Assumptions.....

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Sheffield_Tiger

Sheffield_Tiger

Legendary Member
Conversation with our new group manager

"It's a shame you can't drive, you could have gone to...."
- "I do drive"
"What, you have a car at home?"
- "Yes, and I'm quite happy with the [company's] 7.5 tonner"
"But you come on a bike???"
- "Yep"

Puzzled look...I left it there

Why would anyone ride a bike/trike when they have access to a car? I mean. it's not like you NEED exercise, to give this manager her due she has made a lot of effort to lose weight and drop a few dress sizes - it took a lot out of her bank account for the gastric band!

Why would anyone do any physical activity in this day and age eh?
 
MrHappyCyclist

MrHappyCyclist

Riding the Devil's HIghway
Location
Bolton, England
As it happens, I posted one answer to this question only this morning:

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9c4saYAdwA[/media]
 
R

Red Light

Guest
fastlanefatlane.jpg
 
MrHappyCyclist

MrHappyCyclist

Riding the Devil's HIghway
Location
Bolton, England
doog said:
fantastic video. Really shows the value of cycle lanes. Also shows what a precarious life we lead as cyclists...take care. (if that was your vid)
Click to expand...
Thanks. It was mine from this morning's commute. At 4 times normal speed it looks a bit more fraught than it really is; I do tend to be quite cautious when filtering.

To be honest, I'd rather most of those cycle lanes weren't there, then the traffic would be further left and there'd be more room to overtake them on the outside, where I should be. Then I wouldn't be getting so close into the door-opening zone of so many parked cars and I wouldn't be having to pass trucks and buses on the inside (although I am very careful about that). I know some people disagree,but that would be my preference. It's still very satisfying passing all that traffic, though.
 
gaz

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
Red Light said:
[attachment=5533:fastlanefatlane.jpg]
Click to expand...

4646637491_acf0c3e4f0_b.jpg
 
Melonfish

Melonfish

Evil Genius in training.
Location
Warrington, UK
MrHappyCyclist said:
As it happens, I posted one answer to this question only this morning:

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9c4saYAdwA[/media]
Click to expand...


I refuse to take this video seriously until you put Yakety Sax as the backing track :biggrin:

but yeah, assumptions, for instance checking into a hotel with two colleagues for work, she asked us all to fill out registration forms for our cars.
our designated driver said of us, "I drive, he doesn't drive and he refuses to"
pointing at himself, my colleague tom then myself :biggrin:
but when i tell people i don't drive at 31 they're quite shocked, fact is i hate driving i think its horribly dull.
 
G

GTTTM

New Member
Location
here.........
Melonfish said:
but when i tell people i don't drive at 31 they're quite shocked, fact is i hate driving i think its horribly dull.
Click to expand...


You should see the looks I get when I tell them I'm 32, have 3 children and don't drive. They think we've never been away on holidays, and can't understand how we managed to do a 3 weeks holiday (2 weeks in Edinburgh followed straight on by a week in liverpool) without one.

Obviously the kids aren't up to touring yet so it's all public transport right now so I just show 'em my family and friends rail card, pull out a bus timetable from my pocket and shrug at 'em.


That said I did have a few lessons years ago, got as far as driving on the A45 dual carriage way, but hated every minute of it and was terrified. Although I'm a bit scared back on the bike on the roads I actually feel safer on my bike that I did behind the wheel of that car............
 
Davidc

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
Unfortunately I can't avoid driving for work at present. Hate it. I'd rather go by bike, train or walk anytime.

Why can't people understand that I don't find cars objects of desire, do find bikes desirable and drool over them, that I don't enjoy driving, and when I buy a car I don't care whether it's fashionable, cool, or whatever, I just want it to meet a list of functional criteria, have a low cost of ownership over 15 years (difficult to find a figure for that) and be the cheapest that meeets those requirements???

Why can't people understand that I buy cars new and then run them for about 15 years/ 250,000 miles/ until they fall apart, that it doesn't bother me that my car isn't usually the latest model/ new/ shiny? Why can't they understand that I don't want to get credit to buy a newer/ bigger/ faster one, and that I squirrel away the expenses I get from employers/ HMRC allowance to buy a new one eventually and that any left over buys me a new bike?

Our entire culture revolves around the car and a peculiar liking for it. Somewhere in my past I missed out on this and as a result I'm too often viewed as being a strange, suspicious and possibly subversive person!

It's all summed up by the look I get a couple of times a year when I go off for a two day ride, go to book in at a hotel (if a Travelodge counts as one), and tell the receptionist I have a bike not a car, and please can I park it somewhere secure!

(I know that's not about commuting, but the thread is about the same sort of cultural myopia)
 
fossyant

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
clarion said:
People ask me how much longer it takes me to cycle than to drive. I don't honestly know. I've never had the time to attempt the drive. :biggrin:
Click to expand...

When I explain I cycle the longer route to work I get :wacko: . I was spotted the other week by a colleague (who occasionally cycles in) why I was in a particular place - knowing I live in the other direction. I explained, and he smirked, ah "just because you can" ! :thumbsup:

Always give the same answer - "because I can".
 
fimm

fimm

Veteran
Location
Edinburgh
Colleague to me this morning: "It isn't the best weather for cycling, is it?"
Me: "Well, actually it is not that cold out there..."
Him: "yes... but it is a bit rainy..."
Me: (thinks, no, it isn't raining at all...): "a bit of rain won't do me any harm, and I'm fortunate that I have this nice warm office to come in to..."

(Why is it always the people who could really do with loosing some weight who make this sort of comment?)
 
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