No substitute for a car?

[Drago]

I feel fine, well within my skills, training and experience.

I wouldn't take the pith, but ifcwe didn't take some risks in a considered manner then we'd never leave the house.

 

[Lp4k3]

rain will never bother me, its the wind thats the killer.... i only cycle 4 miles to work and 4 miles home, so i have no reason not to take my bike... leave the car at home!!

 

[Profpointy]

[QUOTE 2057653, member: 45"]If I'd known how long it was going to take me to drive the 13 miles to work this morning I'd have cycled. Despite the rain and copious flooding, I'd have still got here more quickly.[/quote]

Quite - I too drove as i had extr faff and a dealdine, but took me an hour and a half, as I tried to be "clever" to avoid a queue, compared to 40 minutes one the bike, soaking or no soaking.

 

[al78]

all I can say is to those of you who still ride your bike in very wet weather is:
1. you are still young enough not to care. 34
2. you don't have far to go. 9.5 miles
3. you are really really keen ( or foolish) neither, just have a goal to be car free.
4. you don't realise the risks of riding in heavy rain from 4 wheeled vehicles. ( maybe goes with 1) no more dangerous than cycling at night or any other time when visibility is less than perfect. I just switch the lights on if it dull enough.
5. you certainly are more devoted cyclists than me. possibly.
6. you have no other choice. It is either car or bike to get to work, no other options, as far as I am concerned a few unpleasant commutes a year is worth it for saving hundreds of pounds on a car that only leaves the driveway once a month at best.
feel free to add to this list if you think like me.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I thought: " he can't be owing a car otherwise he would be using it".

You really are making a lot of assumptions here, aren't you? What was the other one that caught my eye? Oh yes

'They can't have far to go'

Some people just want to cycle in all weathers, be that distance long or short, and, get this, they might have a car sitting at home too! A car isn't the be all and end all of everything you know. Also maybe some of the people you see out in bad weather are in fact in serious training for something. You never know, and should never just assume.

Me? Once I get my winter bike(s) sorted out and once I've had my surgery, I'll be out there too! (Yes, I don't own a car, but I don't think that would change things, certainly not after seeing how utterly ridiculous my family are about their cars anyway).

 

[slowmotion]

My commute is a modest five miles in each direction in central London. I have a waterproof jacket and (shock, horror) waterproof overtrousers. If it isn't icy, I ride to work. It's faster and, even if it's raining, it's a lot more fun than sitting in a car or taking public transport. No contest at all.

 

[Dan B]

all I can say is to those of you who still ride your bike in very wet weather is:
1. you are still young enough not to care.
2. you don't have far to go.
3. you are really really keen ( or foolish)
4. you don't realise the risks of riding in heavy rain from 4 wheeled vehicles. ( maybe goes with 1)
5. you certainly are more devoted cyclists than me.
6. you have no other choice.
feel free to add to this list if you think like me.

See? From "he can't be a car owner otherwise he'd be using it" in your OP, you've now thought of six other possible reasons. Well done!

 

[gavroche]

and the debate goes on......good thread in it?

 

[fossyant]

Commuting wise, it's a no brainer - bike ! My shortest commute is about 7 miles upto 20, and usually ride 10.5 each way. Yesterday I even had a site visit, so was out in the rain 3 times.

I have the right clothing for any weather, I have a specific commuting bike which makes the job 'easy', enough lights to turn night into day.

You do have to get into the mindset of riding everyday, as it soon becomes too easy to roll over and take the car - vicious circle.

TBH the last two days have been wet - the wind hasn't been an issue. Yesterday had two comments 'Wow you've ridden in in this ?' and another colleague who was cycling home said, 'thought it was you when I could see the sun chasing me' (refering to my lights).

ICE - I have the MTB which get's equipped with spiked tyres and I also have an off road route to ride which is a good alternative (if a little slow and hard work). The MTB has it's own set of lights so if it's suddenly Icy, I just switch bikes. Snow - well that's great fun !! 3 years ago I wouldn't have ridden in ice, but seeing the forecast in January 10, I made a last minute buy of spiked tyres - even had to drive to collect them as the delivery depot was snowed in. I had over 2 weeks riding on snow covered tracks to get to work - had I not had the tyres, I would have not ridden. I have had some nasty experiences with ice in the past.

Having the right kit really makes a difference. Weekends though, if it's hiossing down, I won't usually take the bike out - don't 'need' to and usually busy with family stuff.

 

[martint235]

Don't really have too bad ice where I am although I've cycled on bus routes up until this year. I'll use the MTB if it's bad this winter.

The one thing does put me off is fog. If I can't see the headlights of a car across the green from my house, it's time to weigh up the risks. Most times I'll still cycle but working from home becomes an option.

 

[400bhp]

In weather like today ( persistent heavy rain) you can't beat a car for going from a to b and back.
I know some of you may disagree, I mean the hardcore of cyclists, but when I saw this guy with shorts on and water proof jacket, this morning, I thought: " he can't be owing a car otherwise he would be using it".
I know we all love getting on our bikes and ride but surely, there must be limits to when to ride and to me , pouring down rain is no good for riding. Give me a car anytime in those conditions.
And of course, there is also the safety aspect,apart from comfort of dry and warm conditions that the car gives you.
How many of you, also car owners, leave the bike at home and take 4 wheels when the weather is so bad?

On the commute, I leave the car at home. It's not needed when it rains, same as it's not needed when the sun is out, it's Ede, it's the 1 April, there's a day with Y in it, I am feeling happy, sad, indifferent.

 

[GrasB]

all I can say is to those of you who still ride your bike in very wet weather is:
1. you are still young enough not to care.
2. you don't have far to go.
3. you are really really keen ( or foolish)
4. you don't realise the risks of riding in heavy rain from 4 wheeled vehicles. ( maybe goes with 1)
5. you certainly are more devoted cyclists than me.
6. you have no other choice.
feel free to add to this list if you think like me.

1. 32
2. 15 miles direct, normally 25-40 miles
3. keen or foolish has nothing to do with it. I have appropriate clothing there for there's no comfort difference between poring rain at 5C & bright sunshine at 25C.
4. Care to enlighten us on the additional dangers posed by motorists in the rain compared to say bright sunlight? I'm coming up with aquaplaning.
5. It's true I'm probably more devoted than most cyclists
6. My wife drives to work, her destination is less than 1km away from my office.

 

[smutchin]

3. you are really really keen ( or foolish)

...or depressed by the speed the ice caps are melting and think that some things are more important than me keeping dry.

5. you certainly are more devoted cyclists than me.

...or I hate driving more than you.

d.

 

[GrasB]

...or depressed by the speed the ice caps are melting and think that some things are more important than me keeping dry.

d.

Something isn't right here, dry & cycling in the same sentence without not...

 

[smutchin]

As a society, we really need to get away from the idea that you need to be some kind of specially devoted person to be a year-round cyclist. Look at the pics on Copenhagenize.com. Over there, they just ride bikes because that's how they get about. They aren't "devoted cyclists". They don't wear special clothing. They don't ride special bikes. They just want to get to work. It's cheaper than car ownership. They don't have trouble parking. They don't have to worry about being stuck in traffic. And they have far worse weather in winter than we get in most of Britain.

Cycling is normal. You don't have to be a superhero to ride a bike. JFDI.

d.