
on a daily basis with no problem.

Christ, is that banned as well? I hadn't noticed that one either!

For the return leg, the Gray's Inn route isn't so bad. Your route's
shorter, though.

Pancras Road is currently southbound only - the way to avoid this is to
continue east along Euston Road and turn turn left in to York Way. This
bit isn't too bad in the northbound direction - it's southbound that the
King's Cross junction is bad, or if going northbound from Gray's Inn
Road or Pentonville Road.

Funnily enough, i don't mind the actual junction all that much: the
traffic's slow enough that i can get where i want to go quite easily.

tom

--
Once you notice that something doesn't seem to have all the necessary parts to enable its functions, it is going to mildly bug you until you figure it out. -- John Rowland

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
...
Now, is Copenhagen Street usable westbound? If so, that looks like it
might be a quicker way from Caledonian Road to York Way than Market Road.

AFAIK yes. Personally I'd avoid this road as IIRC it's a bit of a narrow,
heavily-used, residential-type, road. Also, the section of Cally Road
through Barnsbury can be quite congested and full of parked cars. Note that
you would *have* to use Copenhagen Street whilst York Way remains closed for
the CTRL works (due to finish soon IIRC).


If there were convenient access points, the canal would also be a handy
route from Caledonian Road to Goods Way.

Can't help with that!



And rather than Goods Way - Pancras Rd - Euston Rd - Judd St, how about
Goods Way - Midland Rd - Judd St? Providing there aren't one-way bits
there, that would deal with Euston Road by going straight over it, rather
than along it. This would be better for me, since i have an irrationally
great hatred of that road!

Midland Road is closed UFN as part of the CTRL works at St. Pancras. I've no
idea when (if?) it's going to re-open, but certainly it doesn't look as if
it's going to do so soon.


For a northbound journey you would have a problem of a banned-turn
turning right from Judd Street in to Euston Road, but I normally do this
on a daily basis with no problem.
Christ, is that banned as well? I hadn't noticed that one either!

I've no idea why it's banned. It's possibly a remnant of when Midland Road
was busier than it is now, or else it could be to discourage traffic from
using Judd Street as a route to the north. I always turn right there anyway,
but you do have to watch out for the occasional CTRL traffic coming towards
you or turning left. The other alternative is to go SA and immediately
u-turn beyond the lights (perfectly legal), but you'll miss the phase and
have to wait a long time (best thing then is to carry the bike a few feet
round the corner and re-mount!).


Funnily enough, i don't mind the actual junction all that much: the
traffic's slow enough that i can get where i want to go quite easily.

Oh, I try to avoid King's Cross at all possible, even though for my journey
Aldwych-KX via Gray's Inn Road would nominally be more direct. It's not that
it's particularly dangerous, but I find there's always cars, and
particularly buses, blocking the road, and it just seems to take ages to get
through the area.


DS

In message , David Splett
writes
but I find there's always cars, and particularly buses, blocking the
road,
Cars and buses are what the roads are for, cyclists just get a free ride
on their backs.
--
Clive.

"Clive Coleman" wrote in message
...
Cars and buses are what the roads are for, cyclists just get a free ride
on their backs.

Free or otherwise, I pity thse who turn up in London on their train every
morning and spend needless time and effort going down the Tube or waiting
for a bus to turn up.

David Splett wrote:
"Clive Coleman" wrote in message
...

Cars and buses are what the roads are for, cyclists just get a free ride
on their backs.


Free or otherwise, I pity thse who turn up in London on their train every
morning and spend needless time and effort going down the Tube or waiting
for a bus to turn up.



Never yet been beaten on a journey in Central London, me on my Brompton
bike, colleagues variously by tube, taxi or car. Its the parking that
kills it for the car by a long way.

Tony

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005, Clive Coleman wrote:

In message , David Splett
writes

but I find there's always cars, and particularly buses, blocking the
road,

Cars and buses are what the roads are for, cyclists just get a free ride
on their backs.

I can get a free ride on the back of cars and buses? I never knew that! Do
they have to have racks, or is there some fitting i need for my bike?

tom

--
The glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Tom Anderson wrote:
I can get a free ride on the back of cars and buses? I never knew that! Do
they have to have racks, or is there some fitting i need for my bike?

The Rixen & Kaul quick fit mount. Special magnetic attachment. You can
get one free from the government if you can prove that you haven't paid VED.

Jon

On 10/4/05 2:35 am, in article , "Clive
Coleman" wrote:

In message , David Splett
writes
but I find there's always cars, and particularly buses, blocking the
road,
Cars and buses are what the roads are for, cyclists just get a free ride
on their backs.

Funny that, last time I rode my bike on the road I was on the tarmac, not
the back of a bus or a car..

...d

Or under a bridge for that matter..

David Martin wrote:
On 10/4/05 2:35 am, in article , "Clive
Coleman" wrote:


In message , David Splett
writes

but I find there's always cars, and particularly buses, blocking the
road,

Cars and buses are what the roads are for, cyclists just get a free ride
on their backs.


Funny that, last time I rode my bike on the road I was on the tarmac, not
the back of a bus or a car..

I have this vision now of cars carrying cycles on cycle racks at the
back with the cyclists still sat on the bike ;-)

Tony

In message , Tony Raven
writes
I have this vision now of cars carrying cycles on cycle racks at the
back with the cyclists still sat on the bike ;-)
I could imagine that, only the cyclist would be too tight to stump up
for the fuel used.
--
Clive.