Bicycle Vs Car (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Bicycle Vs Car
3:00pm Monday 15th February 2010 in
DID you know that as well as being kinder to the environment, more fun and, in some cases, cheaper that travelling by car, it's also quicker by bicycle!
OK, it's not always quicker, if I'm going to Birmingham it's definitely going to save some time going by car, but when travelling around our fairly sprawling local area it's almost always quicker by bike. I have tested this theory on a number of occasions, and the most interesting was when I happened to meet my wife in her car at a set of traffic lights on the way home last summer. I dropped my bag in her car and said "race you home!" She pulled on to the driveway to find me sat on the doorstep as I'd left my house keys in the bag! This was over a distance of about 7-8 miles.
I would like to point out, before the anti-cycling brigade speak up, that this was using the same route as my wife took in her car and, unlike a small minority of cyclists, I did, as always, obey the traffic rules and regulations. I had only been sat there for a couple of minutes, but there's no escaping the fact that it was quicker.
I don't understand why you would want to sit in a queue of traffic when you can enjoy the fresh air and peace of cycling, or walking for that matter. This is the case for the traffic free routes, it's not quite as much fun on the road, but it still beats driving. What really astounds me are the number of people who will drive a distance that could easily be walked in ten or fifteen minutes, they then have to find somewhere to park and end up taking far longer to get where they are going than if they had left the car at home.
I used to work with someone who lived less than two miles from work, he was concerned that driving his car for such a short distance every day would not allow it to warm up thoroughly and would ultimately cause it some harm. To counteract this he used to leave home early and extend his drive to work! Alternatively it would have been quite a pleasant walk!
I don't commute by bicycle because I have to; I do it because I want to.
I really struggle to think of any negative aspects to cycling to work. I do get wet sometimes, and I do have to contend with aggressive and angry motorists, but these are minor clouds in an otherwise clear blue sky.
To all those people who routinely get the car when they are going somewhere, try leaving it at home some days and see who good it can be, if you're going to travel under your own steam it's justification for that extra doughnut. You may also get to see things that you normally miss as you speed past, or sit there stewing in the traffic jams.
Comments(16)
Rich_Enduro
says...
6:22pm Mon 15 Feb 10
Drivers, Please think about what you're going to gain by overtaking a cyclist travelling at 12mph when the traffic is only moving at 15mph??
uvox44
says...
6:46pm Mon 15 Feb 10
ta2
says...
8:27pm Mon 15 Feb 10
A few weeks back I had a silly cow step out into the road in front of me. She had been looking the other way and using her ears instead of her eyes; thus she didn't pick up in my quietish bike. Luckily I managed to react in time, but the distance between us can't have been more than 3 inches. The following day she had the nerve to shout at me "don't you have a bell?". You don't see cars driving past pedestrians tooting their horns 'in case' idiots step out into the road do you?
There aren't enough bike lockup locations or well lit areas. As a regular cyclist I have a half-decent bike worth about £300 (anything cheaper wouldn't last). I can't just lock this up anywhere and expect it to be there (in one piece) upon my return. I also don't like to leave it sitting in the rain, contributing to rust and a wet bum. Proper facilities would cost next to no money or space, yet they don't exist.
I have a driving license but sold my car due to cost. I use my bike as much as possible, but I am sometimes forced to catch the bus, which at a whopping £3.50 return a time is even more expensive than car. I keep hearing the government saying people should reduce their use of cars, but what do they expect people to do instead, walk 5 miles?
On the plus side, I get around faster than anyone and I think if I manage to not get run over, my life expectancy will be up by about 10 years.
The-Bleeding-Obvious
says...
7:45am Tue 16 Feb 10
Alfredo.P
says...
10:34am Tue 16 Feb 10
Cyclists should always give pedestrians right of way, simply because pedestrians, on the whole, are stupid and are not even thinking about thinking about looking both ways before crossing a road. That's why I use an AirZound.
As for cars turning left in front of cyclists, there's nothing wrong with that. The car is, after all, at the front.
ta2
says...
2:39pm Tue 16 Feb 10
Yes there is - if they just overtook you.
BrianBrain
says...
4:00pm Tue 16 Feb 10
However just because people choose to cycle does not mean that they should abuse the laws of the road in the manner which some choose to do.
I personally do not cycle but am always amazed at the appalling attitude of some cyclists to the High Way Code and the down right offensive attitude they have other roads users which predicates car drivers attitude towards cyclists.
I know I am opening myself up to the hundreds of “I never break the law, I never cut in front of cars, ride straight off the pavement onto the road, cycle through red lights, squeeze past cars to get in front of them, ride in the dark without lights, lean against cars when stationary” comments.
