Bike helps save a fortune (From Daily Echo)

I've just got my self another bike after my last one was stolen to do exactly the same. Save money on fuel as its beginning to get unsustainable driving from woolston to whiteley every day. I do more queuing than driving!

Same here. Cycling makes my commute a joy, especially with the very pleasant cycle paths round my way, especially on a day like today.

I didnt cycle today..
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I was buying a load of the cheap cycle gear from Lidl instead! LOL!
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Yeah I reckon I save about £300 on bus fares a year through cycling. Still take the bus now and again.
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Add to that I eat like a horse and I'm 15 stone right now. If I didnt ride I'd be an unfit mess. During the summer I'll ride between 10-20 miles in the morning, then 6 the short way home when my shift ends.

Where's his crash helmet?

StEmmosfire wrote:
Where's his crash helmet?

Why would he need one. He's statistically more likely to suffer a brain injury getting in and out of bed.

StEmmosfire wrote:
Where's his crash helmet?

Good point there. The echo should be promoting safe use of a bike!!

DJ Teh wrote:

StEmmosfire wrote: Where's his crash helmet?

Good point there. The echo should be promoting safe use of a bike!!

Not really.
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Who says its unsafe? Like I said, look at the stats. If he wants to be bareheaded its up to him (it may even just be a photo set up and nothng to do with how he looks on the bike).
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All road users should be reminded that for every study that says helmets offer a benefit, there is another that counters it completely. Invest your time and efforts in good road practice rather than relying on talismans.

downfader wrote:

DJ Teh wrote:

StEmmosfire wrote: Where's his crash helmet?

Good point there. The echo should be promoting safe use of a bike!!

Not really.
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Who says its unsafe? Like I said, look at the stats. If he wants to be bareheaded its up to him (it may even just be a photo set up and nothng to do with how he looks on the bike).
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All road users should be reminded that for every study that says helmets offer a benefit, there is another that counters it completely. Invest your time and efforts in good road practice rather than relying on talismans.

Not a bad pub though the Talisman.

Stillness wrote:

downfader wrote:

DJ Teh wrote:

StEmmosfire wrote: Where's his crash helmet?

Good point there. The echo should be promoting safe use of a bike!!

Not really. . Who says its unsafe? Like I said, look at the stats. If he wants to be bareheaded its up to him (it may even just be a photo set up and nothng to do with how he looks on the bike). . All road users should be reminded that for every study that says helmets offer a benefit, there is another that counters it completely. Invest your time and efforts in good road practice rather than relying on talismans.

Not a bad pub though the Talisman.

:-D

downfader wrote:
I didnt cycle today.. . I was buying a load of the cheap cycle gear from Lidl instead! LOL! . Yeah I reckon I save about £300 on bus fares a year through cycling. Still take the bus now and again. . Add to that I eat like a horse and I'm 15 stone right now. If I didnt ride I'd be an unfit mess. During the summer I'll ride between 10-20 miles in the morning, then 6 the short way home when my shift ends.

are you a moron? any other health and safety features you want to discount, smoking doesnt cause cancer I suppose, drinking alchohol doesnt damage your liver. I suppose you would go driving around without a seatbelt if it wasnt illegal. I suggest when it comes to promoting safe cycling you bite your bottom lip in future and keep your daft opinion to your self. Kids always wear a helmet when cycling, dont listen to this numpty.

StEmmosfire wrote:

downfader wrote:
I didnt cycle today.. . I was buying a load of the cheap cycle gear from Lidl instead! LOL! . Yeah I reckon I save about £300 on bus fares a year through cycling. Still take the bus now and again. . Add to that I eat like a horse and I'm 15 stone right now. If I didnt ride I'd be an unfit mess. During the summer I'll ride between 10-20 miles in the morning, then 6 the short way home when my shift ends.

are you a moron? any other health and safety features you want to discount, smoking doesnt cause cancer I suppose, drinking alchohol doesnt damage your liver. I suppose you would go driving around without a seatbelt if it wasnt illegal. I suggest when it comes to promoting safe cycling you bite your bottom lip in future and keep your daft opinion to your self. Kids always wear a helmet when cycling, dont listen to this numpty.

Think you might have 'quoted' the wrong post.

