Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-40459482

Cycle lanes in Cardiff are "underused by commuters" but are mainly used for leisure cycling. And they are throwing money we don't have at this "problem".

Hundreds of spaces for commuters to store their bikes during the working day (at a price of course) are planned, but cyclists say the spaces will be too far from their workplace. So they won't use them.

Hire cycles were tried, and failed miserably at great cost to tax payers.

Then they opened bus lanes to bikes, so that now means gridlock when a 5mph cyclist holds up 30mph buses. So what do the buses do? They leave the bus lanes and block the other lanes every time they stop.

Parking fees were increased to push commuters onto buses. Then up went the bus fares.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

The UK simply doesnt have the weather to make cycling to work all the while something people would do.

Who wants to be out on a bike, travelling to work, in the freezing snow & ice, or pooring rain.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Cycling may be beneficial to health (as long as your lungs don't get damaged by the fumes and you don't collide with a motorised vehicle) but frankly, only a minority of the population risk life and limb in this way and it clearly has done very little to ease traffic congestion. Indeed this method of conveyance is a hazard and a nuisance to vehicular traffic, forcing everyone to slow to a crawl and adding even further to traffic fumes.

I have never understood why, when the government subsidise railways with millions of pounds, they do not make more funding available for buses. If fares were a lot cheaper and buses were more convenient and frequent, this would reduce traffic congestion significantly.

It's such an obvious good use of the public purse and I am surprised that the governments over the years have not done more in this area.

---------- Post added at 13:03 ---------- Previous post was at 13:02 ----------

Yes, this is obvious to those of us living in the real world.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Then again so is how useless buses are, no matter how much you spend on them.
They don't go from A to B. It may take several bus journeys to get from one place to another. You have to allow time gaps between each part of the journey. The list goes on. They are bad enough during off-peak hours.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I thought public transport would get better and relatively cheaper under privatisation..What's gone wrong?

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

That's because public transport operators struggle to make bus services pay, and so they concentrate on the most lucrative routes.

What we really need is proper public transport co-ordination, with bus routes tendered out, as happens in London. Fares need to be brought down, too, because many baulk at paying four quid for a return journey to their local town centre, which is more than the cost of parking your car.

---------- Post added at 17:22 ---------- Previous post was at 17:17 ----------

It's the way privatisation was introduced that was wrong. It was introduced to be fairer to private sector operators, but the way it was done has reduced services in those localities that once benefited from cross-subsidisation.

What we really need is council officers working out a network of routes and then inviting bids, with subsidies given for poorly used routes. Reduction in fares is also essential if such a system is to succeed.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

You're just a lazy git;).

So are you;).

As obvious, say, as 'minority participation doing little to ease traffic congestion'? We need more bikes, more bike lanes and less cars and less huge, empty bendy buses :rolleyes:.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

They promised that after this happened but in quite a lot of places public transport is either poor , expensive or non existent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeching_cuts

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Public transport can never work. Cost of tickets has nothing to do with it. Whatever routes there could be, are fixed and torturous You could never get from where you need to, to where you need to go to, in one simple journey and in a reasonable time. Eg 5 miles in more than 45mins.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I drive under 1000 miles per year.

I walk more than that.

I have bus pass, but use it very rarely.

I haven't been on any 2 wheeled transport for decades, and certainly won't again after witnessing how 2 and 4 wheel vehicles interact these days.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Not driving to work would cost me far more than £1,000 a year.

My drive door to door is 25-30 mins.

Via bus it would be nearer 1:30 hours, and 3 of them, plus the time they arrive at my work would mean I would arrive 20 mins before the gates opened, or 40 mins late.

Plus I suffer travel sickness.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

:cool:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

You were recently delighted to receive benefit from the system Taf; there are other sections of the community who would like to benefit from the system too. If you walk everywhere, why take issue with cycling which some passionately believe will help toward problems with obesity, general health, traffic congestion and the environment?

Cycle lanes: build them and they will come :Yes:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Well they built them in my town 12 years ago if i see one a month use it that's it so great use of council tax money.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

They built them and they didn't come. That's the problem. And they caused traffic congestion which means more pollution affecting people and the environment.

It is painfully obvious that those who "passionately believe" are a tiny minority pushing their agenda on to the rest of us. And we have to pay for their pipe dreams of course.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

The policy of encouragement is correct. Adoption of new-fangled hi-tech machinery is always slow in medeival villages.

