# Cycling to be faster than driving soon



## C R (24 Mar 2018)

According to this 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...el-slower-bicycles-englands-clogged-up-roads/

In my commute that has already been the case for some time.


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## cosmicbike (24 Mar 2018)

Certainly my commute through town is faster on the bike, it's only the national speed limit sections I lose out. Commute on a night shift by van is 45 minutes, bike about the same. Early shifts the van is always faster as it's pre-rush hour.

I like the article quoting motoring groups calling for cars to be allowed in bus lanes etc to 'optimise' traffic flow. Next they will be wanting all the cycling infrastructure removed too, all for the all powerful motorcar....


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## C R (24 Mar 2018)

cosmicbike said:


> I like the article quoting motoring groups calling for cars to be allowed in bus lanes etc to 'optimise' traffic flow. Next they will be wanting all the cycling infrastructure removed too, all for the all powerful motorcar....


That caught my eye too. It is a completely backwards solution, the roads are full so let's make them fuller still. The logic of that approach completely escapes me.


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## JhnBssll (24 Mar 2018)

I was sent a link to one of Quentin Wilson's fair fuel uk questionnaires last week. The topic was air quality and one of the answers to one of the questions was genuinely "Fewer cycle lanes".

Fortunately they gave the option to add your own, so I voted for significantly more and better designed cycle lanes 

It really shows the narrow-minded approach they're taking when they genuinely think that removing one of the most environmentally friendly methods of transport can be good for the environment


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## Slick (24 Mar 2018)

It's not really true for me, although I do cycle further than I would drive. Driving commute is 10 miles for 25 minutes as long as I leave about 40 minutes earlier than I need to, and the bike is around 50 minutes for a 15 mile commute although this goes to over an hour on the way home as the last 4 miles is all up hill.


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## Slick (24 Mar 2018)

JhnBssll said:


> I was sent a link to one of Quentin Wilson's fair fuel uk questionnaires last week. The topic was air quality and one of the answers to one of the questions was genuinely "Fewer cycle lanes".
> 
> Fortunately they gave the option to add your own, so I voted for significantly more and better designed cycle lanes
> 
> It really shows the narrow-minded approach they're taking when they genuinely think that removing one of the most environmentally friendly methods of transport can be good for the environment


I was sent the same questionnaire and answered it in the same manner.


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## JhnBssll (24 Mar 2018)

Slick said:


> I was sent the same questionnaire and answered it in the same manner.



Let's hope we're statistically significant then  Nice work...


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## glasgowcyclist (24 Mar 2018)

C R said:


> According to this
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...el-slower-bicycles-englands-clogged-up-roads/
> 
> In my commute that has already been the case for some time.



I suspect this is already true for a great many cities. My commute is 40 minutes by car, longer in winter, and 30 minutes by bike. I could do it in less if I wanted to break into a sweat.


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## Tizme (24 Mar 2018)

I'm sorry, you obviously don't understand, just because you can get to work, have a shower and are sat drinking a cuppa as your car driving workmates arrive, you couldn't possibly have made the trip quicker - everyone knows cycling is much slower than driving, it's just the traffic queues and hold-ups that stopped them arriving before you.


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## I am Spartacus (24 Mar 2018)

Every morotist will tell you (bore you stiff) that cyclists are THE cause of congestion.


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## Randy Butternubs (24 Mar 2018)

Trips by bicycle often seem weirdly fast to me. My commute is about 6 miles, most of which is an NSL road driven at around 45 mph. There is rarely any traffic, yet it takes me about 20 minutes by car and 25 by bike!? Once you factor in parking and walking to the destination the bicycle is probably a bit quicker.


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## Lonestar (24 Mar 2018)

16mph average on Strava?...Must be joking on the Cycle Superhighways.


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## Racing roadkill (24 Mar 2018)

On a commute, my average speed will often be 3 or 4 mph quicker, on the bike. There’s a guy who works on the same science park as I do, and drives pretty much the route I Cycle. I’ve passed him, and arrived well before him on several occasions.


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## Heltor Chasca (24 Mar 2018)

I live semi-rurally and our school run is consistently 5 minutes quicker by bike. Only 4km each way. Laughable.