StEmmosfire wrote:

downfader wrote: I didnt cycle today.. . I was buying a load of the cheap cycle gear from Lidl instead! LOL! . Yeah I reckon I save about £300 on bus fares a year through cycling. Still take the bus now and again. . Add to that I eat like a horse and I'm 15 stone right now. If I didnt ride I'd be an unfit mess. During the summer I'll ride between 10-20 miles in the morning, then 6 the short way home when my shift ends.

are you a moron? any other health and safety features you want to discount, smoking doesnt cause cancer I suppose, drinking alchohol doesnt damage your liver. I suppose you would go driving around without a seatbelt if it wasnt illegal. I suggest when it comes to promoting safe cycling you bite your bottom lip in future and keep your daft opinion to your self. Kids always wear a helmet when cycling, dont listen to this numpty.

I have spent years reading the info on the studies and research. I'm not as qualified as many I know (some are medical people) who are also sceptical of helmets.
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I strongly suggest you read the following rather than resorting to insults:
http://wrongheaded.o
rg.uk/
http://www.cyclegram
pian.co.uk/safety/cy
clehelmets.html
http://www.cyclehelm
ets.org/
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Then ask yourself what you're protecting against. Your's and other's behaviour, or the result? Surely its better to deal with the contributary factors rather than the result, and a **** sight easier.
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And actually there is statistical evidence that seatbelts do cause injuries (broken ribs, laceration to skin and internal organs), the standard seatbelt isnt always effective and occupants of cars have come free of them in side impacts. A 4-point harness is much safer... you also have to remember there is a correlation of drop in car injuries from seatbelts, and an increase to pedestrian and cyclist KSIs.
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I have no problem with choice, or with parents making their kids wear a helmet, but they MUST be realistic as to the true benefits and risks.

I'd save a fortune if I cycled to work (30 miles each way). Not something that I would consider during the winter months but is it doable in the Spring and Summer? What's a reasonable distance one could cycle without being too exhausted, I reckon I could do it in under 2 hours.

Brite Spark wrote:
I'd save a fortune if I cycled to work (30 miles each way). Not something that I would consider during the winter months but is it doable in the Spring and Summer? What's a reasonable distance one could cycle without being too exhausted, I reckon I could do it in under 2 hours.

I know of a couple of guys on the forums that live 30 miles+ from work. They use the train and cycling together. One guy does a 30mile commute in about 2 days a week.
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It would involve preparation if you did. You'd need to have atleast 2 water bottles on the bike to hydrate properly, plan the route thoroughly (its not always practical to cycle where you'd normally drive and there can sometimes be benefits from chosing B roads or major roads with cycle paths)
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Having said that, two of the local clubs (Sotonia and DHB iirc) regularly do 60 mile rides on a sunday morning. They're more racing orientated though
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Have you cycled before (you prolly told me before so apologies in advance)?

Can't the companies on the business parks (eg Whiteley) offer more bus/minibus services from outlying towns/villages, rather than expect employees to car share, especially as parking is really difficult there? I know of the Gosport to Whiteley bus and Swanwick Station to Whiteley minibus that used to operate but more initiatives like this are needed as public transport to and from business parks like Whiteley is rubbish and a huge proportion of workers live outside Whiteley (and even if you live there it can be a mile or more's walk each way to work, and not feasible in bad weather, so the majority of workers drive in). And if the 3 roads that should have been opened in Whiteley about 10 years ago had been opened up, imagine the massive petrol saving over that period (and reduced travel time, traffic jams, pollution, accidents, etc!).
I've quoted Whiteley as an example but it probably also applies to places like Eastleigh, Chandlers Ford etc.

LOL! Poppy, did you just say walking 1 mile in wet weather is unfeasable? LMAO! How are you doing it, naked or something? Try a raincoat ;-)

downfader wrote:

Brite Spark wrote:
I'd save a fortune if I cycled to work (30 miles each way). Not something that I would consider during the winter months but is it doable in the Spring and Summer? What's a reasonable distance one could cycle without being too exhausted, I reckon I could do it in under 2 hours.

I know of a couple of guys on the forums that live 30 miles+ from work. They use the train and cycling together. One guy does a 30mile commute in about 2 days a week.
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It would involve preparation if you did. You'd need to have atleast 2 water bottles on the bike to hydrate properly, plan the route thoroughly (its not always practical to cycle where you'd normally drive and there can sometimes be benefits from chosing B roads or major roads with cycle paths)
.
Having said that, two of the local clubs (Sotonia and DHB iirc) regularly do 60 mile rides on a sunday morning. They're more racing orientated though
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Have you cycled before (you prolly told me before so apologies in advance)?