You are talking about Cardiff right? Is that the same place that's having a velothon next week to be attended by thousands? No-one is cycling there then. No passion, no interest. Gawd. :rolleyes:

Plenty of minority groups push an agenda feeling they are the most deserving and plenty of taxpayers fund their pipe dreams, we both know that. Public money has to be used for the wider community and encouraging cycling is entirely appropriate though a less obvious benefit to those who are short-sighted.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Correct. People who ride bikes like the flexibility of being able to go where they like and not be herded into bike lanes which have to be a compromise with other road users. We have loads of bikes lanes and even junction treatments to assist them to cross safely around here yet the lycra brigade largely ignore them. I saw one very nearly knocked off the other day after he ignored a red light at a major junction. Yes there are idiots on 2 wheels and 4 but the former will be the ones who pay the biggest price for the mistakes they make.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Do you have a couch potato anecdote on everything?

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

A velothon that attracts loads from OUTSIDE the city, upsets both drivers and busroutes with all the closed roads, and is moaned about more than any other city event.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

But of course because for ONE day the motorist is disrupted and boy can they moan.

Did you post your moaning when the Champions League disrupted the City, or Justin Bieber, or Robbie Williams, or the Marathon. or the Ryder Cup or any number of other disruptive events? No? Why not?

How much taxpayers money was expended on policing, say, the Champions League game between two foreign teams that apparently brought very little financial benefit to the City of Cardiff?

Bah.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

This thread is about how cycling infrastructure affects the city every day, not about a rare occasion such as a concert (which usually only means the closure of one street beside the stadium, the same as for a match).

The disruption caused by the footie was extensively complained about as it went on for days and days and days over large areas of the city.


The marathons close roads for limited periods, and the route means that the closed off streets can easily be avoided.

But the velothon practically cuts the city in half causing pandemonium for all traffic for an entire day. And that includes transport for workers in the city.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Threads develop; it's the nature of the beast.
An entire day? Goodness me, how utterly unbearable. Motorists:364; Cyclists:1.

So, you wouldn't spend a penny on bike lanes if you were in charge eh?

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

No.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Not a single one.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

^ WIth them.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I am disabled so I cannot use a bike so the only option is to use a car or bus.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Yes, but this is due to poor design. Routes in some places are tortuous and slow because it would be unprofitable to serve those places off the main route with a dedicated service.

Here in Reading, we do have a good bus service, and the meandering routes tend to be the non primary services. The primary routes are geared to getting people into town quickly. The new mass transit system now being developed, with bus priority and park & ride schemes will reduce the travelling times still further, encouraging more motorists to leave tneir cars outside of the town centres.

The problems with bus travel that people are raising on here are the result of the lack of proper public transport co-ordination and lack of investment. The fact that we have problems now with circuitous routes, buses not going where you want them to go and being a slow means of transport are all reasons why the whole system needs to change.

As for bicycles, they are a pain for motorists, but I can see why some like to use them - I had a racing bike myself when I was younger and travelled quite long distances. However, bicycles and motor vehicles really do not mix, and should be kept separate from vehicular traffic wherever possible.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

nor me ,most cyclists are too arrogant or stupid to use them . cyclists pay nothing into the system so deserve nothing in return when they are taxed and insured and have a vehicle safety certificate i would then consider the options .
and please don't any one tell me the family car is taxed etc that's nothing to do with cycling

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

When I need to go to Reading I use the 500 Park and Ride which is suburb and the reliability is spot on time.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

And is that because none of you cycle and therefore see no personal benefit in this for you? Expenditure on cycle lanes won't impact on your usual handouts so there's really no need to fret.

It has nothing to do with motoring in that context either! Car 'tax' is for emissions, bikes don't emit harmful chemicals. Roads are maintained through general taxation and cyclists DO therefore contribute. I know you know this but I've repeated it for thickos who don't.

I think they call that a cycle lane. Thanks for the support!

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

if your not taxed and insured i can't hear you :PP:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I AM insured (by you) and I pay income tax for road maintenance. Sigh.

You can't hear but you can see that you've provided me with the means to explain it to everyone else :monkey:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

i've shut my eyes now i'm driving by feel it's ok it's an automatic - income tax for road mtc you can't be paying much the state the roads are in ;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I suggest you stop feeling yourself and grab the wheel.

The lions share of income tax is spent on welfare.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

it's an automatic i sit in the back

spent on welfare :mad: i do enjoy paying for the lifestyle of others 60 inch tvs
beer oclock all day etc etc ohh don't get me started

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Don't be so mean; they have to fill their day somehow ;).

