1500 people sign a petition so they can drive 2 miles to work

[Crankarm]

Retirement is the death of many. I don't plan to. All those that I have known who have not given up work at 60-65 and carried on have lived well into their mid nineties and over one hundred years with a good standard of health and still sharp as a pin and of course money as they were still earning money and getting a pension - quids in! The common factor? They were all regular cyclists at some point in their lives who had maintained their fitness not eating processed junk food laden with sat fat and sugar and slobbing in front of the TV. They would much rather be down the allotment or off riding their bike(s).

 

[Crankarm]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11713839.1_500_sign_petition_to_suspend_bridge_tolls/

This is, seemingly from the comments, from the local's letters, and from the interviews the paper has carried out, how far the average moaner, er I mean driver.. is travelling.

The Itchen Bridge was originally set up to ease the traffic on the now limited Northam Bridge. Tolls were imposed as a way of controlling traffic and ensuring that lorries didnt shoot over there as it was more narrow. It was also to dissuade the lazy but that hasn't appeared to have worked. No a petition is gaining ground asking that tolls are suspended during the road works to "ease traffic".

No matter what you tell locals they wont cycle. You can save money on fuel. You can get a little fitter. You can lose a little weight. You can certainly save bloody time, LOL! But still they chose to drive. There is always an excuse: "you can't do a weeks shopping!" It does make me wonder, Tesco must be BUZZING with all those people shopping right at this minute, LOL. The money they must be making

Oh.

There is an opportunity here though. I've said it in the comments - join us. I know that thanks to twitter and here several local riders have written to the paper to promote cycling in the past. We might rattle off an email to South Today/Meridian too at some point on this too.

The question is - will people adapt?

You might not like it but there is something called freedom of choice! There is a fine line between being evangelical about cycling on the one hand but coming across as a cycling Nazi on the other. You might also consider the consequences of what you wish for. If there were a lot more cyclists, presumably some of those you have managed to force out of their cars, these cyclists would then be wobbling in your way holding you up? Yes/no? At present cycling has a very low uptake in this country which while frustrating is actually quite good. Although cycling infrastructure is crap and there is a significant risk of being killed by a moton it is still pretty easy to get around by bike without being hindered by slower moving brethren or indeed scalped by fast moving ones who insist on engaging in conversation with a really irritating "Good morning!" Perhaps people are just different, have different commitments and priorities preferring or needing to drive whether in their Audi TTs or their Ford Fiestas? Would you prefer people were forced out of their cars by the State just to satisfy your lifestyle? Cycling is great but I don't share the almost fascistic zeal that some have. If people want to cycle great. If people don't want to cycle great. We all have to get along.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Retirement is the death of many. I don't plan to. All those that I have known who have not given up work at 60-65 and carried on have lived well into their mid nineties and over one hundred years with a good standard of health and still sharp as a pin and of course money as they were still earning money and getting a pension - quids in! The common factor? They were all regular cyclists at some point in their lives who had maintained their fitness not eating processed junk food laden with sat fat and sugar and slobbing in front of the TV. They would much rather be down the allotment or off riding their bike(s).

Some people perceive retirement as a time where you collect your measly income from the state, sit down in your arm chair with an electric blanket over your legs and watch daytime TV.

That might be true for some, but for me it is about being financially independent of work, my passive income means I no longer have to work in a job to live. With a passive income stream that covers all my needs and more importantly wants (life is for living after all) I can do as I wish without answering to any boss. If I want to work for charity, uild wheels and repair bikes for a bit of extra income I can, because I have the choice.

Where people traditionally retire at 65, you have lived your best years. You have missed out on the opportunity to see your kids every day and take them on month long excursions around Europe at a moments notice. If you are happy working to secure your lifestyle for 65 years that's great (and this isn't condescending or critical of your choices), but I know I'd rather spend my days being a human, and not being a slave to someone else for a pay packet that I need otherwise will fall into financial ruin.

