classic33
Leg End Member
I'll remain "downright weird" and "somewhat odd" any day, if car ownership is the measure being used.Agreed, driving with out having clear windows is extremely dangerous. That's why the responsible drivers leave their engines running to warm up the heater and keep the windows clear when they drive off!.
Believe me, to the vast majority of the population owning even a modest £3k car is viewed as a sign of greater achievement in life than owning a £3k carbon bike. Anyone who spends more on a bike than they could get the most ratty old beater of a car for, is considered to be downright weird.
The groups with the highest car ownership round my way are mostly Asians, and many of those came from poor backgrounds - or their parents did. As soon as they achieve success in running a business, or just get a half decent job working for someone else, they get themselves an expensive car. The more bling looking it is and the more performance it offers, the better they like it. They don't go out and buy fancy bikes!
Only a small minority of the public do any cycling out of choice, and the number that exclusively cycle out of choice and don't even have a car, is even smaller still. Any adults, especially males, who can't drive in their twenties are generally regarded as somewhat odd!
The owner of a local specialist heavy haulage company is a cyclist. Still prefers to cycle to & from work, rather than drive. But at times he has to drive.
To turnabout something you said, I doubt you even a own a bike, much less ride one. Basing this upon your replies that imply that bikes cost nothing to buy, nothing to keep running, and can easily be replaced if damaged or stolen. They're all typical driver response's to cycling as is the one above(Which neatly avoids nearly every point raised).
It matters not to me, if the person starting out cycling starts with one costing less than £100 or goes all in, having decided they'll have one bike only so spend that much more on it. That's their choice to make, not mine.
And a responsible driver wouldn't leave a car engine running when they are not near the vehicle. It's also illegal.
"Stationary idling is an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which means leaving the car running with the heater on the windscreen is off-limits.
The Act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code which states: "You must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road."