commuting options

[buggi]

i cycle 34 mile round trip. i do it 2 or 3 times a week and it feels great (altho lately been having to drive due to carrying too much (laptop etc)... hate carrying stuff on my bike)

having said that, my work has showers and changing facilities and i have a locker to leave my stuff in, and we have a warm "drying" room to dry our clothes in if they get wet (they basically just turn the heat up in there)

you need to see what it would be like in winter. i can do my commute in the mornings if it's not snowing/icey or -10, but i can't do it coming back once we're within the winter clock change as it's too dark, no street lights, windy country road, just asking to be knocked off by a lorry. so on those occasions i can take the bike on the train. i don't tend to cycle in December or January at all because it's too cold, but i do know it can be done coz people at my work do it.

ps. i think if you get a HRM and cycle in your fat burning zone you don't knacker yourself out if you're doing it 5 times a week. obviously it takes a little longer to get to work but it means your not fatigued at the end of the week (something that i frequently am coz i always blast it to work coz i'm always late)

 

[Cab]

bus or train takes an hour and a half, AND there's then about a 4 or 5 mile cycle on top of that. Not an acceptable journey time.

An hour and a half? Have you explored alternative (more direct) bus or train routes that may take a little longer to cycle to? Thats a long time for a short journey.

 

[bonj2]

But then again, they're cheaper to buy, run and insure. You'll stay dryer, and from my Vespa days I can advise that you'll come off better if hit from the side by an idiot in a car.

When did you pass your test? If it was before 2001 you won't need a CBT for a 50. If you get a 125 it'll do well over 40mph.

really - so if I get a 125 then I need CBT presumably? which is about £100?
And how will i stay dryer - what, you mean dryer than on a motorbike or dryer than on a pushbike?

 

[bonj2]

An hour and a half? Have you explored alternative (more direct) bus or train routes that may take a little longer to cycle to? Thats a long time for a short journey.

that is the more direct route. The (potential) job's in sutton-in-ashfield. The nearest town is mansfield. It's an hour and a half to mansfield. God knows why - public transport in this country is shite.

 

[bonj2]

you need to see what it would be like in winter. i can do my commute in the mornings if it's not snowing/icey or -10, but i can't do it coming back once we're within the winter clock change as it's too dark, no street lights, windy country road, just asking to be knocked off by a lorry. so on those occasions i can take the bike on the train. i don't tend to cycle in December or January at all because it's too cold, but i do know it can be done coz people at my work do it.

Hmmm... it's the winter that would put me off cycling. But what I don't know is how bad it would be on a motorbike/scooter as opposed to a bike...

 

[bonj2]

hmm, that's an interesting option actually...
what are any disadvantages? do they feel stable what with having small wheels? and what's the optimum cruising speed on an A-road? (I don't mean what's its top speed, i'm on about what's it best at) obviously some are different to others, but ball-park figure...

 

[bonj2]

and would it be likely that could feasibly get a decent(ish) one for say three or four ton? (second hand obviously)

 

[bonj2]

ah right, nice one. What makes are likely to be the cheapest?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

why not just commute by bike once a week and then build up? use the van the other days and let the expense of that be an incentive to cycle more. before you know it you'll be doing it every day and be a faster cyclist for it.

i think User is being very mischievous with his scooter suggestion

 

[bonj2]

why not just commute by bike once a week and then build up? use the van the other days and let the expense of that be an incentive to cycle more. before you know it you'll be doing it every day and be a faster cyclist for it.

i think User is being very mischievous with his scooter suggestion

I suppose I could do that... I think the scooter's not really a viable option to be honest, as there doesn't seem to be that many around under £500, and then there's the CBT on top of that - which is already making it more expensive than a cheap car.
I think alecs suggestion of cycling as much as possible and using the van at other times is probably viable if they've got showers, if they haven't then it's probably going to be a cheap car tbh. Although that'll probably influence my likeliness of accepting a lower offer.

 

[bonj2]

Why dont you sell the van and get a car?

Sell my van?! Are you insane? Why the devil would I sell my van? I love it, I wouldn't ever sell it. The only way I'd sell it is if you offered me ten grand for it.

 

[GrahamG]

If you get on well at the job, you could always look at moving to live a bit nearer. It may sound drastic but in my view the whole 'work/life balance' can be moved seriously to your own favour if the commute time comes to 30 minutes or less each way!

 

[Tetedelacourse]

mopeds are always breaking down and getting nicked and becoming embroiled in mass seaside riots. Take the van with bike in back and cycle home then in the next day etc.

22 miles would take me around 1hr 15m. But forget it if they don't have showers.

 

[bonj2]

Why not? It's not really practical is it? If it's only to transport your bike.

What do you mean, only to transport my bike? I do that quite often. More importantly, I don't like being put off transporting my bike due to it being a pain in the arse.
Not only that, I'm always noticing myself finding it extremely useful for transporting other big things aswell.
It is practical, it's just not that economical on fuel.

 

[bonj2]

If you get on well at the job, you could always look at moving to live a bit nearer. It may sound drastic but in my view the whole 'work/life balance' can be moved seriously to your own favour if the commute time comes to 30 minutes or less each way!

I might consider that - it would be a right pain in the arse as it would involve renting my flat out, which would probably involve signing a fixed-term contract, and getting a new place somewhere, but it may have hidden advantages, such as I might save money if the rent is more than the mortgage, and I might get a garage etc. I'd probably end up going back up to sheffield quite a few times a week though for sports, social activities etc. so might be a bit of a false economy...