Randochap
Senior hunter
- Location
- British Columbia, Canada
Why is it so difficult to take a bike on a train?
- Thread starter Randochap
- Start date
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HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
Botched privatisation and a total lack of interest in an integrated transport system... 
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
Oh for a return to the 80s when the guards' carriage was ideal for transporting your bike!
Chamfus Flange
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Woking, Surrey
It would be so simple. Half a coach full of ceilling hooks. No more locking the bike at the station only to find it gone or stoved in on your return.
.
.
The average train seat is now narrower than the average hips!
New rolling stock seats ae actually smaller than airline seats!
The market is for "cattle truck" commuting and as long as they are allowed to get away with this service then there will be no change.
..and it is not just cyclists try taking (shocking idea!) a suitcase onto a train!
New rolling stock seats ae actually smaller than airline seats!
The market is for "cattle truck" commuting and as long as they are allowed to get away with this service then there will be no change.
..and it is not just cyclists try taking (shocking idea!) a suitcase onto a train!
hackbike 666
Guest
Not really the point.When I started on the raiways most trains had brake vans.
***Language Warning***
Hitler wants to take his bicycle on the train.. on a Sunday
Been posted before - but brilliant!
Hitler wants to take his bicycle on the train.. on a Sunday
Been posted before - but brilliant!
Will1985
Über Member
- Location
- South Norfolk
Good old NXEA...still has a massive section for bikes 
The rest of them have just made a small concession. I thought Virgin was bad with 4 bikes until I went on a Cross Country which had 3 hooks to hang bikes on except the hooks couldn't hold my nice rims or another chap's fat MTB tyre.
The Guardian article has an error - it claims National Express is the only one where you can book a bike reservation online, while I have done the same procedure several times on the London Midland site.
The rest of them have just made a small concession. I thought Virgin was bad with 4 bikes until I went on a Cross Country which had 3 hooks to hang bikes on except the hooks couldn't hold my nice rims or another chap's fat MTB tyre.
The Guardian article has an error - it claims National Express is the only one where you can book a bike reservation online, while I have done the same procedure several times on the London Midland site.
hackbike 666
Guest
Why not just cycle from Paddington to West Ham?
PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
Honestly?
Car parks.
Car parks rake in a fortune for the rail business. The more people that drive to the station, the better. Even if they don't park there, they will be parking at nearby (and substantially more expensive) local government owned/franchised parking arenas therefore generating more revenue.
Once out of the car, the person (singular) occupying them takes up minimal space on the train, at maximum income, irregardless of train fare. In addition, footfall off the train can be forecasted. Should there be an upsurge in car/foot passengers there isn't a major problem, as there is always additional space for those willing to stand or be pressed against someone's armpit.
Contrast with bike. No revenue from parking charges. Cyclists inherently take up additional space on train which is unable to be utilised without the presence of cyclists and therefore increase costs directly to the business. Bikes slow traffic onto the trains because, frankly, they're not built to accommodate them... therefore they also slow traffic off the train, which means it gets further delayed.
Should there be a sudden unforeseen upturn in cycle passengers there is an exponential growth in the amount of space required, and time required at each station. We get in people's way be, as above, trains are not built for us.
Bikes throw a spanner in the works quite spectacularly. Frankly, if I were looking after a train franchise, I'd hate us too.
Car parks.
Car parks rake in a fortune for the rail business. The more people that drive to the station, the better. Even if they don't park there, they will be parking at nearby (and substantially more expensive) local government owned/franchised parking arenas therefore generating more revenue.
Once out of the car, the person (singular) occupying them takes up minimal space on the train, at maximum income, irregardless of train fare. In addition, footfall off the train can be forecasted. Should there be an upsurge in car/foot passengers there isn't a major problem, as there is always additional space for those willing to stand or be pressed against someone's armpit.
Contrast with bike. No revenue from parking charges. Cyclists inherently take up additional space on train which is unable to be utilised without the presence of cyclists and therefore increase costs directly to the business. Bikes slow traffic onto the trains because, frankly, they're not built to accommodate them... therefore they also slow traffic off the train, which means it gets further delayed.
Should there be a sudden unforeseen upturn in cycle passengers there is an exponential growth in the amount of space required, and time required at each station. We get in people's way be, as above, trains are not built for us.
Bikes throw a spanner in the works quite spectacularly. Frankly, if I were looking after a train franchise, I'd hate us too.
hackbike 666
Guest
That's true,new trains aren't built for cyclists although the 444's have 6 bike spaces.
Can't remember how many the 450's hold doh.
Can't remember how many the 450's hold doh.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
.......and chuck in the aged and infirm, the physically disabled, the blind, fat people, people with luggage, people with children, and these thickos that can't find the seat that has been booked for them, pia the whole lot.Kaipaith said:
hackbike 666
Guest
I don't exactly remember the Thailand Railways having a bike space...as I seem to remember we were putting our bikes in through the windows...I have pics somewhere.
PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
snorri said:.......and chuck in the aged and infirm, the physically disabled, the blind, fat people, people with luggage, people with children, and these thickos that can't find the seat that has been booked for them, pia the whole lot.
Aaaaand that's exactly how it works.
It's based pretty much along those sort of rules. The aged, infirm and disabled are accepted because its politically correct (and in most cases, correct) to do so. It is based on a pattern of people getting on and getting off within a reasonable timeframe and fitting within a reasonable space within the transport.
Those that break the norm, break the pattern.
The same is true of roads in a sense, but in reverse. We take up less space but we slow people down between accepted point A (e.g. junction 1) and point B (junction 2) and therefore force people to behave differently around us than they otherwise would, therefore we slow them down outside of their perceived norms.