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## mgs315 (24 Mar 2018)

Yep I’d say my old 10 mile morning commute was about the same by bicycle (very early morning) and on the way home it’s about twice as fast due to gridlock of central London.

Hell I think even the train was only 2-3 minutes faster at the premium of £6-7 extra a day (Or about £1500 a year if you look at it that way). It does feature complimentary sardine tin/freezing platform experiences though. Oh and then the need for a gym membership to get enough cardio in.

Their suggestion based on the fact the average male pace of 16mph is quite amusing though. Yes that may be the average Strava speed in the UK but I wouldn’t call Strava cyclists a representation of the average cycling population, let alone the general population if you suddenly stuck them all on bikes. I don’t average 16mph (more about 14-15) but I’d say I’ve got about a 10:1 passing/passed ratio on the road.


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## mustang1 (24 Mar 2018)

cosmicbike said:


> Certainly my commute through town is faster on the bike, it's only the national speed limit sections I lose out. Commute on a night shift by van is 45 minutes, bike about the same. Early shifts the van is always faster as it's pre-rush hour.
> 
> I like the article quoting motoring groups calling for cars to be allowed in bus lanes etc to 'optimise' traffic flow. Next they will be wanting all the cycling infrastructure removed too, all for the all powerful motorcar....


Those car lobbyists should tell us how the buses lanes will be optimized after the cars have taken that lane. Until then, they're chatting cr4p.


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## HLaB (24 Mar 2018)

> *Cycling to be faster than driving soon*



It already is in some cities :-)


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## hoopdriver (24 Mar 2018)

Many’s the time I’ve passed a Porsche. It’s parked just down the street...


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## C R (24 Mar 2018)

[QUOTE 5192395, member: 43827"]Like mgs315 I would question the average cyclist speed in the article. This is via Strava, which includes a subset of cyclists that are possibly more concerned about performance cycling than the typical cyclist. Does it cover cycling in towns and cities specifically, and does it cover elapsed time or moving time?

Not saying it's wrong but I would like to see how the figures are arrived at.[/QUOTE]
My average is about 13 mph, so well below the quoted average, and I still get quicker to work in my bike than in my car.


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## snorri (24 Mar 2018)

Slick said:


> I was sent the same questionnaire and answered it in the same manner.


Me too!
I noticed they consider me to be a Supporter, but my only contact with their organisation was to ridicule an earlier opinion poll of theirs some months ago.


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## Globalti (24 Mar 2018)

It strikes me that all those branch railways that Beeching axed wold be viable nowadays if reopened because the communities they served have grown out of control into commuter towns.


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## Slick (24 Mar 2018)

snorri said:


> Me too!
> I noticed they consider me to be a Supporter, but my only contact with their organisation was to ridicule an earlier opinion poll of theirs some months ago.


Yes, that's the only disappointing thing, I'm registered as a supporter. 

I suppose it's the enemy within.


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## HLaB (24 Mar 2018)

Globalti said:


> It strikes me that all those branch railways that Beeching axed wold be viable nowadays if reopened because the communities they served have grown out of control into commuter towns.


For a report at work I'm looking at the east west railway cut by Beeching. The promoter's claim is that E-W rail has a Cost/ Benefit ratio of over 6 nowadays.


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## Slick (24 Mar 2018)

Globalti said:


> It strikes me that all those branch railways that Beeching axed wold be viable nowadays if reopened because the communities they served have grown out of control into commuter towns.


I think that's probably very true, however after spending last week on Aberdeens many paths and trails I reckon they are better placed as bike paths.


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## slowmotion (24 Mar 2018)

I used to drive to work from Hammersmith to Battersea. Eight years ago, I started riding it. It was always faster on the bike, and I'm a pretty poor cyclist. The best bit was that it would always take a predictable time on the bike, no matter what the traffic conditions were on any particular day.


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## Globalti (24 Mar 2018)

There's no political will to reopen railways yet I bet with modern equipment they would be considerably cheaper to run than in the 1880s. 