Now, back on topic: I wonder why Taf doesn't complain about bus lanes? Buses are filth emitters and they never stay in those lanes and they pass you on the inside at excessive speed. Allocating that much road space to buses, taxis and motorbikes causes more congestion than the odd 3-metre cycle lane here and there. Ah, but Taf has a bus pass so he wants that inconvenience imposed for his sporadic benefit.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Ah, I get it now, you moan about 'lanes' every couple of years or so? Wow.

Doesn't the use of public money on anything else bother you?

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Stop complaining about bus lanes FGS!! ;)

This thread is for complaining about bikes and cycle lanes. :D

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

And for complaints about welfare FGS!!

Just the other day, I noticed someone jumping the welfare queue. It happens all the time. Stop me if you've heard the anecdote before...

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

**** country if you are a native English-Welsh-Scottish-British, I wonder if the person who jumped the welfare Q was a native British in desperate need.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Once the handouts are under proper control, the funding for a more efficient road network will be available. The Government is on the job :).

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

sounds like hard times ahead for some , good news about the roads though

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

People will be finding out that you can't have the penny and the bun. I think that's likely to focus and change attitudes quite quickly.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Cycle lanes on normal roads are still hazards for the motorists. I meant complete physical separation, not a painted lane in a road.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

i'm all for that -they can cycle in Europe;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Our roads firstly are not made for cyclists and secondly many of them think they bloody own the roads whilst paying no tax and insurance and even less have the right road skills to ride a bike on the roads IMO..

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

:ghugs::hugs::ghugs::hugs:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Interesting that you refer to cycling provision as hazard. Do you think motorists are hazardous to cyclists?

So do you support segregated cycle lanes?

Firstly, who says so? The bicycle was invented well before the car;
Secondly, cyclists DO own the roads in the same way as any other road user 'owns' the roads;
Thirdly, read the thread about tax and insurance;
Fourthly, Don't generalise, it makes you look stupid.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

We are in 2017 not 1717.;)

---------- Post added at 20:54 ---------- Previous post was at 20:54 ----------

In your opinion but not the vast majority...

---------- Post added at 20:56 ---------- Previous post was at 20:54 ----------

Pot calling the kettle black there Kursk.

---------- Post added at 20:58 ---------- Previous post was at 20:56 ----------

Now unless l am mistaken you seem to be the expert at that as other threads will reveal.;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

You have exhausted me with your mumbojumbo :confused:.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

l have just made it a bit clearer to you in my last reply as my brain works slower these days.:)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Nope, I'd worked out the references it's the deciphering of the meanings that's confused me. You are too deep for me Den ;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I don't feel safe on my bike out on the road now, the cycle lanes around here don't get used and they are in better condition that the roads (mainly as they are paths off the road), on some really busy roads I still see cyclists dice with weather when they cycle path is next to them.

I looked at taking a job that was in walking/cycling distance and was safe and was all ready to give the car up for work but it never did work out, maybe next time.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Cyclist shoud be like tractors. stop, pull over. and let proper road users get past.

pretend they're cars. slow bloody cars.

---------- Post added at 23:43 ---------- Previous post was at 23:35 ----------

As if cyclists don't emit emmisions by farting all the way to God knows where they're going. :)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Careful papa, Gary is probing you with a bit of covert bum foreplay there. Very sneaky :p:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Although there are some cyclists who should never be allowed out on the roads and have little regard for other users including pavements and pedestrian crossings if that is what they want to use most are careful even if annoying.

It's when they get into "packs" that the fun really starts. Whether it a group of young fools like I encountered yesterday weaving all over the road even crossing to my side cycling against my direction to the more organised groups in tighter clothing that either bunch up over the whole lane or are snaked out over some distance, both are difficult to get past. I don't care if they are training or racing, they need to be aware of other road users and if necessary pull over and wait.

Yes they have a right to use the road but like all road users need to have consideration for other traffic.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Police helping a cyclist get into the cycle lane.....

http://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview...7524113209.mp4

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

if that's the official way to deal with them i'm all for it :tu:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Me as well

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Why? Who are you.......The Queen?

Police apprehend Motability fiddler might be the more accurate caption.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

he's not wearing a helmet so if he gets hurt he only has himself to blame

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I don't think policemen have to wear their helmet when in a motor vehicle.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

As usual a post ridden with your own demonising smearing prejudices..

