Comments on: Top Gear – Race Through London http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/ Tips, Hints, Reviews and Safety for Bike Commuters Tue, 21 May 2013 23:09:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Sam http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-1163642 Sam Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:30:32 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-1163642 The entire trip (Hammond), was filmed from a BMW m/bike. If they could film from it they could win on it. Simple!! I rode a m/bike through London, and no cyclist abiding by the road laws could have beaten a m/bike across that distance.... The entire trip (Hammond), was filmed from a BMW m/bike. If they could film from it they could win on it. Simple!! I rode a m/bike through London, and no cyclist abiding by the road laws could have beaten a m/bike across that distance….

]]> By: mconlonx http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60127 mconlonx Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:40:18 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-60127 Really? The gridded area in front of the car-stop line, but before the crosswalks isn't for bikes? Huh. I was told differently when borrowing a motorcycle over there... of course it was a motorcyclist who told me that and maybe he was having a bit of fun, setting up the clueless American for traffic hijinx. Still, the way I saw couriers ride scooters and motorcycles over in London (think US bike courier, but motorized...), I'd be very surprised if a bicycle could beat them. Really? The gridded area in front of the car-stop line, but before the crosswalks isn’t for bikes? Huh. I was told differently when borrowing a motorcycle over there… of course it was a motorcyclist who told me that and maybe he was having a bit of fun, setting up the clueless American for traffic hijinx.

Still, the way I saw couriers ride scooters and motorcycles over in London (think US bike courier, but motorized…), I’d be very surprised if a bicycle could beat them.

]]> By: SW http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60111 SW Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:43:37 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-60111 The space at the front of cars is *not* for motorbikes, although motorcyclists don't seem to think so. The space at the front of cars is *not* for motorbikes, although motorcyclists don’t seem to think so.

]]> By: mconlonx http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-59858 mconlonx Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:32:43 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-59858 No fair--they didn't use a scooter or motorcycle in the race. In the UK, "filtering" (i.e. lanesplitting) is legal, and they often have space up in front of cars at stoplights for bikes--motorized and pedal--to stop until the light turns green. I bet a courier on a small displacement motorcycle would have beat them all. I did my own comparison here in the States, Malden MA to the south side of Boston MA during morning rush hour, about 7 mi. Car, motorcycle (no lane-splitting in the US...), or public transport, it didn't seem to matter, 40-45 min. Bicycle, 25-30 min. Plus, public transport sometimes has delays, and traffic in Boston can be a nightmare, so there were days where it took over an hour to get into work without a bike, but it never took longer than 30 min to get into work with a bike. No fair–they didn’t use a scooter or motorcycle in the race. In the UK, “filtering” (i.e. lanesplitting) is legal, and they often have space up in front of cars at stoplights for bikes–motorized and pedal–to stop until the light turns green. I bet a courier on a small displacement motorcycle would have beat them all.

I did my own comparison here in the States, Malden MA to the south side of Boston MA during morning rush hour, about 7 mi. Car, motorcycle (no lane-splitting in the US…), or public transport, it didn’t seem to matter, 40-45 min. Bicycle, 25-30 min. Plus, public transport sometimes has delays, and traffic in Boston can be a nightmare, so there were days where it took over an hour to get into work without a bike, but it never took longer than 30 min to get into work with a bike.

]]> By: Fritz http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-59759 Fritz Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:38:01 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-59759 Rich Hammond revealed a while back that he personally commutes by bike. Rich Hammond revealed a while back that he personally commutes by bike.

]]> By: Brigaid http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-59725 Brigaid Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:53:57 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-59725 Loved this episode. I was rooting for the Hammond on the bike the whole time. Loved this episode. I was rooting for the Hammond on the bike the whole time.

]]> By: getinlost http://www.commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/comment-page-1/#comment-59709 getinlost Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:39:33 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2007/11/13/top-gear-race-through-london/#comment-59709 Well DUH! Of course the bit where the GIRL told Hammond to speed up was a hoot. Well DUH! Of course the bit where the GIRL told Hammond to speed up was a hoot.

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