Leave the car

t5pwr

Always listening to people raving on about how cyclists should pay tax for upkeep of the roads. I know there is no direct tax for the roads but some people seem to think that owning a car means they are contributing to tax for roads.

So I'm just wondering what percentage of commuters that cycle to work own a car.

For me I have a car and I live near the DART but I choose to cycle to work...

Edit: You can select multiple options

72hundred

t5pwr wrote: »

Always listening to people raving on about how cyclists should pay tax for upkeep of the roads. I know there is no direct tax for the roads but some people seem to think that owning a car means they are contributing to tax for roads.

So I'm just wondering what percentage of commuters that cycle to work own a car.

For me I have a car and I live near the DART but I choose to cycle to work...

Maybe you should request this thread is closed and open a thread with a poll. Would work well.

As for the validity of the thread itself - no comment.

Raam

t5pwr wrote: »

Always listening to people raving on about how cyclists should pay tax for upkeep of the roads. I know there is no direct tax for the roads but some people seem to think that owning a car means they are contributing to tax for roads.

So I'm just wondering what percentage of commuters that cycle to work own a car.

For me I have a car and I live near the DART but I choose to cycle to work...

I own one, but rarely use it.

Morgan

Own a car, live beside the LUAS, always cycle.

t5pwr

72hundred wrote: »

Maybe you should request this thread is closed and open a thread with a poll. Would work well.

As for the validity of the thread itself - no comment.

I was writing the poll as you were posting

DirkVoodoo

Been driving for 8 years, got fed up and am now cursing those missed years I could have been cycling everywhere. I love driving, but driving in Dublin is about as far removed from the original definition as you can get.

Of course, now the car just gathers moss in the driveway which isn't so good.

I think if you are able for it, have decent changing facilities and live within an hour cycle of Dublin (~25km) then you should at least try cycling the commute to work. I don't think many people look back (figuratively, I hope they do when on the bike).

BH2008

Own a car, live beside the dart but choose to cycle, second choice would always be dart and only drive when I have to for some reason!

petethedrummer

Takes me 1 hour to drive to where work at the mo and 1 hour to cycle. So I might as well cycle.

Danbo!

Own a car, 1 hour drive, 1hr 30mins bus, 25 min cycle

Caroline_ie

I own a car, it's useful, and I am glad I own one but I still prefer to cycle whenever I can, to town, to friends, to the shop to work ... drivers don't bother me as I don't get stuck in traffic, I like to wave as I pass by them ... :pac:

paddyb

i own a car but rarely use it.

thumpybum

I own a luas but cant afford the railtrack in from ashbourne.

dmigsy

Fairweather cyclist. I chicken out and drive when its pissing rain, like on Tuesday.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Bus to college takes 40 mins, cycling 20-25...easy decision

Supercell

I park and ride - 30 mins car then ~25min bike ride. I live in the mountains and thats my excuse for not doing the whole distance on the rothar (yeah, I know Blorg would !!).

DBCyc

i own a car and hate using it. I'm quite proud of the moss growing on it!

I would love to sell it...but alas it is required for domestic duties such as visits to the diy shop and transporting the family pet.

I should really look at some sort of bike trailer for dogs and bulky items

Vélo

I own a car and commute to work when I can but not enough. It's only about twice a week at the moment. If I can increase it I'll sell the car next spring. If the weather's that bad I could always get the bus.

Malari

I'm not in Dublin, and not sure if this thread is open to anyone else , but I cycle by choice because it's quicker. If it's raining badly in the morning I might take the car instead. Doesn't bother me if it rains on the way home though.

Gavin

Bus + Luas costs money and is unpredictable. Bad weather is not a problem with showers and a change of clothes at either end.

christeb

DART takes 40 min door to door, cycle is 20 mins on an average day. You start work more alive and refreshed, its a no brainer. And having recently invested in the resident bombproof tires (Armadillos), lights and proper rain gear, I think I'll be doing it for the majority of the winter. Have a shower in work if I get absolutely drenched

t5pwr

Malari wrote: »

I'm not in Dublin, and not sure if this thread is open to anyone else , but I cycle by choice because it's quicker. If it's raining badly in the morning I might take the car instead. Doesn't bother me if it rains on the way home though.

