The yawning gulf between cyclists and non-cyclists.

[Mugshot]

I always thought that bikes were specifically for 'a bright young person around town', while cars are for angry chav scum, angry rich Jeremy-Clarkson-type scum, people who are too fat or otherwise unfit to cycle, or people who are too stupid to get a home close enough to work to commute by bike.

Blah..Blah..etc and so on....Anyway, getting back to the OP's post, I think there are two yawning gulfs - one between cyclists and non-cyclists and another between cyclists and motorists who own a bike. After all, many motorists occasionally cycle and therefore believe themselves to be cyclists. These are the same sorts of folks as those people who volunteer to pick up trash in the park for two hours and suddenly think they're environmentalists.

I, and it would appear many others here, own various vehicles, amongst them several push bikes, I cycle to work every day and I cycle back home again too. Except on a Sunday when I come in at the same time as my wife and we both come in the van, a nice big white one.
I'd like to think of you red in the face, frothing at the mouth with the raw hatred you feel towards motorists, which it would appear means anybody who has the audacity to stand too near to a motorised vehicle, I say I'd like to think of you this way because I actually believe you to be a troll, entertainingly so, but still a troll

 

[Mugshot]

You're limited to girls called Daisy

Could be worse

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Could be worse
View attachment 10485

BTW 3 for 2 on AutoGlym stuff at Halfords

 

[al78]

I, and it would appear many others here, own various vehicles, amongst them several push bikes, I cycle to work every day and I cycle back home again too. Except on a Sunday when I come in at the same time as my wife and we both come in the van, a nice big white one.
I'd like to think of you red in the face, frothing at the mouth with the raw hatred you feel towards motorists, which it would appear means anybody who has the audacity to stand too near to a motorised vehicle, I say I'd like to think of you this way because I actually believe you to be a troll, entertainingly so, but still a troll

If he is a troll, it would be an odd way to troll, posing anti-motorist vitriol on a cycling newsgroup. Surely if he was attempting to be as annoying as a wasp at a summer picnic he would take it to a motoring newsgroup.

 

[ufkacbln]

Nothing if you are well into your 50's and past caring about street cred

We used to do alright as kids!
The funniest thing was that those of us with bikes were often more popular as we had more disposable income and were als see as more sensible!

 

[Mugshot]

If he is a troll, it would be an odd way to troll, posing anti-motorist vitriol on a cycling newsgroup. Surely if he was attempting to be as annoying as a wasp at a summer picnic he would take it to a motoring newsgroup.

It's not always black and white al, it can be far more intelligent and subtle than that and is, when performed with skill and cunning, very entertaining

 

[al78]

You don't have to get a mortgage to move home. I know renting isn't socially acceptable in a lot of circles, but the freedom it gives you has to be experienced to be appreciated, I think.

It is nothing to do with being socially acceptable but more to do with not wishing to pay out significant sums of money month after month after month with nothing to show for it at the end.

I can see the point of renting if you move around a lot but not if you are looking to settle in one area for a long time and can afford a mortgage.

 

[srw]

The truth is, as always, somewhere in the middle.
Everyones needs are different.
I brought my house, thanks to the Tories at a massive discount. I

In other words you own a house that the rest of us have subsidised.

 

[srw]

Just going on what Italian friends told us. Must have got my facts mixed up. HOWEVER, if everything is owned, then that makes the over all general state of the buildings even worse!

It's a cultural thing. We're obsessed with status, expressed by a tidy house (unlike the Italians) and car (unlike the French).

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

They are just obsessed with food, Coffee, mobile phones and family instead?

 

[lulubel]

It is nothing to do with being socially acceptable but more to do with not wishing to pay out significant sums of money month after month after month with nothing to show for it at the end.

I can see the point of renting if you move around a lot but not if you are looking to settle in one area for a long time and can afford a mortgage.

At the end, you die. And you can't take it with you.

We could have bought the last house we lived in, but I'm glad we chose to rent it instead. In July last year, our income dropped by a third. If we'd bought the house, we would have had to try and sell (unlikely in the present housing market) and would have ended up unable to pay the mortgage, having our home reposessed and losing the money we'd put down as deposit. As it was, we downsized and halved our rent with no loss of capital.

I can see the value of owning your home outright, and I would buy if I could do this even if the house or location wasn't ideal, because even if you lose all your income, you still have a roof over your head. But in the current economic climate, I think renting actually offers more security than buying with a mortgage because, if you can't pay the rent, you can just hand in your month's notice and move somewhere cheaper.

 

[gbb]

In other words you own a house that the rest of us have subsidised.

What can i say ...i took advantage of an opportunity to buy, i couldnt have possibly have brought a house any other way.
Truth is, its now working against whats good for all, not just in the sense of the original loss of housing stock in the first place, but because most or many of those houses in my area are now brought by private landlords. Now that brings another whole raft of problems...
Multiple occupancy, too many cars, not enough parking spaces.
While the landlord will initially spend on the internals of the house, the fences, exterior of the house and shrubbery dont get a look at...and they're deteriorating and spoiling everything because the landlords only interested in making profit.
There's been a rise in people from these houses dumping their rubbish in the area for collection by the binmen...but the binmen wont take it because its not in bins, or not in the right place etc etc. They're short term residents, who dont care about how the place looks.
Freekin private landlords, mind the councils not much better. They cant be trusted to do a proper job on street repairs etc...

 

[Nihal]

Just a thought and I expect I'll be shot down in flames at any given moment. Nihal, what do you think?

Sorry,me just saw this thread you see.On your question,id just say that guys definately gone crazy.Biking is way cooler than sitting in a stupid car.What you say is actually true,I'm sure he was driven in a car all the time.But now since i started cycling here,not only are "poor"people cycling but i can actually see a lot of people commuting to work on a bike in the morning,who are not so poor.I also know that a CEO of not such a big company commutes to work on his cycle,whatever be the weather be.And people with cars,bikes....are choosing to comute in cycles.Hope one day,there'll be as many cyclists here as in the West,that's one thing we should learn from it

 

[Ian Cooper]

...I actually believe you to be a troll, entertainingly so, but still a troll

I own a cycling blog at www.ianbrettcooper.blogspot.com There, you can see more of my opinions, if you want to figure out whether I'm being honest here. I think you'll find they illustrate that what I've written here reflects my true beliefs. My two posts on 'Bike to Work Day' probably best illustrate points I've been making here.

 

[lulubel]

I own a cycling blog

I just read some of your blog. "Honking can be helpful" gave me a laugh to start the day.