What type of person are you?

[Belushi]

Shit poll options, for a start theres no option for those of us who've never driven.

 

[fredfelt]

Except that's bollocks really.

Its not for everyone. But everyone I known who has started to use a bike to get around they have either got rid of their car, or use car for weekends only.

Even my veg box is delivered by a chap on a bike.

 

[T & P]

I really don't understand why more car commuters don't get motorbikes/scooters. It has all the advantages of private transportation but it won't be affected by traffic jams or congestion charges. And if you're well kitted you won't get cold and you won't get wet.

Even if I could afford it I would never go to work by car. It would stress me no end sitting in traffic jams twice a day.

 

[ramjamclub]

None of the above - never drove, ride a bike or use public transport

How do you get about then? Helicopter?

 

[The Groke]

I really don't understand why more car commuters don't get motorbikes/scooters. It has all the advantages of private transportation but it won't be affected by traffic jams or congestion charges. And if you're well kitted you won't get cold and you won't get wet.

Even if I could afford it I would never go to work by car. It would stress me no end sitting in traffic jams twice a day.

Because it is considerably more dangerous than driving a car and is harder to carry things around with you and involves fannying around with a change of clothes?


Oh don't get me wrong, that's not to say they can't work well for people in certain situations, but they are not for everyone as you seem to suggest.

I fancied a bike for a while in London, but now I am in Dubai, it is completely off the cards.

 

[bodach]

I only use the car if I'm going out of town, otherwise walk or public transport for me

 

[secretsquirrel]

Only just learning to drive a car (am 35 and living in London for 14 years it never seemed important enough!)

So, have always relied on a combination of walking, public transport and - more recently - cycling. Plus lifts from designated drivers

I really hope this won't change hugely when I've passed my test. Currently, there's no need for me to drive to and from work - I can walk or cycle. What driving will enable me to do is look for work outside of walking or cycling distance - which is a lot more important outside London!

 

[mtbskalover]

its varies for me depending on where i live,

sometimes in the countryside you need to, well actually, i say need, but really its easier to drive 15miles to supermarket for a big shop than ride it. i was alos brought up to try and fit jobs/tasks/trips together. whenever my mum came to pick us up from school she'd be doing something else such as picking up farm parts, supermarket. if im going to somewhere, and theres something nearby i try schedule them to do on the same day rather than waste two jourenys.

i'll ride to the village to buy a few things, post letters,

when ive lived in cities i would ride a lot, rarely taken a bus or train in the last 3 years. but when i was too young to drive, 12-17, i took many buses and trains all over the country.

i do regret driving my car sometimes, i love riding and will always try to be green.

convenience is an important word in this whole debate.

 

[Orang Utan]

How do you get about then? Helicopter?

Sorry that should have read:
"None of the above - never drove, I ride a bike or use public transport"

 

[ChrisFilter]

I commute on my bike and on overland train, but I have a car and I drive it.

I cycle for health and overland for convenience. I guess I'm indifferent.

 

[Chz]

I love cars, but I live in London. It would be just stupid to own one.

 

[Iam]

I'm the sort of person who gets the bus in everyday, because only idiots drive into Bristol town centre in the mornings.

There is a car on my drive, though. I last drove it... about two weeks ago. It doesn't get used a massive amount.

 

[likesfish]

with kids a car taking them to the beach school swimming lessons 10 15 mins
bus 1 hour

 

[roryer]

I've never owned a car although I did pass my diving test when aged 17, and have driven under 10 times since, that adds up to less than once every two years. I classed myself as converted.

I agree with all those who express the ease and freedom of not having a car, if you need one then get a taxi or hire one (never have but borrowed a van to move house once), or join a car club, see www.carplus.org to find out about that.