Open to everyone and anyone

Vélo

Malari wrote: »

I'm not in Dublin, and not sure if this thread is open to anyone else , but I cycle by choice because it's quicker. If it's raining badly in the morning I might take the car instead. Doesn't bother me if it rains on the way home though.

Muck savage:D

Only messing I'm a Dulshy (A Dub living in the country (Meath))

unionman

I have the choice of car (25 - 80 mins), bus (40 mins +), Luas (35 mins), walking (60 mins) or cycling (20 mins). Simple choice. Having a car is great for family transport but the bike keeps me happy.

Malari

Aquinas73 wrote: »

Muck savage:D

Only messing I'm a Dulshy (A Dub living in the country (Meath))

Oh that's a good one - I'm a Dub too but living in Cork City. Henceforth a Dulshy, if it qualifies

rubadub

I do not own a car, but have the use of one a lot of the time, i.e. named driver. Last time I drove to work took 45mins, so said never again (cycle in 20mins).
I could get luas/bus etc, but cycling is way faster, and cheaper.

DBCyc wrote: »

but alas it is required for domestic duties such as visits to the diy shop and transporting the family pet.

I should really look at some sort of bike trailer for dogs and bulky items

That is the only time I would use the car I have access to, very rarely. It would be FAR cheaper for me to simply rent a car for the day, or get a taxi or a fecking limo! than to pay the massive annual costs assoctiated with a car, including depreciation & servicing, which many conveniently forget about. Many in my work just look at fuel costs to/from work, it is as though they legally must own a car or something, and so only tot up fuel to find out commuting costs.

ohh, and I am no longer a fat bastard!

irishmotorist

I'm cycling and car! I usually cycle Mon, Tue and Wed. Take a break on Thurs/Fri and then try to go out for a long one on Saturday. If it wasn't for the long one one, I'd probably be on the bike to work 5 days a week.

The sanity element when on the bike is something else. It took me an hour to get home over the m50 last night. That's longer than it takes me to cycle. Everybody in their cars look depressed off their head and you get home feeling stressed. Compare that with cycling your days stress off on the way home!

Malari

irishmotorist wrote: »

I'm cycling and car! I usually cycle Mon, Tue and Wed. Take a break on Thurs/Fri and then try to go out for a long one on Saturday. If it wasn't for the long one one, I'd probably be on the bike to work 5 days a week.

The sanity element when on the bike is something else. It took me an hour to get home over the m50 last night. That's longer than it takes me to cycle. Everybody in their cars look depressed off their head and you get home feeling stressed. Compare that with cycling your days stress off on the way home!

Tell me about it! Usually when I take the car, I'll coincide it with going grocery shopping after work or visiting the folks out in the stix, and the traffic drives me crazy! I can't stand to be stuck sitting in the car for any length of time now. Cycling has made me more impatient :eek:

Vélo

Aquinas73 wrote: »

I own a car and commute to work when I can but not enough. It's only about twice a week at the moment. If I can increase it I'll sell the car next spring. If the weather's that bad I could always get the bus.

I could sell my car because my wife has one also and we use that one at weekends also as it's the bigger one. So to me having a second car is more of a luxury if you don't really need it.

By the way yes my wife is one of those yummy mummys that drops the kids to school in her nice big warm comfortable SUV!

She has been educated by me to look out for the needs of us cyclists though.

Stark

Cycle some days to work, drive other days. Driving in the mornings appeals to my lazy side as it takes half the time of cycling (I work in the sticks so fast quiet road most of the way) and no need to worry about change of clothes and the like. Getting home is much less stressful and more enjoyable on the bicycle though.