One example is the Manchester Metro, which runs from Manchester to Bury where it terminates. Yet a track bed exists all the way up Rossendale to Accrington where it could connect with the Blackburn to Burnley line. For part of that distance it is used by a heritage line.


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## Cuchilo (24 Mar 2018)

I did a job a couple of years ago in New cross , London . Its about 18 miles from my house and was taking me 4 hours to drive there and 4 to get home . I ended up dropping everything off one Sunday and then riding there and home during the week .


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## NorthernDave (24 Mar 2018)

25 years ago I used to cycle to work across the city on a hefty Raleigh Amazon MTB with knobbly tyres. About 7 miles each way.

At peak times, on a good day the car took a couple of minutes less than the bike. Most times the bike was quicker though, especially during the evening commute back home.

It seems not much has changed.


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## Drago (24 Mar 2018)

The thread title made me believe this was about the rise in numbers of illegally powerful pedelecs.


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## rivers (24 Mar 2018)

My commute by bike is quicker than if I drove my car, if I leave at the same time (in the off chance I have to take the car to work, I leave before rush hour so I can get a parking space). And the route I take cycling is 5 miles longer than the car/motorbike route. Motorbike wins out as the quickest though.


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## mjr (25 Mar 2018)

Lonestar said:


> 16mph average on Strava?...Must be joking on the Cycle Superhighways.


Probably national average. In inner London, walking is probably quicker than driving at times...


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## NorthernDave (25 Mar 2018)

IME, cycling is definitely faster than the bus - from the city centre to our home is 5 miles and nearly all uphill, but despite the bus having dedicated bus lanes, guided busways and priority traffic lights for most of the route I'm still first home on the bike.

And my average speed isn't 16mph either.


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## Shut Up Legs (25 Mar 2018)

Tizme said:


> I'm sorry, you obviously don't understand, just because you can get to work, have a shower and are sat drinking a cuppa as your car driving workmates arrive, you couldn't possibly have made the trip quicker - everyone knows cycling is much slower than driving, it's just the traffic queues and hold-ups that stopped them arriving before you.


Let's not forget that a cycling commute is also our twice-daily exercise session, thus obviating the need to attend time-consuming gym sessions. But as soon as you tell all that to typical diehard motorists, their eyes glaze over and the denial sets in.


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## Globalti (25 Mar 2018)

My commute is 21 miles over a big hill and there's nowhere at work to store clothes, shower and change so I have only cycled it a few times but when I have done it by bike I've been amazed at how bright and effective I've felt at work. I'd love to cycle more often.


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## Jenkins (25 Mar 2018)

Cycling isn't faster for me - it's only 10-15 mins by car but up to an hour by bike. However that's 3.5 mind numbingly boring direct against up to 15 miles relaxed meandering all over Trimley, Walton & Felixstowe with views over the fields to the River Deben and riding alongside the seafront plus the occasional off road diversion.


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## iandg (25 Mar 2018)

I used to commute from my home in Streetly to Sandwell DGH via the Scott Arms junction in the 1990s - often did the journey quicker by bike than by car


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## slowmotion (26 Mar 2018)

For me, it wasn't just a matter of the bike being quicker. It's just so much more fun than crawling along at a snail's pace in a motor vehicle.. You arrive at work refreshed and stimulated, rather than grumpy from wasting your life in stationary traffic.


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## k_green (26 Mar 2018)

slowmotion said:


> The best bit was that it would always take a predictable time on the bike, no matter what the traffic conditions were on any particular day.


 I think this is a really underrated benefit of cycle commuting. No need to leave an extra 30 minutes, just in case. Once you know the route and yourself, the variation is minor.


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## C R (26 Mar 2018)

Drago said:


> The thread title made me believe this was about the rise in numbers of illegally powerful pedelecs.


Sorry, it was half tongue in cheek, half clickbait. Should I edit the title to make it more descriptive?


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## jefmcg (26 Mar 2018)

The Telegraph said:


> The average speed of a *male* cyclist is around 16mph, according to activity website Strava.




Why men only????! 

The Telegraph continues its bizarre quest to exclude women from cycling.

Also, they can't do maths. 24kph is a little under 15mph. And of course that's moving time. Cars are also pretty fast when they are moving.