I have but purely for recreational and leisure purposes. Thanks for the feedback df - I suppose if I found somewhere decent to park I could drive half way and cycle the rest, that actually sounds doable and I would save hundreds or maybe over a thousand pound a year. Would help if my employers installed some wash room and hot water facitlities as well!

Brite Spark wrote:

downfader wrote:

Brite Spark wrote: I'd save a fortune if I cycled to work (30 miles each way). Not something that I would consider during the winter months but is it doable in the Spring and Summer? What's a reasonable distance one could cycle without being too exhausted, I reckon I could do it in under 2 hours.

I know of a couple of guys on the forums that live 30 miles+ from work. They use the train and cycling together. One guy does a 30mile commute in about 2 days a week. . It would involve preparation if you did. You'd need to have atleast 2 water bottles on the bike to hydrate properly, plan the route thoroughly (its not always practical to cycle where you'd normally drive and there can sometimes be benefits from chosing B roads or major roads with cycle paths) . Having said that, two of the local clubs (Sotonia and DHB iirc) regularly do 60 mile rides on a sunday morning. They're more racing orientated though . Have you cycled before (you prolly told me before so apologies in advance)?

I have but purely for recreational and leisure purposes. Thanks for the feedback df - I suppose if I found somewhere decent to park I could drive half way and cycle the rest, that actually sounds doable and I would save hundreds or maybe over a thousand pound a year. Would help if my employers installed some wash room and hot water facitlities as well!

Yeah I was gonna say you could always park up. Theres a guy I see in Woolston who does that.
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With my place we had showers but they never work. I just "army wash" in the sink. :-D

You'll always get negative comments and smoke screens from the non believers, helmets, traffic danger, etc etc...the truth is i wouldnt commute any other way, ever. Helmets are a smokescreen, wear one if you choose, dont if you dont, its that simple. Traffic danger ?, i've been commuting for more years than i can remember, ive never been hit by a vehicle. Occasional close passes are part of the game but you get acclimatised to them. The benefits far far outweigh the negatives. Sit in a hot tin box, in traffic, engine drinking your pound notes and have a scowl on your face....or ride in the sun, with a big cheesy grin.
For me the choice is easy.

Downfader, a friend of a friend almost lost his life due to a cycling accident. If it hadn't have been for the fact he had a helmet on he wouldn't have survived the impact. And that was a doctors response. Now take your anti-helmet cr*p and shove it up your ar*e.

DJ Teh wrote:
Downfader, a friend of a friend almost lost his life due to a cycling accident. If it hadn't have been for the fact he had a helmet on he wouldn't have survived the impact. And that was a doctors response. Now take your anti-helmet cr*p and shove it up your ar*e.

Now ask yourself this (bearing in mind some of us actually know some doctors and nurses and how they communicate with patients).. do you think the doctor was qualified in collision forensics? Or that they were trying to make their patient feel better after having an almighty shock, something which the cyclist may not have had any control over?
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So what do we do after said event, we try to find reasons and actions that we feel have contributed to our welfare. This is classic psychology, we try to convince ourselves that we or something played a part.
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And I'll point out, for all your bluster and rudeness on here that I'm pro-choice, not anti-helmet. There is a massive difference. Read the links above and listen to the evidence from all parties before you jump to conclusions.
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Do you really feel that cycling is THAT dangerous? Or that you or others are that out of control that you need to rely on unproven body armour? If that be the case then give up cycling

DJ Teh wrote:
Downfader, a friend of a friend almost lost his life due to a cycling accident. If it hadn't have been for the fact he had a helmet on he wouldn't have survived the impact. And that was a doctors response. Now take your anti-helmet cr*p and shove it up your ar*e.

DJ, lifes a lottery. I nearly killed myself (seriously) climbing over a fence, do i need to wear crotch armour, of course not.
While i genuinely believe a helmet may have saved your friends life, the actual probability of being in a serious accident is very low.
Ive cycled all my life, much of it commuting and rarely had problems. Ive banged my head more at work !!!
Its really simple, if you (not you personally) think you'll benefit from wearing a helmet, then wear one. I do in the winter. But i also reserve the right to conduct my life the way i want to, to assess risk and act accordingly.
If cycling were so so dangerous that we all HAD to wear helmets, the roads would be littered with dead and dying cyclists. But its not, simply because with care, cycling IS as safe as many other pursuits.
One day, i may even regret not wearing a helmet, but in the meantime, i'll assess the risk, i'll decide whether or not to wear.
Health and Safety is creeping into our lives. Live life and stop worrying about every risk you'll ever take. Cycling is just a minor one.