tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post2348164727395865091..comments2024-03-27T12:53:39.298+01:00Comments on A view from the cycle path: Driving is boringDavid Hembrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-20365399490288289762010-10-01T19:03:16.690+02:002010-10-01T19:03:16.690+02:00Horses for courses. I love biking, but it's pr...Horses for courses. I love biking, but it's practical only for short distances (relatively speaking) in reasonable weather (unless you have a velomobile as Dave suggests, but that vehicle is not practical for everyone). I live in Toronto, by the lake shore. I bike to work as often as possible (20 km one way). But to get out of the city to one of the closest country roads for a nice trip Micheal Bluenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-12845035813392430302010-06-19T00:52:02.301+02:002010-06-19T00:52:02.301+02:00Good post.
I think Joncrels spot-on comment about...Good post.<br /><br />I think Joncrels spot-on comment about driving being anger inducing is actually a serious understatement.<br /><br />I drive occasionally, as smooth & as slowly as possible, and if any of you on here who also drive, think that as cyclists you are on the recieving end of road rage, try driving as I do; in fact David, I reckon slow drivers could do with some infrastructureIsla...https://www.blogger.com/profile/09569097700652272494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-51223651041280962912010-06-17T09:49:17.794+02:002010-06-17T09:49:17.794+02:00A good outward sign of boredom is the driver with ...A good outward sign of boredom is the driver with his or her head held up by an arm resting on a window sill, often at traffic lights or when behind a slightly slower vehicle (that's me). How quickly they sigh and give out the negative body language. I am not so sure it is the design of the vehicle, more the inability to think for themselves, that creates the dispondent driver. True to say Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-67588931134800612152010-06-11T11:10:22.031+02:002010-06-11T11:10:22.031+02:00Quite agree with you there David. I never drove in...Quite agree with you there David. I never drove in the UK and I was about 24 before I was finally badgered into learning to drive in Germany. I sometimes wonder why I bothered as I still avoid cvars- at the moment I manage to drive twice a year: once to a yout event I work with and once to Ikea. <br /><br />Apart from anything else, I feel so guilty: on a bike I'm part of the scenery and the Andy in Germanyhttp://www.workbike.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-18943844450815545492010-06-10T10:27:43.580+02:002010-06-10T10:27:43.580+02:00Very very boring, uncomfortable for anything other...Very very boring, uncomfortable for anything other than a short journey, very tiring (but not of body, just a bit of the brain that detects collisions). And quite often anger inducing, the few times I've felt incandescent rage is when I've the misfortune to be driving a car. Why are people so attached to this means of getting around? Its a mystery. <br /><br />...but I think the answerjoncrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05721091205094417564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-56147536927702957472010-06-09T12:58:25.646+02:002010-06-09T12:58:25.646+02:00I would also add that driving makes places boring ...I would also add that driving makes places boring and ugly. There are vastly more places that are made ugly and boring because of cars than are made beautiful or interesting because of cars. Cars compress distances so people car little for what lies between their destinations. I love the fact that the cycle paths take me through parks and across creeks. If I take the same journey to work by car Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-53700353363708251232010-06-09T05:43:48.266+02:002010-06-09T05:43:48.266+02:00Like you I never had a desire to drive. I started ...Like you I never had a desire to drive. I started riding a motorcycle at 30, started driving a car at 32. Until then I cycled everywhere and was happier. the past 12 years of driving has allowed me to travel much grater distances, but it is boring. I've also put on 20 kg...I am so looking forward to my new job in the same city I live in...no more commuter driving!gingerbeardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-21797251386952975682010-06-08T20:31:49.009+02:002010-06-08T20:31:49.009+02:00Yes driving is a tedious, stressful and physically...Yes driving is a tedious, stressful and physically detrimental responsibility. Autos have always been a source of danger to all road users and this is likely to get worse.<br /><br />The auto manufacturers and our cell phone providers are working hard to get infotainment on your dashboard to make driving more entertaining though (and distractive):<br /><br />http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-6520627047187921392010-06-08T16:08:54.604+02:002010-06-08T16:08:54.604+02:00If driving a car were so exciting, why do they all...If driving a car were so exciting, why do they all seem to be putting all of these gizmo's(Radio, TV, Wi-Fi) in to keep you interested?<br /><br />I like cl3mcgee's comments about rude cyclists. While they may seem rude to you, sitting in your car, they are very unlikely kill you with their rudeness. On the otherhand, your kindly car could turn them into roadkill in the blink of an eye.spiderleggreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07306905473637646256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-60598325777281810122010-06-08T12:20:29.166+02:002010-06-08T12:20:29.166+02:00Well, I don't drive, but being driven long dis...Well, I don't drive, but being <i>driven</i> long distances can be rather boring [The same can be said of train journeys, but at least there is more legroom, and the view is usually better]. <br /><br />Cycling, however, has the edge when it comes to engagement; although it does feel rather "edgy" when idiot drivers overtake me on blind bends...christhebullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18058394246399615754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-80152853568392554962010-06-08T08:46:14.402+02:002010-06-08T08:46:14.402+02:00I must chime in here. Not only have I loved the pr...I must chime in here. Not only have I loved the privilege of driving for <br />27 years, I am a driving instructor in the Portland Oregon area, said to be the bike capital of the U.S.A. though I have read the Netherlands<br />is the bike capital of the world. With the fewest amount of bike/car collisions if I remember correctly.<br />Bicyclists can be very rude in Portland. I think teaching Colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18381028757529684103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-57086917607354387602010-06-07T20:58:14.636+02:002010-06-07T20:58:14.636+02:00Oh, guys. It's great to see that there are &qu...Oh, guys. It's great to see that there are "kindred spirits" out there after all. People think that I'm "odd" not liking driving, but treating it as a necessary evil, a chore that needs to be done on occasion. Like cleaning the bog, scraping mucky oven pans, et al...<br />I certainly agree that track driving adds a bit of fun to driving activity. When I was much WestfieldWandererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02248492361148849247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-23860708047709760162010-06-07T13:42:32.295+02:002010-06-07T13:42:32.295+02:00What's interesting though is how many people *...What's interesting though is how many people *believe* that driving is fun: have you watched car ads on TV recently? They promise such a lifestyle, so much fun and grace. When in truth you'll be paying through the nose to use it to sit in traffic jams every morning and drive to Tesco at the weekends.<br /><br />Of course cars are boring, but from a safety point of view what is ibikelondonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06978714126105951294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-35627228149054061762010-06-07T11:30:12.930+02:002010-06-07T11:30:12.930+02:00I like the analogy that driving around in beautifu...I like the analogy that driving around in beautiful landscape and nature is like watching an aquarium, while cycling the same roads is like snorkeling.jenskristinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07794216386151203628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-61403310544453001232010-06-07T08:34:11.589+02:002010-06-07T08:34:11.589+02:00Completely agree. If only cars could deliver a rea...Completely agree. If only cars could deliver a realistic sensory experience to the driver of the danger they pose to others. Maybe cars should feel like the wheels are coming off when you get over 50kmh instead of feeling like they are going too slow.<br />Or just get rid of most of them - that would probably achieve better results.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-61096304468611471182010-06-07T01:31:43.394+02:002010-06-07T01:31:43.394+02:00Hi David,
I completely agree with your assessment...Hi David,<br /><br />I completely agree with your assessment of driving being a boring activity.<br /><br />I've been riding my bicycle non-stop now for 7 months and I love it - the car just collects dust most of the time. Getting in the car is not enjoyable and my wife is finding the same thing... and it is a very nice car too.<br /><br />I only need my car when I'm on-call for the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com