This island is filling up with fucking cars

[_angel_]

They ought to try - it would do them good

I didn't start cycling the 4 and a bit miles to work until I was 27, and I was 40 before I stopped getting off for the steepest hill.

I'm now 48 and 17 stone - if I can do it, most of Urban can.

As for the safety aspect, it's all about attitude. I feel a lot safer riding a pushbike than I ever did on a motorcycle.

Quite frankly, people who feel that way about cycling probably shouldn't be driving.
.

I dont drive but i dont want to cycle either.

 

[Kanda]

May be posting with a northern perspective here, but theres no way I'd take a car into London at all, especially not when there must be anything between 5 and 10 ways of getting from one side of the city to the other with half the hassle, surely?

This isn't always true. Many times it's just as quick, or quicker to drive some cross London journeys. Not that I support doing it, it just is. If you know your way round that is!

 

[untethered]

It's not "anti car" to be against the endless growth of cars and traffic.

Of course it is, in the same way that it's Islamophobic to say that you don't mind Muslims as long as we can keep the numbers down and they don't build too many mosques.

We need anti-car pride in this country. Come out of the bus shelter!

 

[editor]

Of course it is, in the same way that it's Islamophobic to say that you don't mind Muslims as long as we can keep the numbers down and they don't build too many mosques.

Are you on crack?

 

[gentlegreen]

I dont drive but i dont want to cycle either.

But this is a thread about fit and healthy people who drive short distances ...

 

[untethered]

Are you on crack?

Don't be ridiculous.

You're anti-car. You think there are too many and there should be fewer. You think people that have them should use them less.

It's reasonable to say that you're neither pro-car or neutral on the matter.

 

[felixthecat]

I do understand that people will generally take the most convenient option for themselves. .

Ah yes convenience......

So, I get up at 5:00, walk 2 miles to the railway station, travel for 1 1/2 hrs with 3 changes of train, and arrive at my destination with 10 minutes to walk the 4 miles to where I actually work to be able to get there on time and have to pay £21.20 for the pleasure?

Sorry, I'm doing the 40 minute drive instead.

 

[editor]

Don't be ridiculous.

You're anti-car. You think there are too many and there should be fewer. You think people that have them should use them less.

It's reasonable to say that you're neither pro-car or neutral on the matter.

Are you for the unrestricted growth of cars, traffic and new roads until this island is one big car park then?

Because - by your logic - unless you are, you're "anti-car" too.

 

[_angel_]

Ah yes convenience......

So, I get up at 5:00, walk 2 miles to the railway station, travel for 1 1/2 hrs with 3 changes of train, and arrive at my destination with 10 minutes to walk the 4 miles to where I actually work to be able to get there on time and have to pay £21.20 for the pleasure?

Sorry, I'm doing the 40 minute drive instead.

I think people in London or somewhere with really good public transport tend not to realise the reality of transport - or lack thereof, in other areas.

I can't think of any other country that puts up with stupid train fares and lack of avaibility in timetabling/ lack of coaches on trains.

And bus transport never even gets a look in, it's just not sexy enough.

 

[gentlegreen]

I am reminded of something said by Claire Short :-

If the Chinese then have three cars for every four people – as the US does today – they would have a fleet of 1.1 billion cars compared to the current world fleet of 800 million. They would have to pave over an area equivalent to the area they have planted with rice today, just to drive and park them”

Of course we are already not self-sufficient in food ....

 

[citydreams]

All the more reason to encourage the use of limited mileage insurance. People - I know I do - think twice about uncessary journeys if they know that they have only a 5 or 10k per annum milage limit.

And how does that stop people buying more cars? Or people winding back the milometer? Or manufacturers issuing free insurance?

You've not thought this through have you.

 

[Roadkill]

Not having a car is ok in a city, the only times i'm seriously inconvenienced by not having one is when i go on holiday.

Things are very different for people in smaller towns, in rural areas and who have small children.

It's all very well making people feel guilty for driving, which achieves precisely fuck all when there's no reasonable alternative.

However, seeing hundreds of lone drivers in cars on my way to work does get my goat, i will admit.

That's roughly my attitude too.

I like cars, I enjoy driving and cars are pretty much essential for a lot of people living outside the major cities, but they're a nuisance in built-up areas.

 

[untethered]

Are you for the unrestricted growth of cars, traffic and new roads until this island is one big car park then?

Because - by your logic - unless you are, you're "anti-car" too.

So what would you do about the problem of traffic growth, and how car-friendly would it be?

 

[jonH]

And how does that stop people buying more cars? Or people winding back the milometer? Or manufacturers issuing free insurance?

You've not thought this through have you.

how about putting higher taxes on tyres?

 

[teqniq]

In answer to the thread title, yup I reckon so too - in fact I have done for approximately the past five years.

I haven't owned a car since '00 never looked back really, saved me quite a bit of dosh. I can get everywhere in town on my bike and I suppose if I desperately needed a car I could ask a mate or hire one.

 

[DotCommunist]

Fucking cars?