If I have to go anywhere near the city centre, then it's bicycle unless I absolutely need the car.

fletch

My choices

Bike - 25-45mins, showers in work, free exercise
Car - 35-90mins, no parking, stressful traffic, cost of fuel
Luas - 20min walk over muddy field, 45min Luas journey packed in like a Sardine
Bus - Only 1 bus available in the morning, 50-75mins I think, only got it once and it was horrible...bound to a timetable

So yeh easy choice for me too

Chips Lovell

I don't really fall into any category. Don't have a car but live so close to work that I walk most days. Mind you, I've just put a front brake on my track bike and taken to using it to go to work.

Caroline_ie

el tonto wrote: »

I've just put a front brake on my track bike and taken to using it to go to work.

Tonto, you're such a hipster!!

Chips Lovell

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Tonto, you're such a hipster!!

pinstripe suit + white cycling shoes + fixie = not a very hip look.

DirkVoodoo

Wow, smooth criminal!

We should get you a single, diamond encrusted glove to work that brake lever.

Chips Lovell

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Wow, smooth criminal!

We should get you a single, diamond encrusted glove to work that brake lever.

In that case I should just go all out and get a pimp hat.

Caroline_ie

el tonto wrote: »

pinstripe suit + white cycling shoes + fixie = not a very hip look.

Well, you can become the new breed of Hipster called the 'Smartenger' ... a different approach to the Fakenger ,,, the Messenger is 'Clean Cut' and smells nice. I do that on meeting days already... the only thing is that I can wear expensive jeans and shirts for meetings where I work ...

blorg

Suit and tie... check
Fixie... check (it's even a Bianchi Pista)
One brake... check



Reckon Tonto ups the game here with the Concept and the Pinstripes, but we need photos. Photos that will then be spread all over the internets.

DirkVoodoo

Also, that guy lacks the white cycling shoes that would turn the pin-striped tonto into the "pimpster" cyclist he is.

Raam

+



+



=

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

Reckon Tonto ups the game here with the Concept and the Pinstripes, but we need photos. Photos that will then be spread all over the internets.

No photos. I narrowly avoided this week having pose with my bike for a newspaper piece.

unionman

el tonto wrote: »

No photos. I narrowly avoided this week having pose with my bike for a newspaper piece.

Lucky you, I've already been stung. Page 9.

The story speaks for itself, for which I might just as well offer my apologies now...:o

Caroline_ie

unionman wrote: »

Lucky you, I've already been stung. Page 9.

The story speaks for itself, for which I might just as well offer my apologies now...:o

Yeay!!!! that's pretty cool :cool:

unionman

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Yeay!!!! that's pretty cool :cool:

You are being far too nice about it. You wouldn't believe the stick I'm getting. But thanks.

Chips Lovell

From the look on your face, you don't seem like a man who likes being beaten.

unionman

el tonto wrote: »

From the look on your face, you don't seem like a man who likes being beaten.

And yet you think I'd be used to it by now!!:D

I just couldn't believe they beat me. The entire premise of my being there was unravelled.

kenmc

el tonto wrote: »

Mind you, I've just put a front brake on my track bike and taken to using it to go to work.

Yes I think I saw you or your twin brother cycling up Georges st this morning. If it was you, you're very grumpy in the mornings.

Chips Lovell

kenmc wrote: »

Yes I think I saw you or your twin brother cycling up Georges st this morning. If it was you, you're very grumpy in the mornings.

Ah, so it was you who shouted at me. I only realised someone had called my name a little late and shouted back a 'howya' but couldn't see who it was. You didn't hear me I take it?

kenmc

yeah twas I. I only realized it was you a little late too, you were the second of 2 fixers which was unusual (to see 2 fixers in a row), and I noticed the nice bike, then recognized you. i didn't hear the response

Chips Lovell

yeah, there was a guy on a langster in front of me, whose wheel I was on for my entire (albeit very short) commute.

blorg

@kenmc- next time, take a picture.

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

@kenmc- next time, take a picture.

Wouldn't have worked today as I was in my jeans since I didn't have to meet anyone and looking slightly less Fredish