£1.40 a litre

Davesnave

I don't know what you'm moaning about Deb'n. Down yer we have the huge advantage of all those hills, so we can freewheel down 'em!:);)

It's those poor beggars in London & East Angina I feel sorry for!:p

lostinrates

Joeskeppi wrote: »

They obviously won't work for everyone, but they are the only options people may have.

What I'm noticing in this thread is that people are happy to complain but not prepared to make the slightest sacrifce to deal with the situation.
"Get to work half an hour early, OUTRAGEOUS!
"Car share with someone other than my next door neighbour? NO WAY"
"Swap my car for a more efficient one, LOL way too much hassle!"

A spooky resemblence to the moaning about house prices.

I think all of these are reasonable sacrifices, and in fact see benefits to them....30 mins to clear a desk more and pick up some shopping. A companionable journey with a neighbour...these are good things.

OTOH I think house prices are, in general, ridiculous and am prepared to moan about that.

It IS possible to be more than 2D

Puddleglum

I have a 20 mile commute from home to work and have wondered about the possibility of cycling - but the last 3 or 4 miles are on a very busy road.:eek:
Maybe as petrol prices rise, not only will alternative sources of energy become more viable but cycling will become safer as there will be more pootling bikes and fewer juggernauts on the road.

black_taxi_2

cycle deaths on roads well up this year--dont do it

wotsthat

Puddleglum wrote: »

I have a 20 mile commute from home to work and have wondered about the possibility of cycling - but the last 3 or 4 miles are on a very busy road

Go for it. I'm impressed that it's the busy road rather than the 20 miles that's putting you off!

I live over 30 miles from work and there's a section where a motorway junction needs to be negotiated. Cyclists have sort of been considered but just this half mile stretch can take 15 minutes of messing about. I'd consider doing it a couple of days a week in the summer (I'm training for triathlons) but not under normal circumstances as there are no changing facilities at work and 1 1/2 to 2 hours before and after work would be quite difficult to get my head round.

20 miles each way though - I'd be all over that.

Really2

black_taxi wrote: »

cycle deaths on roads well up this year--dont do it

You would have to take in to consideration the expansion of people taking it up?
http://road.cc/content/news/26831-dft-stats-show-10-fall-cyclist-deaths-2009-casualties-rise-spring-2010

New statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) have revealed a 10% fall in the number of cyclists killed on Britain’s roads in 2009 over the previous year, while CTC, the cyclists’ organisation, has said that a 5% rise in the number of bike riders killed or seriously injured during the three months to June 2010 needs to viewed in the context of a 6% increase in cycling.

I fond it odd some are to precious to get on a bike yet don't care if there childrens futures will be more greatly effected by a lack of action.

If no one does it car deaths will go up? if more do it less people will get hit by cars as a % as less cars will be on the road.

You are twice as likely to die on a bike compared to a car, but far less likely to be in accident resulting in serious injury.

Many bike deaths are down to age (1in 5 are kids under 15:() and not wearing a helmet etc.

savemoney

Not good for everyone

Car sharing has its problems as working patterns dont fit with everyone and you may still have to pick people up, may work for larger employers

Working from home probably on much use for a very small minority of people

Efficient cars the rich and those who have green credentials may be the only takers, the poorest will be less likely as they do now to drive efficient cars

No one solution will fit it may help some

We all got use to using cars whilst transport over many years has eroded so people are now less likely to want to give up because many live far from work

Joeskeppi wrote: »

The solutions are car sharing, more efficient cars and working from home.

Working form home one day a week is 20% saved in travel costs, it's huge, and so easy, just need a desk based job and to work for a company that isn't run by idiots.

black_taxi_2

im on the road 8/10 hours a day---and beleive me alot of car/truckers dont give bikes space as they go past

Really2

black_taxi wrote: »

im on the road 8/10 hours a day---and beleive me alot of car/truckers dont give bikes space as they go past

Thats why it is best used in places with dedicated bike lanes (mixed pavements are best). Perhaps the message is not do not cycle. But be aware of the dangers (don't pull up the side of a lorry turning left etc), wear a helmet and high visability no matter how uncool it is.
Also to increase the penalty of causing death by "not seeing people".

Really2

My sums were wrong (used accidents not deaths)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/accidents/casualtiesmr/rrcgbmainresults2009

The number of deaths among car users in 2009 was 1,059, 16 per cent less than in the previous year. The number seriously injured in accidents reported to the police fell by 6 per cent to 10,053. Total reported casualties among car users were 143,412, 4 per cent lower than 2008. Car and taxi traffic remained at about the same level as in 2008.

There were 500 pedestrian deaths, 13 per cent less than in 2008. Reported seriously injured casualties fell by 9 per cent to 5,545. The all pedestrian casualty figure fell to 26,887 in 2009, 6 per cent lower than 2008.

The number of pedal cyclists killed fell by 10 per cent from 115 in 2008 to 104 in 2009. The number of seriously injured rose by 6 per cent to 2,606. The total casualties among pedal cyclists rose by 5 per cent to 17,064.

there are 5 million regular cyclists in the UK and 28M cars

115 cycle deaths
1059 car user deaths

So you are actually more likely to die in a car than on a bike going on that data as a percentage.

1 in 26440 car users die per year
1 in 43478 cyclists die.

In general it seems half as likely of being killed or being a casualty.

I am surprised by that.