I grew up in a car free family with two brothers and working parents, we lived at least 3 miles from the nearest station and over a mile to the nearest supermarket, Mum would load everything in a huge basket on the back of her bike and walk home. So for all those who claim that having kids or poor public transport makes doing without a car is impossible, I can tell you absolutely that its hardly difficult at all, all you need are bicycles, and in my case be prepared to grow up watching the public transport on which you depend being slowly taken away. Mum and Dad still do without a car though, and even in their 70's get around by bikes, and Mum even goes to the occasional road protest.

I really love being car free, it is just so much better than being tied to an ugly lump of metal that costs me loads of money and doesn't do anything else useful as far as I can see. I do understand the people who love possessions like cars, its hard to ignore the advertising, I personally like beautiful events, people, art and nature.

My final comment if for rural urbanites, either live in the city, or learn to live with two buses a day, if you all get together in your community to decide to only use the bus and choose when you need it the council will listen. We spend too much money on providing empty buses for these rural towns.

I say charge more for driving on roads in rural areas, encourage the selfish people who want rural life and urban convenience to get real, and realise the resources you waste are not yours, they're everyones.

 

[roryer]

with kids a car taking them to the beach school swimming lessons 10 15 mins
bus 1 hour

Try a bicycle, how old are the kids, either kiddy seats or if over 9 then they can go alone.

 

[xes]

I don't live in london. I have a car,I drive it to work (although I could easily cycle if I had a bike,it's only 2 miles) I like driving. When I visit people who are a long way away,it's essential,or if I'm just going on holiday. Can't lug suitcases and dogs on a train,not with my dogs

 

[jusali]

I love our car it's fast practical and it fits everything in. I enjoy keeping it in shape and use it for longer journeys with the wife and kids, it's a good looking machine and I'm very proud to own it. On the downside it is expensive but that is imposed by the government and insurance companies on their blind green/safety campaigns. I will pay that premium because I like my car and I'm bloody minded and will be fucked if a government/company will try and stifle my choice of car (That's how it feels anyway!)
Now here is where I shit from a great height on the "green cars are good" mantra and (stoopid) policy that the government purports to be "implementing". We barely cover 4000miles a year in it, I don't drive to work I cycle, my wife cycles and the kids go in the bike trailer for Mummsy meet ups and the car will be used for a weekly shop and weekend visits to the grandparents, seaside, friends or trips down the tip with the trailer.
I couldn't do it with a smart/polo/ka so a small high powered estate car will have to do, besides getting rid of it and buying another is gonna make more pollution than this car will ever make in it's lifetime with us.
So I don't fit into any above.

 

[ramjamclub]

I love our car it's fast practical and it fits everything in. I enjoy keeping it in shape and use it for longer journeys with the wife and kids, it's a good looking machine and I'm very proud to own it. On the downside it is expensive but that is imposed by the government and insurance companies on their blind green/safety campaigns. I will pay that premium because I like my car and I'm bloody minded and will be fucked if a government/company will try and stifle my choice of car (That's how it feels anyway!)
Now here is where I shit from a great height on the "green cars are good" mantra and (stoopid) policy that the government purports to be "implementing". We barely cover 4000miles a year in it, I don't drive to work I cycle, my wife cycles and the kids go in the bike trailer for Mummsy meet ups and the car will be used for a weekly shop and weekend visits to the grandparents, seaside, friends or trips down the tip with the trailer.
I couldn't do it with a smart/polo/ka so a small high powered estate car will have to do, besides getting rid of it and buying another is gonna make more pollution than this car will ever make in it's lifetime with us.
So I don't fit into any above.

You do come across as a Jeremy Clarkson

 

[jusali]

You do come across as a Jeremy Clarkson

Except I have a bit less cash and a bit more brains!

 

[Gromit]

I love driving and I love cars (classic VW nut) but don’t want to drive it everywhere. Would like a robust public transport for getting to work, the pub, the town centre.
For everything else I prefer being able to leap into a car.

What I’d really prefer would be to live in a country without inclement weather and where everyone uses scooters or cycles.
I wouldn’t drive a bike on British roads but loved driving one around the Philippines.

