j4ckos mate

it is amusing that a motoriing based forum is seeing more and more cycling threads, asa result of the credit crunch.

i think the roads are a little bit quieter in the morning as well, has anyone else noticed this.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

There were less cyclists on the road this morning.. the wusses all chickened out due to the colder morning

I've made sure all my cold weather gear is set on standby

However.. I agree with your initial premise. The cost of fuel has finally hit that level: the one that causes people to seriously question the COST of a journey

j4ckos mate

i envy jacko tootling down country lanes in the morning.
i get a van for work so i use that but on a crisp morning i bet thats great

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

It has now become cheaper for me to have all my grocery shopping delivered via the online service which means paying anything from £0 to £6 a week (average about a fiver) than it is to drive to the supermarket myself. I also don't run the risk of door dings, winner all round

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

starting off on a cold morning is not fun, but it takes 5 mins to warm up.

I wish I had cycled in now as the bridlepath would've looked fantastic. Mornings like that make it worth while

davegtt

Yeah stepping out of the house and doing the first half a mile is freezing but once your in the swing of it its fine. Find its a good refreshing way of waking up before getting into work too

zs_phil

iTrader: (1)

i cycle to work have been doing it for a year now ,but i still hate head wind on the other hand though i still get home 5-10 minutes faster on bike than i would by car

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Really? Wow! Lucky devil

ScoobyWon't

Today is the first day I'll be riding to work as I've sold my car. Going to work will be ok, it's just about all downhill (and so is the journey ) but after work, I'm not looking forward to the long climb up hill.

Still, it's free and it's excercise!

zs_phil

iTrader: (1)

i live and work in hull and i leave work at 5pm and the traffic is practically going backwards its that busy ,some guys from my work leave a good 10 mins before me and i pass them 3 miles down the road
but they still wont get a bike they say its raining or cold

pwhittle

same here - over all of 6 miles. 5 minutes slower than the motorbike, and 20 minutes quicker than the bus too - ignoring waiting times.

time to charge up the lights soon....

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Last put fuel in my car 30 the September, I could fill it but I don't need to, work most days on the bike, locally on the bike, I only use the car if I have kids in tow, it is amusing and sometimes cycling can be a little daunting, remembering last nights daft **** overtaking, or the sheer abject terror of a HGV overtaking on a left hand bend with the trailer swinging towards you.

Its funny, cycling through Wilmslow, you see all the people sat in 50 plus grand cars and a bike whistles past, parks for free and gets home quicker, who's the fool, ok you get wet sometimes, so what, I just get dry, I get cold, I warm up after a while and to be honest my car has leather seats and they are f*ckin freezing on a winters morning, the heater takes at least 4 miles of my 7 mile journey to get properly warm in the car by which time on the bike you are comfortable (if you have the right gear), however, havent done the winter in full yet, fingers were distinctly cold the other day even in gloves, but I reckon we are so well fed, comfortable and lazy we need a little glimpse of hardship to make us appreciate what we have, there at people at work who say I am mad, its not safe yet drive 30 miles in, eat crap and do no exercise and have loads of time off sick, whats worse ?

It is addictive, its like being a kid again, I wheelied mine yesterday for the hell of it and saw a girl coming the other way giggling at me, felt a tit but hey, it amused her.

Cant get any points

Can claim eco credentials even if I dont give a toss

look double hard when its dark and raining, treble if its icy.

You see more

I am lucky to be able to cycle, a lot of people cant due to having to drop kids off, too far from work, no showering facilities or bike storage, horrendous roads but if you can try it, give it a go.

LanCat

Since I've been looking for work I cycle for an hour each morning for exercise. Not missed a day for a month now whatever the weather. I have only got really soaking wet once, a rich-bitch in a Merc insisted on speeding past me through a puddle that was training to be a pond.
I don't see too many other cyclists about but I am on the smaller country roads or bridlepaths mostly. Most cars are very courteous. Nice to see some wildlife, say good morning to people you pass, and feel the thighs burn a little after an uphill-into-the-wind-push.

