Cycling vs. Driving

[simongt]

As I'm sure most of us will agree, cycling is much better than driving in most circumstances. Usually I cycle to work, but occasionally I will drive; bad weather, other things to fit in on the way there or back etc..
However, I still regard the drive to work as tedious; stuck with others who mostly seem to be in a tearing hurry, the teduim of having to be restricted to one route blah, blah.
But with cycling, I have a choice of routes, I can go at my own speed and so on, but I also think it's also down to the fact of the physical effort that you're putting in to do the journey which is very satifying.
Thoughts - ?

 

[byegad]

I used to commute to my last place of work, 16 miles each way, most days, but I'd take the car if rain was likely in the morning, while I was on the road. Poor facilities meant having to change in the gents and zero drying area. Coming home and getting wet was different and unless accompanied by a howling gale in my face on the way home I'd accept that. Sadly, this was nearly 16 yrs ago, the quality/accuracy of the available weather guessers Meteorological services suddenly went downhill fast and I started to get caught wet too often. Luckily early retirement loomed and it didn't matter anymore.

 

[Sixmile]

Working from home has hit my cycling miles hard. Riding to work is great as you have to get there somehow. I got into a really good routine of riding in all year round, then covid hit and my commute is down a flight of stairs and the journey isn't quite as challenging or satisfying.

 

[matticus]

my commute is down a flight of stairs and the journey isn't quite as challenging or satisfying.

Which bike do you use? Have you considered reps?

 

[Sterlo]

Working from home has hit my cycling miles hard. Riding to work is great as you have to get there somehow. I got into a really good routine of riding in all year round, then covid hit and my commute is down a flight of stairs and the journey isn't quite as challenging or satisfying.

Bet the ride back up is fun though.

 

[yello]

I once had a 14 mile each way commute from central London that I much preferred by bike. I could choose comparatively calm roads (excepting perhaps for a flyover section of A5 from Cricklewood to West Hendon!) and enjoy, for the most part, the trundle. You'd get the occasional d-head on a rat run but it was fine as a rule.

The downside, and as mentioned above, was lack of facilities at work. Not showers or secure parking (that would have been too much to ask in 2005!) but somewhere suitable to leave clothes, change, clean up a bit and maybe get dry if it was a rainy/mucky ride. It was a big consideration for whether I opted for the tube instead.

 

[Roseland triker]

Used to survey work by bike off-road which was pretty awesome.
Bikes put through accounts for business use is great and really pays especially with the cost of fuel now.
Problem is transport of tools, I did strap my chainsaws to a Phillips trailer quite alot and atchualy gained customers because of this.
Depends on the distance really but most cyclist's here do ride to work as the amount of trail and bridleways here means you can get most places without any road use.

It's just the kin cars with "can't drive I'm blind" operators in that puts me off now tho not the weather.

 

[Arjimlad]

I extend my cycling commute to ten miles, the shortest route to work is four, but it is simply too short.

I do six miles home.

Both go different ways to how I sometimes drive to work. Chiefly due to the shortest driving route following a particularly dangerous fast B-road where commuting drivers have come too close to killing me a few times too many.

When WFH I have a selection of pleasant ten mile circular routes I get out on before firing up the laptop. They involve less traffic than the "proper" commute so can be very pleasant indeed on a sunny morning.

Cycling before work is a hard habit to break, not that I would want to.

 

[fossyant]

As I'm sure most of us will agree, cycling is much better than driving in most circumstances. Usually I cycle to work, but occasionally I will drive; bad weather, other things to fit in on the way there or back etc..
However, I still regard the drive to work as tedious; stuck with others who mostly seem to be in a tearing hurry, the teduim of having to be restricted to one route blah, blah.
But with cycling, I have a choice of routes, I can go at my own speed and so on, but I also think it's also down to the fact of the physical effort that you're putting in to do the journey which is very satifying.
Thoughts - ?

Same. Couldn't face the traffic, so unless its biblical, I ride now I'm back in the swing of cycle commuting. That said, my current route is 95٪ off road, so my only traffic is ducks, geese and those silly black birds with red bits on their heads that run out in front of you.

PS google says its a Moorhen. Flaming stupid they are.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Tbh most of the journeys I do by car are not suited to cycling.

Probably the same for most of the non-cycling community too.

 

[Poacher]

Same. Couldn't face the traffic, so unless its biblical, I ride now I'm back in the swing of cycle commuting. That said, my current route is 95٪ off road, so my only traffic is ducks, geese and those silly black birds with red bits on their heads that run out in front of you.

PS google says its a Moorhen. Flaming stupid they are.

Gordon is a Moorhen - Jilted John

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPK9H4TijEk

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think both driving and cycling are faced with the problem of what to do with your vehicle at the other end. Enormous amounts of infrastructure have been given over to enabling cars to be left in a relatively secure environment. Not so with bikes. A better solution than just shoving some bits of scaffolding pole into a concrete base is needed. I'm not sure what, but something better than that.

Personally drive or cycle is a question that rarely crops up for me. I regularly only drive relatively long distances at weekends to see friends/family so that's a question of "drive vs train" not "drive vs bike". The other use I sometimes put my car to is late evening taxi service as I don't drink so I sometimes ferry people home in the wee hours. Bike's no good for that

 

[classic33]

I think both driving and cycling are faced with the problem of what to do with your vehicle at the other end. Enormous amounts of infrastructure have been given over to enabling cars to be left in a relatively secure environment. Not so with bikes. A better solution than just shoving some bits of scaffolding pole into a concrete base is needed. I'm not sure what, but something better than that.

Personally drive or cycle is a question that rarely crops up for me. I regularly only drive relatively long distances at weekends to see friends/family so that's a question of "drive vs train" not "drive vs bike". The other use I sometimes put my car to is late evening taxi service as I don't drink so I sometimes ferry people home in the wee hours. Bike's no good for that

Bigger bike, with seating either in front of you or a tricycle with seating behind.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

My commute is at 6am and home at 7pm so traffic isn't really an issue and I enjoy both cycling and driving.
Car commute takes roughly 15 minutes and cycling 25 ish depending how hard I push.
I do enjoy an extended commute home in the summer months and the extra fitness it brings however so tend to cycle when the weather is glorious. I also enjoy a tank of fuel lasting 2 months rather than one. I enjoy the freedom of routes when cycling, Hull marina to name one, I always feel more awake and ready to start the day after a cycle commute too.

My old commute years ago was 10 miles and used to leave night shifts at 8am. Could do that alot quicker on a bike than in car with the morning traffic, often beat colleges home to bed which was satisfying.
Nowadays im very much fair weather, can handle the cold and wind if im prepared but rain a hard no amd enjoy the privilege of a car.

 

[matticus]

Bigger bike, with seating either in front of you or a tricycle with seating behind.

... or just browse https://twitter.com/coolbikeart1?lang=en-GB starting Feb 14th :-)