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## kingrollo (26 Mar 2018)

C R said:


> According to this
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...el-slower-bicycles-englands-clogged-up-roads/
> 
> In my commute that has already been the case for some time.



Is this news ? - I thought car speed on a commute was already down to 11mph - or maybe thats just city commutes

My commute is +5 minutes v the car a little bit more because I shower and change it is slightly longer - but much more fun.

Fastest way to work for me is the hybrid drive & folding bike.


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## Gravity Aided (26 Mar 2018)

Having a largely separate and uninterrupted cycle path on an old railroad grade, my commute was often faster due to less traffic crossings and fewer bicycles and pedestrians at my time of day. Good design can make all traffic flow better, but it is much easier to make cycling paths more efficient than it is to make auto roads more efficient. Motorists seem to be a bit to impatient to accept the necessary compromises to make such a thing happen.


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## MiK1138 (26 Mar 2018)

So will cars now pull in to allow the faster moving bikes past?


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## spen666 (26 Mar 2018)

cosmicbike said:


> ....
> 
> I like the article quoting motoring groups calling for cars to be allowed in bus lanes etc to 'optimise' traffic flow. Next they will be wanting all the cycling infrastructure removed too, all for the all powerful motorcar....




I was watching football at Orient on Saturday, and yes, I went by car [ Hangs heads in shame]

There was the usual congestion around Leyton area before and after the game. The crowd at the game was 5600. In the relatively recent past - eg 1970s and 1980s, Orient used to get crowds of upto 20,000 at games. People managed to get to and from games with little traffic congestion. They walked, cycled and used public transport.

These days everyone wants to be saelfish and travel in their own little box and wants no one else on the road slowing them down. [ Me included]

This mindset must change. We need to realise that walking, cycling and public transport can provide more than adequate alternatives. It just means we need to think ahead and plan what we are doing.

A similar situation is now we have mobile phones, no one makes proper plans or arranges in advance where to meet up. We prefer to put off planning till the last minute


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## Tin Pot (26 Mar 2018)

C R said:


> According to this
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...el-slower-bicycles-englands-clogged-up-roads/
> 
> In my commute that has already been the case for some time.



It’s not the traffic, it’s the 20mph speed limit across whole swathes of London - I mean what’s the point of driving?


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## jefmcg (26 Mar 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> It’s not the traffic, it’s the 20mph speed limit across whole swathes of London - I mean what’s the point of driving?


It's not on A or B roads, is it? Is someone ruining your residential street rat run?


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## Tin Pot (26 Mar 2018)

jefmcg said:


> It's not on A or B roads, is it? Is someone ruining your residential street rat run?



I had to drive across London for an exam about three years ago, the speed limit in Islington was traumatic.


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## Too Tyred (26 Mar 2018)

slowmotion said:


> I used to drive to work from Hammersmith to Battersea. Eight years ago, I started riding it. It was always faster on the bike, and I'm a pretty poor cyclist. The best bit was that it would always take a predictable time on the bike, no matter what the traffic conditions were on any particular day.



This! I don't cycle to work for a few reasons but it always amazes me how much different two days at pretty much the same time can be. 5 minutes here and there and the journey can be halved or doubled, I don't understand!


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## HLaB (26 Mar 2018)

Lol, I went to see a mate last night who is quite a strong sporting cyclist. Despite that he was surprised when I turned up at his on my bike. Its only 4miles across the city. According to my Garmin it took 14 minutes and if I sat in traffic on the same route it'd been 14mins too. I could have tooken the ring road and been 3 minutes faster driving but 2 miles longer


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## Rooster1 (27 Mar 2018)

I can cycle to work quicker than it takes by car already. 5 miles with a queue over a bridge.


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## confusedcyclist (27 Mar 2018)

Sadly the future has already arrived in Bradford. On a bad day, my commute by car can already take 10-30 minutes longer than on the bike, despite me taking a route that's 3 miles longer on the bike to avoid this hideous and frequently congested 3 lane motorway road and it's 3 diabolical roundabouts. This means on days when I am forced to leave the bike at home, I have my head in my hands weeping at the steering wheel whilst getting 6 MPG and an average speed of 6mph. Even I manage to ride an average 14mph on the bike in hilly bradford. Despite the future having already arrived, I see little progress on the cycle infrastructure front.