 

[KeyboardJockey]

And how does that stop people buying more cars? Or people winding back the milometer? Or manufacturers issuing free insurance?

You've not thought this through have you.

I have becuase I use the same system myself. Clocking is a problem but with digital odometers this is less of a problem and even with analoge ones tampering with the number barrels is easy to spot if you know what you are looking for. With a few of the limited milage insurances you have show documentary evidence such as a signed statement and in some cases a copy of the MOT cert which shows the mileage.

The other way to cheat it is to take off the speedo cable but that is an instant construction and use nick so not worth it.

 

[moomoo]

I can't understand anyone wanting to commute by car if they're moderately fit and the journey's less than 5 miles.

I work 4 miles from home and have 10 mins between leaving work and collecting my son. What else would you suggest other than using my car?

It's all about time baby..................

 

[mk12]

I think people in London or somewhere with really good public transport tend not to realise the reality of transport - or lack thereof, in other areas.

Exactly.

 

[citydreams]

I have becuase I use the same system myself. Clocking is a problem but with digital odometers this is less of a problem

Why is it less of a problem with digital odometers? I think it's easier. Costs £30 for a guy to come round with a machine.

Doesn't answer the point about manufatcturers giving away free insurance.

Doesn't answer the point about 2/3 trips being less than 2miles.

How's the arms trade?

 

[gentlegreen]

I work 4 miles from home and have 10 mins between leaving work and collecting my son. What else would you suggest other than using my car?

It's all about time baby..................

Are things so different these days ?

I walked to school from the age of 5.

 

[KeyboardJockey]

Why is it less of a problem with digital odometers? I think it's easier. Costs £30 for a guy to come round with a machine.

Doesn't answer the point about manufatcturers giving away free insurance.

It is easier for manufacturers to put 'locks' on the odometers with digital ones. Its not economically viable to give out free insurance policies at least not for more than the first year or two of a new vehicles life.

Doesn't answer the point about 2/3 trips being less than 2miles.

Limited mileage policies do reduce unecessary trips. All those 2 mile trips add up so you tend to think 'I can't be bothered I'll walk or get the bus'.

How's the arms trade?

If that was intended as a dig then it shows how your point of view is losing ground as you are reduced to it.

For the record I work in the field of Arms Control. Nice attempt at a smear there one of your better ones

 

[felixthecat]

Harrumph - a good example of country buses.

I have just had to drive the daughter 4 miles to her gym class. Why? Cos the fucking bus that she would normally go on has been cancelled. By the time she'd walked to the bus stop and found that out it was too late for her to get her bike out (which she usually does tbf - today was a rare lazy bus day for her) and make the class which she'd already paid for. And with only 1 bus an hour, it wasn't feasible to wait for the next one either.

We've got those nice LCD displays that tell you the bus is canceled now - at least you don't have to wait around hoping its going to turn up. On the other hand, I'd have prefered it if they'd spent the money it cost/is costing for these things on another bus

 

[moomoo]

Are things so different these days ?

I walked to school from the age of 5.

Good for you.

I choose to collect my child. He likes me to take him to school and pick him up and I like doing it.

 

[Yossarian]

Are you for the unrestricted growth of cars, traffic and new roads until this island is one big car park then?

Because - by your logic - unless you are, you're "anti-car" too.

What's wrong with being anti-car, anyway? I don't take the term to mean "taking cars away from people in rural areas who depend on them and forcing them to use mules to get to town," I see it as meaning being in favour of other, more environmentally friendly forms of transport and supporting moves to promote them by improving public transport, etc.

 

[untethered]

What's wrong with being anti-car, anyway? I don't take the term to mean "taking cars away from people in rural areas who depend on them and forcing them to use mules to get to town," I see it as meaning being in favour of other, more environmentally forms of transport and supporting moves to promote them by improving public transport, etc.

Indeed.

I wouldn't take people's cars away from them without putting better alternatives in place. But I would (and do) work to create those alternatives and I'm not opposed in principle to making it harder for people to drive where those alternatives are viable.

 

[gentlegreen]

Mind you, I didn't have far to walk until I went to secondary school - which was maybe 3 miles ...

 

[maomao]

Good for you.

I choose to collect my child. He likes me to take him to school and pick him up and I like doing it.

So, in fact, rather than the 'no choice' situation you expressed in your above post you're now arguing that you do it that way because you want to rather than have to? Make your mind up.

 

[untethered]

So, in fact, rather than the 'no choice' situation you expressed in your above post you're now arguing that you do it that way because you want to rather than have to? Make your mind up.

Wouldn't it be a good idea for your son to get some exercise and independence?

 

[felixthecat]

I choose to collect my child. He likes me to take him to school and pick him up and I like doing it.

Thats one thing I've never done - I walked to and from school and as they've got legs I reckon they can too. My poor daughter used to have to walk about 2 miles each way aged 10! Nowadays its just around the corner so she's laughing

The boy has to take the train to college so he has the 2mile walk to the station instead.