Schau zuerst nach rechts!

At London Edinburgh London, we trust you to make the right decisions yourself – for your gear and for your safety on the bike.

You know you need light in the dark. You usually wear reflective clothing. You drive with foresight and consideration. That's why we don't have to tell you what to do all the time.

Of course, there are still rules – but we'll cover them in another article.
Today we are concerned with a single, clear safety advice: Always look to the right first at intersections.

Why this is so important

In August 2025, we expect over 2,200 participants at the new edition of London Edinburgh London. About half of you come from countries with right-hand traffic – i.e. continental Europe, North America or other parts of the world. The other half comes from countries with left-hand traffic, such as Great Britain, Ireland, India, Japan or Australia.

In the United Kingdom, we drive on the left side of the road. For all those who are used to right-hand traffic, cycling on the left side is usually easier than you might think at first: The traffic around you clearly shows you where to look and how to get into the lane.

But there is one big exception: intersections.

T-junctions: An underestimated danger

A particularly critical point are so-called T-junctions. These are places where you stand at the end of your street and have to decide: turn left or right.

An example on our 2022 (and 2025) route:
A T-junction on an expressway between Spalding and Boston where you have to turn right to the other side of the road.

What's the problem?
Your muscle memory. If you are coming from a right-hand traffic country, you automatically look to the left first when you approach an intersection.
But that is exactly what is dangerous in Great Britain.

If you only look to the left and drive to the center island without first checking to the right, a vehicle could approach on the lane coming from the right – and at high speed.

On the first day of the 2022 event, that's exactly what happened: a driver approached the intersection, first looked in the wrong direction, and crossed the road because it was clear from his point of view. He overlooked a 40-ton truck that was speeding towards him at 80 km/h. Miraculously, he has made a full recovery.

This shows how vital this one simple rule of conduct is:

  • At each intersection, look to the right first.
  • Make this a habit.
  • Always.
  • Whether you're on a quiet country road or standing on a busy highway.

There are a few particularly dangerous intersections along the route where you have to cross expressways. We will put up additional signage at these points – also to remind you to look to the right.

These crosses are:

  • B1397 / A17 bei Sutterton (Nord- und Südrichtung)
  • A66 nordwärts von Low Lane zu Lanehead Lane
  • B6274 südwärts über die A66
  • A505 bei Duxford

Achte zusätzlich auf Hinweise im GPX-Track und im Routenbuch – sie markieren solche Stellen ebenfalls.

Selbst wenn du nicht an diesen speziellen Kreuzungen vorbeikommst: Mach es dir zur festen Regel, an jeder Kreuzung zuerst nach rechts zu schauen. Je früher du dich daran gewöhnst, desto sicherer wirst du unterwegs sein.

Sicherheit beginnt mit einem Blick – nach rechts.