Drivers waste 58 weeks of their life in traffic

It never fails to amaze me when I pass a line of stationary cars why they can't think "outside the box".
I can understand when there's young kids and/or elderly passengers or salesmen with loads of stuff to cart around but most aren't, just one face peering through the windscreen sitting in the same old traffic jam as yesterday and the day before...
I finally lost patience and sold my car five years ago and bought a bike (although a lifelong part-time biker).
I just don't know how they can do it, year in year out...
No imagination? No sense of adventure?
What separates us from the diehard car driver? Beats me.

Posted: 18/01/2012 at 18:49

...reasons why people use the car and "do it year in year out", is because they use the vehicle as a utility item etc. They may never have considered a motorycle as a viable means of transport. Public transport is not always suitable and is no longer a cheaper alternative in most instances.

Many people are v.risk averse of course in all sorts of ways, and will follow what's probably 'sensible' and safe, can't blame them really in some respects, the thought of riding a bike down the M6 at rush hour for example wouldn't fill me with joy! 

Still, it'd be nice if there were fewer cars on the road. amen

Posted: 18/01/2012 at 23:14

And also what separates full time riders from fair-weather boy toys.

Some dodgy looking maths in that report : ‘Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics’ (Disraeli)

I estimate that commuting by bike saves me about 2 hours per day, across 5 days per week and 44 weeks per year.
So in one year I save
440 hours per year or
11 working weeks or
55 working days

For the life of this job and assuming I do the current run until retiring at 65 (a period of 23 years) – I would save
1265 working days or
253 working weeks or
5.75 working years

For 3 days of the year (Xmas to New Year) it’s actually quicker to use the car! No traffic, same cruising speed and no changing in/out of bike gear.

Of course, apart from saving the hours and cost I don’t have to leave home by 6.45 to be in work by 9.00!

Posted: 24/01/2012 at 15:11