Why do so few people cycle?

joolsybools

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

joolsybools - cycling in London, do you think that the environment for cycling has improved a good deal in the last 10 years? To the extent that motorists behave differently (better) when sharing the road with cyclists? I'd be interested to know your views.

I can't judge as I haven't been cycling in London for 10 years, however in the approx 12 months I have been cycle-commuting I would say that there are a load of selfish bar-stewards. BUT I would say that cycling in London is potentially less dangerous than elsewhere...that would be my personal opinion in that drivers are more used to cyclists here. I know this is against the grain. There is still a long way to go though, whatever your views! Why that question, are you involved in campaigning, if so who?

Mids_Costcutter

Yes, have been involved in campaigning in my area. Worked and cycled in London in the last century. I guess the response I was hoping for, was that cyclists were experiencing 'safety in numbers'.

elfen

Haven't kerbslapped it, as I've only had it 2 weeks (bought off a mate) and I can't really ride on a flat now can I?
PasturesNew, the train station has ample bike parking both on and off platform, so it's just a matter of getting my ticket, locking it up and hopping on a train. And I'd look even more of a !!!! with a skateboard, I much prefer bikes. And the independent bike shop is mega expensive and I got the rest of it from there but it's not open on a Sunday morning so I couldn't get my tube/valve caps/mudguards from there.
And it was the tube, it had been repaired already and there were holes in the tube, OH changed it, checked the tyres and gave it a check/oil/sorted brakes and fixed lights. So I'm good to go, and I'll be taking her for a spin to get my helmet and to give me some well-needed exercise.

co123456

PasturesNew wrote: »

With that distance/destination, maybe a bike's not the best thing ... where I live right now the usual mode of transport is skateboards. People in their 20s/30s skateboard everywhere as a means of transport.... not for tricks. They don't go mad, crouched, both feet up, but literally have one foot on the board and the other one for pushing along. They go really fast too. A skateboard's easier to store/carry/etc too.

www.skatefurther.com if anyone wants to get into distance skateboarding.

joolsybools

PasturesNew wrote: »

With that distance/destination, maybe a bike's not the best thing ... where I live right now the usual mode of transport is skateboards. People in their 20s/30s skateboard everywhere as a means of transport.... not for tricks. They don't go mad, crouched, both feet up, but literally have one foot on the board and the other one for pushing along. They go really fast too. A skateboard's easier to store/carry/etc too.

I see a lady on my commute who uses a scooter - she must be 50 if she's a day. I think it's great!

Some scooters here http://www.decathlon.co.uk/nettools/allsearch.search?text=scooter&language=EN&siteId=52333&central=7&elementPerPage=16

OldGreyBeard_2

All I can say to people is try it! There is a perception that it's too dangerous to cycle which isn't confirmed by my experience (in a pretty typical market town). I think all too often people think that you would cycle along the same roads that you would drive on which is often not the case as there are often many more legal routes available. And remember that if you've been driving for a bit you'll be able to spot the nutters in good time.

I often cycle to jobs fixing people's PCs. Since this is home and small office PC stuff, I don't need to carry too many spare parts and it all fits in a bicycle laptop bag along with laptop, tools etc. The bike is easier to park and is often at least as quick as a car.

As for shopping and so on, I've had cause to shop by bike this weekend as the car is awaiting a mega-quids repair. I have a bike cargo trailer (for the allotment) that is great for supermarket shopping. This is the first time I've used it for that since I had no choice and it was fine.

Perhaps the point was "I had no choice". Just think what you would do if the car was taken away.

And as for the weather, having cycled through the snow, all I can say is that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate equipment (to paraphrase).

Just in case you think I'm a twenty something eco freak, I'm 50 year old bloke with a young family who returned to cycling in the last few years. Why did I ever stop doing it? (Because it's too easy to be seduced by the apparant convenience and comfort of a car whilst forgetting the cost, the jams, the ever increasing waistline etc etc).

I don't intend getting rid of the car, just using it less.

thescouselander

Yes, I cycle to work sometimes - I'm a fair weather cyclist though so you wont see me cycling at this time of year. It is a good way to get around where I live though - its actually faster than driving and I get a sense of satisfaction actually having gone somewhere under my own steam.