 

[ramjamclub]

I love driving and I love cars (classic VW nut) but don’t want to drive it everywhere. Would like a robust public transport for getting to work, the pub, the town centre.
For everything else I prefer being able to leap into a car.

What I’d really prefer would be to live in a country without inclement weather and where everyone uses scooters or cycles.
I wouldn’t drive a bike on British roads but loved driving one around the Philippines.

I haven't owned a car for over 30 years. I use a push bike and public transport and when I need a car I ask the neighbours. The weather doesn't bother me.
I know it sounds smug but you can get used to using a car too much.

 

[Gromit]

I haven't owned a car for over 30 years. I use a push bike and public transport and when I need a car I ask the neighbours. The weather doesn't bother me.
I know it sounds smug but you can get used to using a car too much.

You still use a car, the only difference is you don't own the car that you use.

I presume you live in an urban area. As public transport outside of a city is unbearably rubbish.

Ah wait. Ansterdamn. No wonder. Public transport there is fab. I wouldn't bother with a car either if I lived there.

 

[mtbskalover]

I presume you live in an urban area. As public transport outside of a city is unbearably rubbish.

Ah wait. Ansterdamn. No wonder. Public transport there is fab. I wouldn't bother with a car either if I lived there.

holland, inparticular amsterdam, has public transport dialed. well from my experience. maybe its different if you live there long enough,

but a good mate grew up in the hague, cycled everywhere for years cos the cycle paths are (fairly) safe and go everywhere.

worked near leiden for a bit, caught a train into a'dam for the night, trains dont just stop at 11 or midnight like in the uk, they just go every half hour to hour, instead of every 10mins. has long as we timed it to the train, we could have gone home whenever. then at 6am,trains start going more regularly for the workers. superb!

amsterdam itself is full of bikes and trams and only a few cars compared.

 

[geminisnake]

My final comment if for rural urbanites, either live in the city, or learn to live with two buses a day.

I say charge more for driving on roads in rural areas, encourage the selfish people who want rural life and urban convenience to get real, and realise the resources you waste are not yours, they're everyones.

Go fuck yourself
Aren't cities already over crowded and under resourced re:water, sewerage, policing, housing, schooling, etc??

I choose to live in the country because imo/e people are twats and I don't particularly like them. I don't want urban convenience, and if I did I'd be prepared to pay for it. I already do in a lot of ways.

Where do you think your food comes from arsehole?? And how are people in the countryside wasting resources?
Guess what, not everyone in the country is gentrified p/t Londoners.

The whole of the UK doe NOT live in the SE

 

[Pingu]

indeedy

 

[mtbskalover]

gemini snake roryers comment did anger me, but i didnt feel the need to attack them quite so badly.

the only selfish rural residents i know off have come from the city, made some money and now want country life.

i do agree that cities waste more rescourses than the country folks.

 

[crustychick]

if only trains weren't so sodding expensive.... i can't imagine having to take a whole family on the train, when driving the car is so much cheaper!

 

[Dj TAB]

Bike, every time.....

 

[Gromit]

if only trains weren't so sodding expensive.... i can't imagine having to take a whole family on the train, when driving the car is so much cheaper!

If I drive to work it takes me 20 minutes and costs £24 a week.

If I take the two buses required to get me to work it takes anywhere from 45 - 105* minutes (as the buses are very inconsistant) and costs me £32 a week.

Which would you choose?

* the last time I took this journey it took this long.

 

[fredfelt]

If I drive to work it takes me 20 minutes and costs £24 a week.

If I take the two buses required to get me to work it takes anywhere from 45 - 105* minutes (as the buses are very inconsistant) and costs me £32 a week.

Which would you choose?

* the last time I took this journey it took this long.

I'd find a save route and cycle. Would not cost you anything in fuel each week and you would get all your weekly required exercise in with your commute.