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

I made a fallacious statement in response to a fallacious statement. You haven't commented on the latter revealing your demonising smearing prejudices :sleep:.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Worm your way out Kursk as usual as l might not be the wisest or cleverest on here but l know what you meant.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Now you're a mind reader? Stay on topic there's a good boy.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

l always do as l am told as one must respect their elders.;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

How many times have I told you, you're not allowed on the furniture ;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

No l prefer Chippendale rather then the cheap tat you often sit on.;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

:naughty: chippendales eh

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

As you can see from my sentence l am talking about something singular rather then plural.;):nono:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

You like sitting on one Chippendale at a time? Still gonna be sore in the end. What are you doing with that finger? :nono:

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

The mind boggles at you sometimes my dear.:)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Aw shucks, I can't accept that compliment. Your mind is permanently boggled :p:.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

When you have more grey hairs and a reduction in your working brain cells day by day then you might find that out yourself one day.;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Hopefully, I will also get an uplift to your impeccable manners and demeanour.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

smug cyclist who thinks he got away with running a red light finds out the HARD WAY why the rules of the road exist

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz4n5TRZv3b
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Did you see how smug he was looking? It's no wonder he got knocked off. At least he has video evidence to support his benefits-for-life claim ;).

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

it's Canada that's one of those you have to work for a living places, not like here jump off your bike and get DLA ........;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Bah. All the cars were on the wrong side of the road anyway. In other news, two Canadian shopping trollies bumped in a supermarket. They were being pushed by very smug shopping trolley pushers (I desperately need a punchline that uses PIP as an anagram....anyone?)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Pestered In Perpetuity :(

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Pessimism Is Prohibited ;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Its called PIP now my dear.:)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

they should change it to fiddle or didle

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

This old man, fiddled DLA
He played the system all along the way
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give it a new name
Now he diddles PIP just the same.
:D

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

That must have been taxing for a man of your great intellectual ability to compose that ditty so quickly today.;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Getting back to the main heading: Not driving to work could save you £1000, this would not cover my funeral expenses as I would not risk cycling to work with the amount of traffic on or roads. Ruddy dangerous me thinks.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

You are right. A radical rethink to make cycling less dangerous is needed. Kids especially should be out and about enjoying exercise in safety. Lifestyle change is needed fast or obesity and diabetes will see off our children.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

i've put quite a bit of thought into your excellent suggestion and here is my answer

1 make them with 4 wheels
2 surround with metal box
3 add doors
4 fit power plant at front end
5 get it insured
6 get it taxed
7 pass government approved test to drive it
sorted - and re exercise for kids make them walk to school .

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Exercise won't see off obesity and diabetes, diet change will.

3 local schools had their bike sheds removed. as "maintaining them was too expensive".

No-parking zones set up around all 3 schools, plus the new bane of drivers' lives... 20 mph limits.

Local Primaries closed, pupils now have to travel further and further from age 4, often miles not yards. And as several primaries are now switching to "Welsh Medium Teaching" those that do not want to be educated in Welsh have to travel even further.

Free bus pass for under 11's having to travel over 2 miles. Free bus pass for 11 -16's travelling over 3 miles. No bus pass for over 16's in most cases. But if you opt out of a Welsh Medium school that is within those distances, you also lose your bus pass. And to top it all, bus routes have been changing to make them unuseable for pupils.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

i've put quite a bit of thought into your excellent suggestion and here is my answer

1 Get stuffed

I mentioned a "lifestyle" change which includes a change in diet, supplemented with exercise which will improve general health including controlling weight and therefore lessening exposure to diabetes.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

would you be interested in heading up the brexit team

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Mais oui mon ami, se gratter les frogs!:D

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Not really answer.. should make the cycles fly that way they can miss all the traffic jams and the A holes out there that should not even be on the road...

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

if you whack one a 60 mph they fly ;)

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Yes, and when they land they're no longer able walk to school any more, or use colouring books or do that cute little dancing they used to do for their mummy and daddy.

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-40739874

And perhaps ban bicycles from bus lanes as they are a major cause of congestion (as are bus lanes themselves)?

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

Those that drink alcohol at least 3 times a week are less susceptable to type 2 diabeties. (according to a report on BBC breakfast this morning).

Re: Not driving to work could save £1,000
 

And perhaps ban cars from cycle lanes as they are a major cause of death?

I:beer:like:beer:their:beer:thinking. Hic.