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## Thorn Sherpa (27 Mar 2018)

cosmicbike said:


> Certainly my commute through town is faster on the bike, it's only the national speed limit sections I lose out. Commute on a night shift by van is 45 minutes, bike about the same. Early shifts the van is always faster as it's pre-rush hour.
> 
> I like the article quoting motoring groups calling for cars to be allowed in bus lanes etc to 'optimise' traffic flow. Next they will be wanting all the cycling infrastructure removed too, all for the all powerful motorcar....


The same as my commute, the section from one side of the town to the other is a lot faster on the bike as opposed to the car it's only when I get on the A19 where I'd be quicker in the car


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## ColinJ (11 Sep 2018)

Globalti said:


> It strikes me that all those branch railways that Beeching axed wold be viable nowadays if reopened because the communities they served have grown out of control into commuter towns.





Globalti said:


> There's no political will to reopen railways yet I bet with modern equipment they would be considerably cheaper to run than in the 1880s.
> 
> One example is the Manchester Metro, which runs from Manchester to Bury where it terminates. Yet a track bed exists all the way up Rossendale to Accrington where it could connect with the Blackburn to Burnley line. For part of that distance it is used by a heritage line.


Apparently, plans are actually being made to reopen not one, but _two _lines between Lancashire and Yorkshire. 

Clitheroe is now a direct rail journey from Manchester via Todmorden and Blackburn. That line already extends to Hellifield in North Yorkshire but is currently pretty much only used for freight. (I believe there is one passenger train a day each way on summer Sundays?). A full passenger service is likely to be restored in the next few years.

The line from Burnley to Colne should be extended to Skipton. There is 11.5 miles of line missing after the Beeching axe fell in the 1960s, but apparently very little of it has been built over. 

It was such a huge mistake to close all of those lines in the first place. Nobody seemed to have the vision to see what the roads would end up like and invest in the railways instead/as well.

If those lines are restored, at least 3 million tons of fuel a year will be able to travel from Liverpool to Drax power station by rail rather than by HGV.

It isn't going to happen to the old Rossendale line though - that is becoming the Valley of Stone cycle route.


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## Globalti (11 Sep 2018)

You're well clued-up. That's encouraging to read.


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## fatjel (12 Sep 2018)

10 years ago I would travel about 3 miles from Carshalton to Sutton in South London 

At peak times the bike was quicker even back then


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## mustang1 (12 Sep 2018)

While cycling, I am slowed down by drivers more than when I'm driving and being slowed down by cyclists.

I reckon a motorbike or scooter is the best form of transport: 
1. don't get sweaty like on a bike, 
2. faster than a bike, 
3. doesn't get held back (most of the time) by other vehicles.
4. Parking is not bad
5. Cost is comparable to an e-bike (example: a new scooter costs £2000, similar money to a Giant e-bike)
6. Takes you further than an e-bike (I'm thinking about a holiday in Wales)
7. Don't have to spend time charging the batteries
8. e-bike battery loses some of it's capacity

Counterpoint: 
1. some of the above points could be invalid with a modified e-bike.
2. running a scooter/motorbike is dearer (tax and fuel) but I'd rather pay for the small amount of fuel it takes rather than having to charge up the batteries).
3. Hey Mustang, you charge up your phone every night don't you, why not an e-bike? True that.


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## rivers (12 Sep 2018)

mustang1 said:


> While cycling, I am slowed down by drivers more than when I'm driving and being slowed down by cyclists.
> 
> I reckon a motorbike or scooter is the best form of transport:
> 1. don't get sweaty like on a bike,
> ...



A scooter or motorbike is faster, sometimes. I did an experiment one week back in the spring. One day I took the car to work (11 miles), took me about an hour and 20 minutes. The motorbike took me bang on an hour. Cycling took me an hour and 3 minutes, but it's 5 miles longer as I opt for the Bristol to Bath Railway Path as opposed to the A4. I ate done the A4 a couple of times, and it's taken 40 minutes


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## screenman (12 Sep 2018)

Unless I can start averaging 34mph on the bike carrying a van full of tools my travel to do jobs is unlikely to be quicker.


