Your a biker so use the bike fool!

[scoobiemandan]

Woke up this morning to head to work and as it was raining decided I'd use the car.  Get to work then it conks out on me, que two hours waiting for RAC whilst trying to juggle work and worrying about the car being sat in a precarious position under a bridge....this was at 5:30am this morning so very dark.

So yeah, the moral of the story is the title of this thread 

[slappy]

At least you were dry, unless you had to walk the rest of the way in the rain
What caused the car to conk out?

[ogri48]

I commute from near coleford in the forest if Dean to the outskirts of Bristol and no matter what the weather I couldn't use my car or van...not just more fuel but...a fiver to cross the bridge in a car ( fourteen quid in a van!),  £3 a day to park in the uni car park ( free for bikes, much like the bridge) but most of all something like seven miles of gridlocked traffic on the M4 from the Severn bridge onwards right up to the last turn off. No matter what the weather, and it rains a lot in the forest/Wales lol, I count me lucky stars every morning..

[Frosties]

   ......similar here. 50 miles into London. Bike = less than 2 gallons a day. Car = over 3 gallons, + £12 congestion charge, + up £40 to park (cheapest on a flattened building area is £15) Bike parking free unless city of Westminster which is £1 all day. Add to that the shit queues of endless traffic.


Bike wins all the time all year round.

[ogri48]

Bloody hell mate...

[Grayo]

...a fiver to cross the bridge in a car

If only............. !!!!...
It's been over six quid for a few years now and is currently £6.60 and due to rise again on January 1st........ !!   

[Flooky]

I used to commute into London 50 miles, and I know sometimes its grim, but I used a 1100 pan Honda, it was the only thing that made it bearable, with hand muffs and heated grips, like a bloody car

[ogri48]

...a fiver to cross the bridge in a car

If only............. !!!!...
It's been over six quid for a few years now and is currently £6.60 and due to rise again on January 1st........ !!   

Blimey mate...I've n never actually crossed it in a car so didn't know. It's a bit bloody hairy on it on the bike sometimes with the crosswinds, especially on the zzr1100, that bike really catches a sidewind more than any other I've had I think

[Frosties]

I used to commute into London 50 miles, and I know sometimes its grim, but I used a 1100 pan Honda, it was the only thing that made it bearable, with hand muffs and heated grips, like a bloody car

Must admit I've looked at Pans for the commute, seem perfect but don't reckon i could filter as well as those taxi bikes do with them nor as good as I can on the Fazer or Bandit.

[taylor]

I drive a renalt traffic van , 650 on the bridge put a side window in cost me 80 pound,   and has saved me about 3 grand in crossings,

[crickleymal]

...a fiver to cross the bridge in a car

If only............. !!!!...
It's been over six quid for a few years now and is currently £6.60 and due to rise again on January 1st........ !!   

Blimey mate...I've n never actually crossed it in a car so didn't know. It's a bit bloody hairy on it on the bike sometimes with the crosswinds, especially on the zzr1100, that bike really catches a sidewind more than any other I've had I think

I've only been across the Severn Bridge on a bike once or twice. The last time was in 2007 (I think) on the day of the floods. Riding across the bridge in the dark with a strong gusty side wind on a BMW R1100RS which has crap headlights (you think the FZS is bad hah!) was not an experience I wish to repeat.

[ogri48]

Yeah, it can  be biblical mate.....

[ogri48]

I use a shoei neotech for me commute but always have it locked down for the crossing" getting blown into the four cheese cutter wires they use for a central barrier doesn't bear thinking about

[Dudeofrude]

To be honest I've never felt the need to deliberately ride in the rain. I have a car for good reason. If I can get there warmer, dryer  and arguably safer in the car then I will. Don't get any brownie points for showing up to work like a drowned rat with nuemonia haha

Sometimes I even leave the bike at home just simply cause I can't be arsed with the faff of getting all my kit on, going out to the garage, undoing all the chains/locks,  pushing it out to the drive,  relocking the garage, warming the bike up.... only to get to work then have to get re-dressed again then repeat the whole process again when I come home.
Sometimes it nice to just pick up the key fob, jump in and go haha

[Oldgit]

thank foc I've got a bus pass.

[robbo]

Freedom Passes....Rock!

[tommyardin]

thank foc I've got a bus pass.

I need to apply for one I have been entitled to one for years but never applied. Could be fun a bunch of old doggers going off to the coast for the day on the bus for nought. Mind you take most of the day to travel the 24 miles to get there. Get lagged up and not risk you licence on the way home. Woo woo I'm applying. 

[scoobiemandan]

At least you were dry, unless you had to walk the rest of the way in the rain
What caused the car to conk out?

Na, it conked out on the dock at work.  Got it started but then it conked out on the slope leading out of the yard so best I could do was roll it round the corner to where it sat.

Turns out it was just a loose battery connection     Still, it was so dark there was no way I was gonna pop the bonnet at that time of the morning.

To be honest I've never felt the need to deliberately ride in the rain. I have a car for good reason. If I can get there warmer, dryer  and arguably safer in the car then I will. Don't get any brownie points for showing up to work like a drowned rat with nuemonia haha

Sometimes I even leave the bike at home just simply cause I can't be arsed with the faff of getting all my kit on, going out to the garage, undoing all the chains/locks,  pushing it out to the drive,  relocking the garage, warming the bike up.... only to get to work then have to get re-dressed again then repeat the whole process again when I come home.
Sometimes it nice to just pick up the key fob, jump in and go haha

Sometimes it's easier for me to use the bike as I may not need to collect a van so can park up next to office in covered garage which make leaving work so much quicker also.  Still, I'm with ya, very nice just to pick up the keys to the car and go