How late to cycle through Burgess Park at night

[dulwichquine]

Hello, I am a newbie cyclist. I?ve been using Burgess Park to get to work and back. Now it?s getting dark, how late do more experienced cyclists feel comfortable with when cycling home through this park at night. Feels like it may get very quiet in winter. Any advice/tips appreciated. Thank you!

[Gubodge]

Many years back someone on the forum posted that someone had tried to knock him off his bike with a scaffolding pole, after dark in Burgess. Since then I?ve avoided cycling through any park or on any off road route when it?s dark. I?d rather stick to the roads where I can be seen.

[northernmonkey]

That was what sprung to mind for me too - it put me off but i think that was on the canal path rather than the main park. I think that from talking to friends - if you're doing it at 'peak hours' and there are lots of cyclists around people seem to feel ok with it (though do peak hours exist any more?) but otherwise maybe its worth planning an alternative route. I think i'd feel ok with going through the part of the park on CS17 but maybe not through the underpass and over to the canal path.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

I used to commute that way. It's possibly irrational but I don't really like to go through Burgess Park at night alone. In normal times, it's quite easy to bunch up with other cyclists (esp if you're heading south and get caught at the traffic lights by the BMX club).

[Clutterqueen]

I've also read about attacks in Burgess Park over the past years and wouldn't feel happy riding a bike through there.

Who would even contemplate it?

[Blah Blah]

Same here. I avoid all badly lit parks after peak hour darkness. If there are people there, walking dogs, cycling etc, then fine, but otherwise, best to stick to where you can be seen.

[ed_pete]

Gubodge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Many years back someone on the forum posted that

> someone had tried to knock him off his bike with a

> scaffolding pole, after dark in Burgess. Since

> then I?ve avoided cycling through any park or on

> any off road route when it?s dark. I?d rather

> stick to the roads where I can be seen.

Re the the above, look what I've found.

https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,15153,15196#msg-15196

Post from Pierre about the scaffold pole and Burgess Park

[Siduhe]

I'm with Blah Blah - I cycle the Surrey Canal Path to and from work and take a view on how many people are around - whether it's early morning in the light or later at night in the dark. Trust your instincts and if you don't feel comfortable, stick to the roads.

[dulwichquine]

Thanks for the replies. I was about to hit the park for the first time in dark at 7:30pm last night, coming off Albany Road at Portland Street. It looked v dark and quiet so kept going along Albany Road and did a dog leg round to join at the other side. Replies noted. Think I'm going to add a few more minutes by doing it this way.

[teddyboy23]

Don't be a whimp if you cycle through the park doing 30 to 40 miles per hour .screaming obscenities at everyone you see.and waving a baseball bat above your head your be fine

[kristymac1]

Burgess park has been my commute route for the past 6 years or so. I had a couple of unpleasant experiences early on when it was dark and also its really badly lit and with folk wearing black jackets/jeans, the black bins and dark park furniture you have to be on the alert not to cycle into someone/something!

Now, when its dark enough to have my main front beam on I just cycle around the park instead - probably takes less time as I can go faster on the road with less obstacles....

[malumbu]

I cycled through Burgess Park for years. Not sure why as there were more direct cycle routes. Never had any problems but I think your attitude to risk, and how much of a target you may be (or feel) is key. I never went through Peckham as I wrongly believed that it was dangerous. I switched to the canal path almost 20 years ago and never had any real problems. Occasionally a group of lads, but they'd never take any interest in me.

The positive on the canal path is there will always be someone coming up there who will help.

I remember stories of cyclists going up hills and being pushed off, and their bikes nicked by someone who simply cycled down the hill. I think this was an urban myth. And mopeds coming up to you and pushing you off, or nicking your bag. I understand that this was a North London thing (it's grim up North....)

Of course most of my bother is with motorists. But that doesn't happen very often. Most people are good.

[malumbu]

My first commuter route was through Loughborough Junction, then one of the most dodgy parts of London. Again no bother, apart from a cat running across me and sending me over the handlebars.

[Monkeycat]

I've cycled there coming home a lot at night. It's pretty well lit up on the paths and they are usually still busy until late in the evening so I haven't felt unsafe.

Having said that, if you are worried, go on the main roads.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I used to cycle through Burgess at night. Got a bright front light and it was OK. That said, it's OK, until it isn't I guess and something happens. If you're unsure, you can cycle alongside / around it.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

teddyboy23 Wrote:

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> Don't be a whimp if you cycle through the park

> doing 30 to 40 miles per hour .screaming

> obscenities at everyone you see.and waving a

> baseball bat above your head your be fine

This is true. The odds of two unrelated violent nutters being in the same place at the same time are very low, so if you are the violent nutter, it almost guarantees that you won't bump into another one. It's just simple statistics, really!