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## mjr (12 Sep 2018)

Getting changed to ride a bike is usually a choice. Plenty of people riding to work in shop colours around here.



screenman said:


> Unless I can start averaging 34mph on the bike carrying a van full of tools my travel to do jobs is unlikely to be quicker.


Sparsely populated area that, IIRC.


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## Johnno260 (12 Sep 2018)

I have taken to doing some partial commutes by bike, I drive car to outskirts of the town where I work, then cycle from that point, I have saved a ton of time.


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## mjr (12 Sep 2018)

Johnno260 said:


> I have taken to doing some partial commutes by bike, I drive car to outskirts of the town where I work, then cycle from that point, I have saved a ton of time.


Park and pedal. Good places to park on the edges of cities are becoming harder to find as suburbs get resident parking restrictions and suburban parks get 2 hour parking limits. Cambridge is a notable exception, allowing you to use their park and ride car parks, but I've a good train link to there anyway.


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## Venod (12 Sep 2018)

I cycled down the so called Cycling Super Highway from Bradford to Leeds the other day (not a commute, for pleasure )

At the Bradford end I noticed an estate car with fancy sign writing, I was surprised I beat him to Armley (where I joined the canal) despite having a few lengthy stops at traffic lights, I didn't encounter any other cyclists and its downhill mostly, so in rush hour it might not be achievable and definitely won't be going the other way.


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## confusedcyclist (12 Sep 2018)

Afnug said:


> I cycled down the so called Cycling Super Highway from Bradford to Leeds the other day (not a commute for pleasure )
> 
> At the Bradford end I noticed an estate car with fancy sign writing, I was surprised I beat him to Armley (where I joined the canal) despite having a few lengthy stops at traffic lights, I didn't encounter any other cyclists and its downhill mostly, so in rush hour it might not be achievable and definitely won't be going the other way.


You'd be surprised, that's my daily commute, traffic is so bad it's often faster on the bike despite the climbing. My route varies when I'm in the car vs the bike, but if I set off any later than 7.30 I'm basically guaranteed to get a higher average speed on the cycle super highway than in the car. And this isn't with a carbon racer, it's my heavy surly steel frame and panniers.


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## screenman (12 Sep 2018)

mjr said:


> Getting changed to ride a bike is usually a choice. Plenty of people riding to work in shop colours around here.
> 
> 
> Sparsely populated area that, IIRC.



Not many chimney pots for sure.


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## KneesUp (12 Sep 2018)

This has long been the case, surely?

I used to commute 5 miles or so into Manchester from the south in the early 90s and it was a bad run if I didn't beat the 42 bus to the university. Ok so the bus had to stop but it also had a bus lane down Oxford Road, so it was quicker than cars overall. On the days I did take my car it not only took longer travelling, but you also had to spend time finding a parking spot and then walk from it to work, whereas on the bike I used to lock it up in the bike rack about 20 metres from the door.


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## mustang1 (12 Sep 2018)

rivers said:


> A scooter or motorbike is faster, sometimes. I did an experiment one week back in the spring. One day I took the car to work (11 miles), took me about an hour and 20 minutes. The motorbike took me bang on an hour. Cycling took me an hour and 3 minutes, but it's 5 miles longer as I opt for the Bristol to Bath Railway Path as opposed to the A4. I ate done the A4 a couple of times, and it's taken 40 minutes



This is a good experiment. But... I would consider door-to-door time... meaning the time it takes to change bike clothes and take shower too.


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## mjr (12 Sep 2018)

mustang1 said:


> This is a good experiment. But... I would consider door-to-door time... meaning the time it takes to change bike clothes and take shower too.


You get changed and shower outdoors?!? 

Anyway, for relaxed short-distance city riding, bike clothes and showers aren't necessary for most people. Just get on your bikes and riiiiide.