If you can do it, it's great. Except punctures

ScoTTyB

+ Can has as many beers as you want and still ride home.

davegtt

You can get done for drunk driving on a bicycle. I have actually done this once on my bike cycling home and it wasnt fun. Well, it seemed funny at the time but I can assure you when you wake up in the morning and find half a bus attached to your bike. 2 flat tyres and a bent wheel you wont want to try it again. Especially when you get in the shower and see all them bruises over your leg

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

CYCLING WHILE DRUNK

Cycling is intoxicating, it gives a natural high but it's also a very sociable activity and those who partake in the weekend 'pub run' will attest that cycling is easier after the odd drink or two.
A social tipple, imbibed in moderation - the proverbial swift half - will not lead to a massive impairment in your ability to ride home but, despite alcohol's pain reducing effect, it impairs athletic performance so too much booze is bad for biking.
The Licensing Act 1872 makes it an offence to be drunk in charge of a bicycle (or any other vehicle or carriage, or cattle) on a highway or in a public place but this old law also forbids any public drunkenness - even in a pub - so is clearly never enforced.
In law a bicycle is defined as a carriage for use on the highway but cyclists are not in charge of 'mechanically propelled' vehicles so, in law, do not have to adhere to exactly the same 'drink drive' rules as motorists.
Section 30 Road Traffic Act 1988 says: "It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road or other public place when unfit to ride through drink or drugs - that is to say - is under the influence of a drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the cycle.
In Scotland a PC may arrest without warrant a person committing an offence under this section. There is no obligation for a cyclist to submit to a blood or urine alcohol test.
'Road' in the above bit of legislation includes a bridleway so don't think you can get blotto at a country pub and ride home 'off road' without risk.
And here's the rub. If you ride drunk you risk endangering yourself and possibly others by your actions. Would you ride home blindfolded? Beer-googles and bicycles do not mix. And, as stated above, cycling 'dangerously' can be fined by up to £2500.
You cannot get endorsements on your UK driving licence for a 'drink cycling' offence. Some US States have such a law so be careful when searching on this topic via Google.
The UK Highway Code - a useful but not a definitive source for UK legislation on motoring and cycling offences - says the penalty point system is "intended to deter drivers from following unsafe driving practices...The accumulation of penalty points acts as a warning to drivers that they risk disqualification if further offences are committed."
Note the word 'drivers

ScoTTyB

You cannot get endorsements on your UK driving licence for a 'drink cycling' offence

That's as good as 'can has as many beers as you want and still ride home.' to me

davegtt

Strange because I distinctly remember watching the TV program Traffic Cops about 5-8 years ago and a cop car followed a guy drunk on his bike along a country lane and I recall clearly he lost his drivers license.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I would rather take the points than cycle whilst drunk, it involves a lot of thought and prediction, I tried it in the relative safety of CentreParcs and after three pints my coordination went to pot, remember you have to balance unlike driving a car.

I am sure some people get away with it, like the headphones thing but there is enough danger without eating into the already slim safety margin you have.

SiPie

....and if you are going any distance you dehydrate really quick

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

shortly followed by vom...

I can only imagine how bad vomiting while cycling would be - it'd be like running into a bucket of sick.

Diesel

K - you are a lawmakers dream -prob dont even walk on the cracks in the pavement

If one is inclined to continue home after a couple of pints then it is highly unlikely to cause much harm to anyone in my experience and in my view. Who rides a bike to get a taxi home? Half the benefit of having water sprayed up your backside on the way home (as per last night!!!) is to avoid all the onerous beurocratic legislation and 'invoice' potential of other forms of transport. It is also currently saving me £25 a week

I consider riding home after having a couple of glasses of red after work with some mates far safer than nailing it down Snowdon, sober - both of which I have done!!! Nanny state is not for me.

'Dayglow' D ;-)

dunx

iTrader: (3)

I have noticed the roads around South Leeds are quieter, but I cycle 'cos I need to stay fit-ish, not for financial reasons !

It just leaves more money for mods !

LOL

DunxC

ScoobyWon't

Ooh, this will be naughty.

I finished work at 22:30 on Friday and had 2 pints of Carling.

I then climbed onto my bike and rode uphill to the pub which is 2 minutes away from where I live.

I then had a further three pints and mounted the bike for the ride home from that pub...

On both journeys I noticed that the only person stopped was the one in the car...

Funnily enough it was my mate who I'd told the Police that he would be drink-driving, just so I could get out of there...

Just joking