Giving up motorised transport in favour of biking it everywhere

[ColinJ]

Your point about re-thinking the local area is pertinent. On the occasions I drive, (borrow wife’s car) I have to re-tune (mentally) the local map from cycling to driving.

My sister retired to Devon over 5 years ago. I go down to visit her 4 or 5 times a year and always do a lot of cycling while I am there.

She has a good working knowledge of the local motorway, A-roads, and B-roads, but knows virtually none of the network of narrow local lanes that I cycle on.

I have only used a minimal subset of the main roads needed to get me between the lanes.

When we talk about the area it almost as though we are in different places!

 

[Hover Fly]

Way back when, I calcimated that I would spend about one fifth of a working week just earning the money to run a car to get to work, and a good portion of that would go on tax. “No thanks” I thought and carried on ignoring the people who insisted I needed a car because I lived some distance from work.I had a car for a short time when ma had Parkies, and again in France, but apart from that the best efforts of the multi million pound, multinational automobile and advertising industries have been pretty well ineffective.

 

[avecReynolds531]

Topical & interesting thread with some great responses - thanks.

Nearly 3 decades car-free: it's only ever felt like a liberation, never a restriction. I respect that for many people, transport on 4 wheels is either essential, the safest option, or an enjoyable way to travel.

We still hire a car occasionally, but that's the rare exception. Fortunately, for work (dynamo lighting, full mudguards & Ortlieb), shopping, holidays & leisure/ fitness - the bicycle has done it all. Learning basic bike maintenance has only added to a sense of freedom and the gift of more time.

A folding bike can make things easier for integrated travel & breaks away: a second-hand Brompton (stored in an Ikea Dimpa bag) is no hassle regarding reservations on trains, for buses, cafe time, and can be carried straight into your room/ cabin, tent, etc...

It could be discussed that the 3 major decisions of a working life - home, job, and how to commute are generally pretty much viewed in that order of importance, with the latter given a lot less consideration.

If the bike is a way of life, my experience has been that both profession & address are deferred to the priority of a realistic cycling distance, and left to be 2nd & 3rd choices - but, again, I appreciate that not many will choose to think this way.

 

[presta]

She has a good working knowledge of the local motorway, A-roads, and B-roads, but knows virtually none of the network of narrow local lanes that I cycle on.

I have only used a minimal subset of the main roads needed to get me between the lanes.

When we talk about the area it almost as though we are in different places!

That's why I generally avoid asking for directions whilst cycling, unless I want to get sent down the motorway.

One funny one.
I was 90% sure where I was, but rather than stop and get the map out I called to a woman as I passed:
"Markyate this way?"
"NO!"
I screeched to a halt, and as I'd stopped anyway, I looked at the map. Now I'm 110% sure I'm on the right track.
How to extract myself politely without telling her she doesn't know what she's talking about....
I point at the map:
"We're here aren't we?"
"No!"
"So, where are we then?"
"There" she said, as she waved her hand across the map from one side to the other.

It pays sometimes though:
"Is this the road for Eaton?" I called to a guy up a telegraph pole.
"Eaton? That's the other side of the Thames!"
"Yes" I thought, "That's right"
Then I looked more carefully at the map, and realised there's no bridge at Bablock Hythe. Oh well, back to Swinford, then....

The old roads down to ancient ferries that are no longer there are a tempting PITA when they go just where you want to be, but with no bridge.

 

[Andy in Germany]

That's why I generally avoid asking for directions whilst cycling, unless I want to get sent down the motorway.

One funny one.
I was 90% sure where I was, but rather than stop and get the map out I called to a woman as I passed:
"Markyate this way?"
"NO!"
I screeched to a halt, and as I'd stopped anyway, I looked at the map. Now I'm 110% sure I'm on the right track.
How to extract myself politely without telling her she doesn't know what she's talking about....
I point at the map:
"We're here aren't we?"
"No!"
"So, where are we then?"
"There" she said, as she waved her hand across the map from one side to the other.

It pays sometimes though:
"Is this the road for Eaton?" I called to a guy up a telegraph pole.
"Eaton? That's the other side of the Thames!"
"Yes" I thought, "That's right"
Then I looked more carefully at the map, and realised there's no bridge at Bablock Hythe. Oh well, back to Swinford, then....

The old roads down to ancient ferries that are no longer there are a tempting PITA when they go just where you want to be, but with no bridge.

