road rules for cyclists?

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I'm going to London in two weeks and I'm going to bring my bike with me.
Moreover, I'm going to ride all the way from Heathrow to my accommodation place in Northern London on bike (about 25-30 km I believe). So I definitely need to know some specific rules (of thumb), if there are any, about how to ride a bike in London. Especially which roads are closed for cyclists, can a cyclist turn right when there are more than one lane, and how strict the police are to cyclists who ignore red traffic lights and do illegal turns.

I was in London last March and I saw how the police stopped and fined two cyclists who were crossing Trafalgar Square just in front of National Gallery (only a courier managed to get away :).

Read the road signs, you can turn right, but do indicate your intentions by using your arms.

Don't ride the wrong way up streets, and don't try anything stupid like riding on pavements etc. It's not the police you need to worry about, it's motorists - ride like an idiot and you'll get knocked off your bike. Police take very little notice of law abiding cyclists.

Don't ride on motorways (blue signs), most other roads are fine for cyclists.

You don't have much to worry about !

Read the road signs, you can turn right, but do indicate your intentions by using your arms.

Don't ride the wrong way up streets, and don't try anything stupid like riding on pavements etc. It's not the police you need to worry about, it's motorists - ride like an idiot and you'll get knocked off your bike. Police take very little notice of law abiding cyclists.

Don't ride on motorways (blue signs), most other roads are fine for cyclists.

You don't have much to worry about !

that's my crosspost from another UK forum:

I've just spent 2 weeks in London studying.
I brought my bike with me to start the season in London (it's still damned cold here).

I've done 480 km, all within Greater London boundaries, mostly in Northern London (I lived in Finchley and studied in Highgate), but I also made a big loop through southern London in my last day.

My summary:
London is absolutely cycling friendly. I didn't have to care about looking back as much as I do in Moscow. All motorists always maintained some distance for me to manoeuvre (I can never hope for having this here).

I also came to conclusion that a bike is the fastest way to travel through London. I was easily able to get the centre in 35-38 min from North Finchley, while using buses or the tube it usually took at least 50 min (this stupid Northern line!). I can only guess how long it takes it's by car.

Also, I've never seen traffic jams similar to Moscow's.

I rode through the city centre during rush hours and never had a problem with breathing except in oxford street with all its buses, I know it was a stupid idea, there are parallel streets with almost no traffic (I don't even think about riding through Moscow streets during rush hours, it's just disgusting).

Yesterday, when I rode back home from the airport, I just wanted it to stop as soon as possible, I just couldn't stand the reek and dust. I'm just typing it and don't really when I want to ride my bike here again...

Thanks for everyone who keeps this wonderful city running!

ftp://ftp.rts.ru/pub/support/inter/misc/london2/kensington-bayswater_resize.JPG

as someone about to move to london and bring the roadie as a form of transport, i'm liking the idea even more!

what are the "blue" motorways that were mentioned? are those the "M" designated roads (M25, etc)?

You cannot cycle on Motorways. So don't use the M25 or the M4.

well i am not quite sure about the road rules for cyclists, but i am sure that you would not be alowed to do what me and my mates did. Check this out this: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=orzUM8woTdc