Having been hit by a cyclist who was riding like a complete plank and caused himself to be injured I have little sympathy because the vast majority of cyclists I see on my commute each and every morning riding like idiots taking huge risks and forcing other road users to take avoiding action. However there are some decent ones who signal look over their shoulders and stop at lights, these are treated with the respect they deserve.
Further to this if cyclists want to be protected and have cycle ways built etc perhaps its time that they where made to have at the very minimum Insurance and a yearly inspection of condition a M.O.T of sorts I guess removing the they have no right attitude of some car drivers. The insurance should apply to all road users Horse riders etc included.
I personally will stick to either the car or better still my motorbikes but there is at least one other road user that will treat cyclists with respect and courtesy if they behave in a manner which is befitting.
a.g.o.g.
says...
6:08pm Tue 16 Feb 10
weevie
says...
6:45am Wed 17 Feb 10
After all, we have car-tax, fuel-duty, car-parking machine income to consider, don’t we?
It’s now almost impossible to stay in a cycle lane. With the new breed of commuter scooters (you know the ones – 200 decibels and 19mph) careering through the middle of traffic, most people’s default road position has moved 18 inches to the left – into the cycle lane. But that’s not all – that ‘class beating’ internal space so loved by car manufacturers ad-speak, only really means ‘Bigger’.
You average hatch-back today is wider and taller than any ‘family saloon’ of even 10 years ago – on the same roads.
And yes, it needs saying – the 4x4’s. Have you seen the SIZE of some of them now?
Get to any junction, in or on any vehicle, with a 4x4 on your outside and you’re stuffed – you simply have to wait until they’ve wafted (“look at me! I can burn 10-times as much fuel as you, you loser!”) their way off - until you can SEE enough – to move off yourself.
So the pavement wins every time. Yes, the painted lines can stay, but they need to be on a widened PAVEMENT – then you can also speed-restrict the traffic down to the 20mph we’re beginning to hear about.
People will hate me for this, but you know in your hearts – you know in your mirrors - too many mobile-phone wielding idiots, too many super-wide black-glass and steel tanks, too many wide-exhaust youths, so many bad tempers.
NOT using the pavement at times in the UK is utter nonsense.
nodder1
says...
7:53am Wed 17 Feb 10
car vs bike=bike always wins.
KLH
says...
9:04am Wed 17 Feb 10
mikey2gorgeous
says...
10:40am Wed 17 Feb 10
BrianBrain wrote:Brainbrian: you complain vociferously about cyclists breaking the law - can you tell us how dangerous cyclists are to other road users? Can you quote some stats? Or are you suggesting we remodel the road traffic laws simply based on 'whats happened to you'?
If people wish to cycle then good on them.
However just because people choose to cycle does not mean that they should abuse the laws of the road in the manner which some choose to do.
I personally do not cycle but am always amazed at the appalling attitude of some cyclists to the High Way Code and the down right offensive attitude they have other roads users which predicates car drivers attitude towards cyclists.
I know I am opening myself up to the hundreds of “I never break the law, I never cut in front of cars, ride straight off the pavement onto the road, cycle through red lights, squeeze past cars to get in front of them, ride in the dark without lights, lean against cars when stationary” comments.
Having been hit by a cyclist who was riding like a complete plank and caused himself to be injured I have little sympathy because the vast majority of cyclists I see on my commute each and every morning riding like idiots taking huge risks and forcing other road users to take avoiding action. However there are some decent ones who signal look over their shoulders and stop at lights, these are treated with the respect they deserve.
Further to this if cyclists want to be protected and have cycle ways built etc perhaps its time that they where made to have at the very minimum Insurance and a yearly inspection of condition a M.O.T of sorts I guess removing the they have no right attitude of some car drivers. The insurance should apply to all road users Horse riders etc included.
I personally will stick to either the car or better still my motorbikes but there is at least one other road user that will treat cyclists with respect and courtesy if they behave in a manner which is befitting.
.
Road Traffic laws were introduced because of motor vehicles. Bikes are simply not a menace. Many places are trialling redlight as stop sign, leftturn on red light, stop sign as give-way and using one-way streets both ways for cyclists. The results show consistently that bikes should be allowed to do these things.
mikey2gorgeous
says...
10:41am Wed 17 Feb 10
Purbeckboy
says...
9:46pm Mon 1 Mar 10
T.BH1
says...
12:41am Tue 2 Mar 10
.
Taking the lane is the safest way to cycle, it forces drivers to actually think "When is it safe to pass?" and helps to show that cyclists also have the same rights to the road as car drivers.
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nodder1 says...
4:37pm Mon 15 Feb 10
its normal and part of their day to sit in queues.
until there are showers in workplaces, and they are given incentives to cycle they will be happy in the metal box with the music on and able to play on the mobile phones