I've been sent onto busy roads before now. The other classic is "Next to the petrol station": I don't see petrol stations.

Of course the flip side is also a problem: giving directions to motorists is risky because road I can use are blocked off for cars. Unfortunately they don't like being told this, so I found it's better to give directions in a confident voice and then hide.

 

[Elybazza61]

You mean plants from a nursery?
Many times I have bought the usual sets of 6/12 in a tray, I've put them in my panniers no problem.
Bigger plants too.

I carry a small plastic bad in my panniers to protect them from water leakage, in case I want to impulse buy plants

Yes, but some actual specific ones that have more unusual plants in stock that would involve a 55km round trip to get to and back laden with plants and a train journey.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Yes, but some actual specific ones that have more unusual plants in stock that would involve a 55km round trip to get to and back laden with plants and a train journey.

I understand.
I have used mail order from plant nurseries for similar, even got cuttings from Ebay sellers that rooted no problems.

 

[matticus]

There are TWO professional gardeners in my club who don't have driving licences!
AFAIK they're the only non-drivers in the club. oh, apart from a train-driver who hasn't ridden with us for a while.

 

[ColinJ]

I travel down to Devon to visit my sister 4 or 5 times a year. When the trains are not overcrowded they are fine.

The problem for me is that the trains I catch from Leeds to Exeter are only 4 carriages long. They come down from Scotland and continue through to Cornwall so they can pick up an awful lot of passengers on the way.

I have had half empty carriages for some trips. At other times I have had to stand for hours crammed in with other poor sardines passengers.

I now carry a fold-up travel stool with me. If I can't get a seat then I get the stool out and sit on that.

Well, the good news is that this train has 5 carriages. The bad news is that the train before this was cancelled so I expect horrendous overcrowding as we head south and more delayed passengers squeeze on. The fold-up stool has been deployed!!

I should be able to get 50% of my return fare back on the Delay Repay scheme.

 

[ColinJ]

I should be able to get 50% of my return fare back on the Delay Repay scheme.

The payment just came through. So that is why I suddenly have £56 more in my bank account than I did yesterday!

There was also terrible overcrowding on the return train so the travel stool was used for a couple of hours on that journey too.

 

[ColinJ]

I should be able to get 50% of my return fare back on the Delay Repay scheme.

I was delayed by 1 hr 11 mins on a similar journey today, so that should be another £59.53 refund!

I am quite happy to be paid nearly £60 to sit at Leeds station for an hour doing cryptic crosswords. Let's do it every time!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It could be discussed that the 3 major decisions of a working life - home, job, and how to commute are generally pretty much viewed in that order of importance, with the latter given a lot less consideration.

It is only looking back at where my parents worked that I realise how close to their places to work they were. Everything seemed a long way away as a kid, but their commutes were never greater than 3-4 miles. In comparison my cycle commutes were 11-14 miles each way. A commute of 3-4 miles is perfect by bike, and even fine walking. Yet the masses will drive that distance and less.

 

[briantrumpet]

Well, the good news is that this train has 5 carriages. The bad news is that the train before this was cancelled so I expect horrendous overcrowding as we head south and more delayed passengers squeeze on. The fold-up stool has been deployed!!



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I should be able to get 50% of my return fare back on the Delay Repay scheme.

That Crosscountry service seems to be infamous. It was just four carriages when I took it (it was cheap), there was only one working toilet, and the number of people boarding at Leeds alone would have almost filled the four carriages. It actually ran to the minute, but talking to various people then and since, it seems that that was the exception. One woman I spoke to said that her mum goes via London instead to get to Plymouth from Leeds: doesn't take much longer, but the extra time and expense is worth it for the reliability and comfort. It's ironic that GWR has been renationalised before XC.

 

[briantrumpet]

On the subject of driving, I still have a car (a 23-year-old Almera), but it's done less than 1000 miles in at least the last three years - when my mum died and I wasn't driving up to see her and take her on holidays, and since covid, when I drove to the south of France (1700 miles) twice for summer holidays, my mileage plunged. And now I've got a railcard, trains suddenly are a lot more reasonable!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just bought advance train tickets to Bangor, North Wales for a November break. Fares a lot more reasonable with a railcard. For any UK holiday we always look for places we can easily get to by train and bus. But also have walking / hill walking / coastal walking on the door step.

Still have old car, but when it dies; I think that will be it for cars.