The Open Guide to London: the free London guide

Motorcycles are happily exempt from the Congestion Charge and there are lots of Parking Bays (large map of central London, 2.9MB).

When riding in London, there are a few points worth bearing in mind:

• Road surfaces are particularly treacherous, especially when wet and it's not uncommon to encounter diesel spills and huge potholes.

• London is full of dispatch riders: their time is money, so if you have one behind you it's best to let them though before they try to force past. Don't try to keep up with them: some are excellent riders whilst some are just psychotic. It's best to keep to your own pace and ride conservatively.

• Those empty bus lanes look quite tempting, but technically motorcycles aren't allowed to use them. Enforcement is via (a few) static cameras and cameras mounted on the front of buses.