It’s a choice most people have, but know nothing about because they are too wrapped up in earning their next pay cheque to pay for the killer gadget/splurge on that holiday. Marketing is so good at convincing people we need all this stuff, and yes there is stuff you can’t live without, but there’s a lot you can.

 

[Crankarm]

Some people perceive retirement as a time where you collect your measly income from the state, sit down in your arm chair with an electric blanket over your legs and watch daytime TV.

That might be true for some, but for me it is about being financially independent of work, my passive income means I no longer have to work in a job to live. With a passive income stream that covers all my needs and more importantly wants (life is for living after all) I can do as I wish without answering to any boss. If I want to work for charity, uild wheels and repair bikes for a bit of extra income I can, because I have the choice.

Where people traditionally retire at 65, you have lived your best years. You have missed out on the opportunity to see your kids every day and take them on month long excursions around Europe at a moments notice. If you are happy working to secure your lifestyle for 65 years that's great (and this isn't condescending or critical of your choices), but I know I'd rather spend my days being a human, and not being a slave to someone else for a pay packet that I need otherwise will fall into financial ruin.

It’s a choice most people have, but know nothing about because they are too wrapped up in earning their next pay cheque to pay for the killer gadget/splurge on that holiday. Marketing is so good at convincing people we need all this stuff, and yes there is stuff you can’t live without, but there’s a lot you can.

So if everyone lived an ascetic life style as you seem to be advocating where would that leave the modern world? Perhaps people love gadgets toys etc just different ones to yours? I'm not into mobile phones. smart phones, the latest newest cars etc, but I recognise they have a part to play in many peoples lives whether welcome or not. But to deny or fail to recognise the advances they have clearly bought modern man is ridiculous. Everything we receive, interact with, buy sell, or how ever it touches us whether goods, services, food, financial products etc etc etc has had modern communications, computing, manufacturing, etc to bring it to us. Whether you want it or want to participate in it is a matter for you but technology has brought us tremendous advances not least in healthcare and medicine and also education. Even the bicycle whose design hasn't changed much from the original safety bicycle, is manufactured using modern materials aluminium, carbon and CAD. Robots in factories do the welding and painting for mass produced bikes.

Unless of course you think we should all still be living in caves or mud huts eating berries and rabbits wearing the latest mink?

For me I don't hate my job, well not much. Yes I could earn a lot more perhaps get a better one which hopefully I will, but I use work as a means to an end. The people I work with are half agreeable and whose interaction on the whole benefits me. Yes there are difficult days but there are also good days. On the whole working keeps me sharp. Yes there are lots of things I could do if I did not have to work and had a huge bank balance to support me to do these, but I don't, so it is not worth wishing "if only" as you seem to have done or be doing. It would be nice if we could all be rich entrepreneurs and live our dreams, but in reality people are still needed to do the donkey work. I intend to work for as long as I can. If I don't like a job then I shall find another. Retirement was a very Victorian concept people who had worked in physically demanding even hazardous jobs were allowed a few years of RnR before they died if they didn't actually die before retirement age. Unfortunately the system has been screwed by those at the top taking out far more than they ever put in meaning the contributions for the lower earners have paid for the lottery winning pensions of those at the top causing the pension system to go bust.

But each to their own. I don't plan to retire.

 

[confusedcyclist]

I am not advocating a life without gadgets. I have a car, smartphone, fancy pants road bike, computer, tablet etc etc. They all enrich my life immensly. My life is not one of sacrifice but sensible choices.

Edit: To sum it up, by driving a Toyota yaris now rather than a Mercedes C class I will not be living pay cheque to pay cheque and instead free to work where I want when I want if I want!