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## jarlrmai (12 Sep 2018)

Used to be when the new term started at the local uni my 2 miles commute could consist entirely of filtering passed cars. They've changed the rules on parking and it's been better this year.


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## rivers (12 Sep 2018)

mustang1 said:


> This is a good experiment. But... I would consider door-to-door time... meaning the time it takes to change bike clothes and take shower too.



I take my bike into the building my office is in, whereas I face a 10 or so minute walk from the car park if I'm lucky enough to get a spot on campus. If the car park is full, I then have a 10 minute drive to the overflow car park where I will need to wait for a shuttle to bring me back to campus. Changing rooms and showers next to my office, so additional time is negligible.


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## EasyPeez (19 Sep 2018)

cosmicbike said:


> I like the article quoting motoring groups calling for cars to be allowed in bus lanes etc to 'optimise' traffic flow



Yeah, I liked that too. I also liked how those lovely Torygraph readers managed, within minutes of the article going live, to outline how congestion is actually an immigration issue. 

I feel sorry for the hardworking satirists out there...they must feel pretty redundant living in these times!


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## nickr (20 Sep 2018)

I've been commuting Kingston to Chiswick by bike for 6 years. I now recognised quite a few cars I pass everyday. I suppose I ought to feel sorry for them, stuck in there in their boxy wheelchairs, too weak, fat and unfit for a short commute.


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## mustang1 (20 Sep 2018)

Cycling will definitely become faster than driving especially if the cyclist uses a windbreaking car in front. What with all the 100mph plus cyclists making the headlines lately...


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## EasyPeez (20 Sep 2018)

nickr said:


> I now recognised quite a few cars I pass everyday. I suppose I ought to feel sorry for them, stuck in there in their boxy wheelchairs, too weak, fat and unfit for a short commute.



Same here on my 8.5 mile commute. I used to feel smug as I sailed past them all. Now I just feel sorry for them, for younger/less confident cyclists and pedestrians struggling through the melee, and more especially for the future of the planet.

It's marginally quicker by car for me if I leave around 7-8am, anytime after that and it's easily quicker by bike.


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## Milkfloat (20 Sep 2018)

mustang1 said:


> Cycling will definitely become faster than driving especially if the cyclist uses a windbreaking car in front. What with all the 100mph plus cyclists making the headlines lately...



Surely the car and the cyclist have to go at the same speed for that to work?


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## C R (20 Sep 2018)

EasyPeez said:


> Same here on my 8.5 mile commute. I used to feel smug as I sailed past them all. Now I just feel sorry for them, for younger/less confident cyclists and pedestrians struggling through the melee, and more especially for the future of the planet.
> 
> It's marginally quicker by car for me if I leave around 7-8am, anytime after that and it's easily quicker by bike.



My commute is only two miles, takes about the same time by car on the way to work, and quicker by bike on the way back. 

One of my neighbours works in the same business park, and always seems a bit miffed by the fact that I enter the business park at the same time as him even though he comes out of the street in front of me.


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## spen666 (20 Sep 2018)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45572277


probably already is faster than most drivers


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## MontyVeda (20 Sep 2018)

C R said:


> According to this
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...el-slower-bicycles-englands-clogged-up-roads/
> 
> In my commute that has already been the case for some time.


It can be just as quick to cycle to work as it is to drive on my commute... my route is a bit shorter as it goes over a footbridge (shared use) and there's no traffic lights to hinder my progress. I often see colleagues in cars near the start of my commute in the morning and we'll arrive at work within a minute of each other. The evening shifts are a different ball game though... Zoshia lives close to me and sets off at 5.20pm to get to work for 6pm. I set off at 5.50pm.


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## mustang1 (21 Sep 2018)

Milkfloat said:


> Surely the car and the cyclist have to go at the same speed for that to work?


Yup. I was just having a dig at the news stories where the cyclist achieves an incredibly high top speed, and then you read it was because they were behind a wind breaking car.


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## mjr (21 Sep 2018)

mustang1 said:


> Yup. I was just having a dig at the news stories where the cyclist achieves an incredibly high top speed, and then you read it was because they were behind a wind breaking car.


I didn't know cars broke wind. Is that why their exhausts smell so bad?


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