Go on, admit, who is both a 4x4 owner and a cyclist ?

[RichardB]

Says more about my age than anything else - but still gutted.

Me too. It seems like the end of an era - an era when cars were machines that were built by people rather then robots, could be understood and fixed with a few basic skills, and could be repaired ad infinitum. I have read somewhere that when you take the cost of materials and final disposal into account (sort of dust-to-dust measurement), then Land Rovers had a much lower environmental footprint than most normal cars, simply because you could repair them easily and the resource cost of building them was long in the past. To scrap a serviceable Land Rover and replace it with a new car made of freshly-mined metals and new plastics seems like environmental madness, even if the old Landy chucked out a bit more CO2 than the eurobox. I understand the world has moved on, but I can still shed a small tear for the loss of something with integrity and character.

At work we run a 110 SW and a 130 crew cab, and we also have a Ford Ranger pickup. The Ranger is a decent vehicle, comfy, warm and reliable, and the two Landies are forever breaking down and going offsite for repair, but if there is a choice, guess which one most of the boys opt for? Clue: it's not the Ford.

 

[growingvegetables]

... built by people rather then robots, could be understood and fixed with a few basic skills, and could be repaired ad infinitum.

That. In a nutshell.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

they are OK unless you need to go any distance in them. then they are back breakers.

Not in my experience. This took three of us plus luggage on a tour to Scotland in reasonable comfort:

Edit: on the minus side it wouldn't take a bike in the back due to the way the seat folds.

 

[Profpointy]

When I win the lottery I'll be getting one of these for the supermarket shopping run.

http://www.tanks-alot.co.uk/sales.htm

Am about to move from a flat to a house, so the Combat Engineer Tractor would be handy for gardening, and a fair price at £10k. As the advert says, would cost £30million to build one today

 

[Smurfy]

Am about to move from a flat to a house, so the Combat Engineer Tractor would be handy for gardening, and a fair price at £10k. As the advert says, would cost £30million to build one today

That would be a terrible waste when you could use it to give the chelsea tractor drivers a taste of their own medicine.
http://www.tanks-alot.co.uk/galleries/crush-a-car/

 

[subaqua]

Not in my experience. This took three of us plus luggage on a tour to Scotland in reasonable comfort:
View attachment 117471

Edit: on the minus side it wouldn't take a bike in the back due to the way the seat folds.

Chester to Shell Island was a good example of one trip where we would draw lots on who had to travel with rob in his suzuki as the ride and seats were awful .

everybody did it once as it was unbelievable to start with .

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Chester to Shell Island was a good example of one trip where we would draw lots on who had to travel with rob in his suzuki as the ride and seats were awful .

everybody did it once as it was unbelievable to start with .

That's not a massive journey so I'm a bit surprised at it being that bad. Which model Suzuki?

 

[jonny jeez]

Aparrently, if you drive really nicely this will rub off on other Audi/BWM drivers who will follow suit. After some period of time, everyone else will forget they used to hate you. Something like that, maybe.

You have this concept completely back to front .

Being responsible is not about encouraging others within your community (whether you believe that a community exists or not)

Its about changing perceptions of those outside that community.

So to your point, apparently if 4x4 drivers drive nicely, cyclists may one day stop grouping them all as selfish, poor drivers and begin to see them as fellow road users.

Do you see how that works?

 

[subaqua]

That's not a massive journey so I'm a bit surprised at it being that bad. Which model Suzuki?

the one in your picture. was horrible. the grand Vitara was a bit more comfy but looked , well..

MIL had an alto and that is uncomfy too. maybe its a suzuki thing ?

 

[jonny jeez]

I see both how it works, and how it does not work. What I don't see is how you can hope to direct it.

I think hope is the important word there .

Have faith and carry on riding well, who knows.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

the one in your picture

Don't know what to say to that then. Mine is no stranger to long journeys, it's done the Lakes numerous times, Scotland, day trips to the Welsh coast and I know the first owner took it to France. I've never found it uncomfortable as driver or passenger and nobody who has travelled in it has said anything.

I'm stumped.

 

[jonny jeez]

I've owned all of the cars that "cyclists" are supposed to hate. Range rovers, bmws of all flavours, Audis, Porsches and also motorbikes.

Of all the cars I've owned the most pleasant was my range rover,its a wonderful car that dealt with everything I needed from it. The kids loved it too, especially the personal sound system that was built into the rear doors.

These days, as I no longer drive for my work so no longer own my own car...i borrow my daughters or my wife's if I need to drive to a meeting or an airport. I am thinking of picking up a two seater for my own use

 

[jonny jeez]

Sorry, I have been at it for decades but my positive efforts always seem to be overshadowed by those few who give all of us a bad name, apparently.

The tide I turning, now is the perfect time. More and more people are open to cycling as a means of transport than ever before. In my opinion good and bad riders have more chance of influencing opinion right now, than ever before.

 

[Brains]

I was a Landy owner for many years, S III and Defender (complete with winch)
I loved the vehicles, went all over with them, and being a Scout leader it doubled up as a minibus, campsite rescue vehicle, canoe hauler, overnight camper.
When my father hung up his car keys I inherited an 18 month old Citroen Berlingo, I ave liked to have kept the 18 year old Landy, but one had to go.
So now I'm a Berlingo driver, far more economical, goes to the garage once a year, much better on long distance and can still carry much of what I got in the Landy.
But it's useless off road, cant tow anything of much size, and certainly does not leave a rememberle presence

 

[Markymark]

Here's the rub. Drivers don't hate cyclists for the law breaking. That's just a justification for their ire which is easier to admit than their entitled and selfish attitude.

If every cyclist followed every law we'd still be the people slowing them down on their roads. They'll even make up laws we're breaking to continue to justify it (must use cycle lane, must ride single file etc etc)