 

[downfader]

You might not like it but there is something called freedom of choice! There is a fine line between being evangelical about cycling on the one hand but coming across as a cycling Nazi on the other. You might also consider the consequences of what you wish for. If there were a lot more cyclists, presumably some of those you have managed to force out of their cars, these cyclists would then be wobbling in your way holding you up? Yes/no? At present cycling has a very low uptake in this country which while frustrating is actually quite good. Although cycling infrastructure is crap and there is a significant risk of being killed by a moton it is still pretty easy to get around by bike without being hindered by slower moving brethren or indeed scalped by fast moving ones who insist on engaging in conversation with a really irritating "Good morning!" Perhaps people are just different, have different commitments and priorities preferring or needing to drive whether in their Audi TTs or their Ford Fiestas? Would you prefer people were forced out of their cars by the State just to satisfy your lifestyle? Cycling is great but I don't share the almost fascistic zeal that some have. If people want to cycle great. If people don't want to cycle great. We all have to get along.

Freedom of choice yes. But if I got drunk every night I couldnt then complain that it was having an adverse affect on my life. Its got to the point where you CANT build enough roads to cope with it all. I'd rather a slow cyclist than a car stopped with its engine running. Whats wrong with slow riders?

 

[Drago]

To be fair, Crankarm might have something. Cycle parking at work is already tight and its only the privilege of rank that lets me park my bike next to my desk when the racks are full. If everyone cycled it'd be an impossible situation and I'd have to buy a car.

 

[downfader]

To be fair, Crankarm might have something. Cycle parking at work is already tight and its only the privilege of rank that lets me park my bike next to my desk when the racks are full. If everyone cycled it'd be an impossible situation and I'd have to buy a car.

Do you not think that drivers were once in a similar position.

This is why I say we've lost the battle for hearts and minds and potential riders...

 

[confusedcyclist]

demand always outstrips supply, when enough people complain, more racks will be installed.

 

[Drago]

Car drivers here seem pretty well catered for. New racks won't be installed because they cost money.

 

[downfader]

Car drivers here seem pretty well catered for. New racks won't be installed because they cost money.

They are now. But 70 years ago fuel was more expensive in relation to wages. There also werent as many outlets for the sale of fuel until the 1950s.

 

[edindave]

I prefer to have a e.g. a nice bike now and enjoy cycling holidays in Mallorca while I'm 'young' enough to get up the mountains, than squirrel it all away in the hope that I'll be fit enough to enjoy it the way I'd want to when I'm older. Live for today, not tomorrow.

 

[confusedcyclist]

I prefer to have a e.g. a nice bike now and enjoy cycling holidays in Mallorca while I'm 'young' enough to get up the mountains, than squirrel it all away in the hope that I'll be fit enough to enjoy it the way I'd want to when I'm older. Live for today, not tomorrow.

If you're planning to retire early, i.e. within 10-15 years you will be in you 30's/early 40s if you start early enough. I'd like to think the 40,50 and 60 somethings in my cycling club are not past it, someone of them are still putting me to shame (being 27 myself!) and getting out regularly for those cycling/skiing holidays.

Besides, you can do cycling holidays rather cheap. Again, everyone is assuming that saving £1000 means no money left over for other things. If you're barely above the breadline you will have a hard time saving and having a holiday, but if you have a normal household income, you can save up for a holiday and pay cash. It is not all or nothing.

 

[edindave]

If you're planning to retire early, i.e. within 10-15 years you will be in you 30's/early 40s if you start early enough. I'd like to think the 40,50 and 60 somethings in my cycling club are not past it, someone of them are still putting me to shame (being 27 myself!) and getting out regularly for those cycling/skiing holidays.

Besides, you can do cycling holidays rather cheap. Again, everyone is assuming that saving £1000 means no money left over for other things. If you're barely above the breadline you will have a hard time saving and having a holiday, but if you have a normal household income, you can save up for a holiday and pay cash. It is not all or nothing.

Fair play. Wait till you have kids though, that £1000 a month saving - you can kiss that goodbye and hand it over on nursery fees!

 

[Crankarm]

To be fair, Crankarm might have something. Cycle parking at work is already tight and its only the privilege of rank that lets me park my bike next to my desk when the racks are full. If everyone cycled it'd be an impossible situation and I'd have to buy a car.

… indeed a cunning plan!