"Why do you cycle?" - or Why do you DRIVE?

[Amanda P]

Was that with instruments?

Erm, not the drum kit, amps or keyboards, but all the blowers and scrapers had their instruments.

It wasn't that big a pit band. About eight I think.

 

[Cascad]

Nice subject.

I gave up car ownership three years ago and have only used only my bikes, buses and trains since.

The financial saving alone is worth it, plus the health benefits of cycling a minimum of 90 miles a week.

Cars are dangerous, to the person, others and the wallet.

Hello btw, new here...

 

[Chamfus Flange]

Increase fitness,
reduce time wasted travelling (avoiding traffic jams),
reduce costs,
I don't like driving a car on most roads (like driving or operating all kinds of machinery just not cars on public highways),

As a result I'm fitter, healthier and have more time to enjoy my increase wealth. An enjoyment which is intensified by not having to sit behind a wheel looking at the back of some other poor sole sitting in front of a wheel.

.

 

[monnet]

I've never owned a car - I've often thought it would be convenient (funnily mostly in terms of getting to cycling events - TT's, races, sportives etc.) but if needs be I can usually use public transport or get a lift.

As for why cycle? I've often wondered this. Recently I thought about all the reasons - it's cheaper than a car (sort of), it keeps me fit, saves on gym membership, gets me outdoors and breathing fresh(ish) air. And then, cycling into work in the freezing cold p1ssing rain one morning I thought, 'The real reason I cycle is simple: I just love riding a bike.'

 

[HJ]

Nice subject.

I gave up car ownership three years ago and have only used only my bikes, buses and trains since.

The financial saving alone is worth it, plus the health benefits of cycling a minimum of 90 miles a week.

Cars are dangerous, to the person, others and the wallet.

Hello btw, new here...

Hallo and welcome Cascad

 

[leyton condor]

Cycle to work 30 mins
Drive to work 45 mins in moderate traffic (has taken 2 1/2 hours)
Living and working in London using a car daily does not seem to make sense if you are only carrying yourself.
The people that I work with fail to see this though and often turn up late and very pi**ed off due to burst water mains, accidents, traffic lights out etc etc.
We do have a car though which does make life easier at the weekend, although before we had our daughter we were without one for 2 years (due to our beautiful escort van being stolen- complete with Starsky and Hutch stripes) and we saved a small fortune.

 

[chap]

I cycle in all the cities I go. In London (Zones 1 -2 ), Basingstoke, Newcastle, Paris, and Winchester, it is the quickest way to get where I want to go. Cheap too, and one gets to see the true town / city.

 

[summerdays]

Anyone know if there are legal barriers to 'informal' car sharing? I imagine insurance gets a bit tricky, and then of course there's the 'needing to behave like adults' regarding use of a shared resource; but other than that? [aside of course from the obvious problem of everyone wanting it on a weekend?]

Just so happened I was asking her about it yesterday - it just cost £15 to add her to the insurance for paperwork, and no rise in premiums. They keep a log of the miles they do in the car and pay a contribution to running it. Mostly they agree when each one is going to use it - but occasionally she has borrowed it very last minute and left a note saying she has taken it for half an hour. And rarely although she has agreed to borrow the car, the owner has had a puncture herself and needed to take the car instead - so then she has to walk or taxi. It seems to be working so far.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Grr...

turned out to be £365 all in after a shock absorber had leaked when disturbed changing the rear springs.

The most annoying thing was though, after picking the car up from the garage, by the time I'd got my bike hung on the carrier (I'd left my car overningt, cycled in the morning), strapped on the lighting board etc, i could have been half way home! Instead I had a long sit in a queue, looking enviously at the bikes whizzing past...

 

[automatic_jon]

I drove everywhere at home until I came to uni (as a mature student) and had to sell the motor, I swore I wouldn't cycle while here, too tiring/dangerous etc. But now I'm hooked, I've graduated from Nth hand mountain bike to hybrid and am about to go down the road bike route. I feel fitter, happier and more productive from the exercise as well as not being nearly as late as I was on foot (don't trust buses, never have). All this and I've only been hit by a car once.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

All this and I've only been hit by a car once.

That's quite scary when you think about it - the almost flippant "only been hit once" - like it's an accepted part of cycling and no big deal.

 

[Freewheeler]

I'm mostly office bound, but can be called onto site at any time so I have to take the car to work. It's only 4 miles but takes about 25 minutes across town. Pretty frustrating as I used to ride twice that distance to my old job in the same time. I was promised a van at my interview but it hasn't materialised yet. If they do get me one, I'll keep it on the car park at work and start riding in again.

Having a three year old means I don't get much time on the bike now, apart from running errands at weekends. I really miss the commute.

 

[automatic_jon]

That's quite scary when you think about it - the almost flippant "only been hit once" - like it's an accepted part of cycling and no big deal.

That seemed to be the opinion of the woman who hit me too.

Still I'd rather be on two wheels than four these days. Goes to show how addictive cycling is if we're still this keen after being smeared over the occasional windscreen.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I'm mostly office bound, but can be called onto site at any time so I have to take the car to work. It's only 4 miles but takes about 25 minutes across town.

Dumb question but why can't you cycle to the site?

 

[automatic_jon]

Dumb question but why can't you cycle to the site?

Yeah, the amount of traffic involved in making 4 miles last 25 minutes surely cycling would be just as quick, if not quicker through the jams?