Why don't you own an electric bike?

[DimPrawn]

Yes.

Weather. Far too variable in the UK. End up soaked in sweat and soaked by rain on the same journey. Don't want to sit at the clients smelling of BO or sitting in wet clothes.

Not very business like either. "Here's our top IT consultant. As you can see he can't afford a car on his £800/day and sits in Lycra all day."

Also, have to carry laptops and the like. One tumble and that's that gone for good.

Roads are lethal here too.

I want luxury. I want heated seats that massage me, climate control, top end sound system.

[BoredBloke]

I wouldn't consider a bike because of the lack of cycle paths. As a kid I lived in Holland for 18 months and the cycle paths are great since they often remove the cyclist completely from the road - but then the dutch did get to benefit form the German town planning which was common in Europe during the forties

[Churchill]

I wouldn't consider a bike because of the lack of cycle paths. As a kid I lived in Holland for 18 months and the cycle paths are great since they often remove the cyclist completely from the road - but then the dutch did get to benefit form the German town planning which was common in Europe during the forties

Do you not recall how much money was spent creating "Cycle Paths" in England? MILLIONS!

Btw, painting a bit of the road does not a cycle lane make!

[BoredBloke]

Do you not recall how much money was spent creating "Cycle Paths" in England? MILLIONS!

Btw, painting a bit of the road does not a cycle lane make!

I know - that is what I'm getting at. A cycle path should not be a thin strip on the road it should be a raod in its own right. What you get here are little strips of cycle path which knob heads park in and drivers cut into when taking corners. That is why I wouldn't consider cycling to work - that and the fact that I work in Leeds and the M62 might be a tad scary on a bike.

[Churchill]

I know - that is what I'm getting at. A cycle path should not be a thin strip on the road it should be a raod in its own right. What you get here are little strips of cycle path which knob heads park in and drivers cut into when taking corners. That is why I wouldn't consider cycling to work - that and the fact that I work in Leeds and the M62 might be a tad scary on a bike.

Not to mention the fact that there are a couple of fooookin great hills between your place and Leeds.

Hang on a mo.... cycle through Todmorden etc.

[BoredBloke]

Not to mention the fact that there are a couple of fooookin great hills between your place and Leeds.

Hang on a mo.... cycle through Todmorden etc.

I lived there for 8 years also - I could follow the canal but I like to get to work within a reasonable time rather than the day it would take me if I cycled.

[Dearnla]

No 'leccy bike?

Back to the original question - "why don't I have a 'leccy bike?" Same reason I don't have a chocolate fireguard - I spent the money on tuning my BMW instead, silly

[Board Game Geek]

I've always thought that since bicycles use the roads, they should be subject to the same rules and regulations as other road users.

1. Road Tax, since they use the same road as everyone else.
2. MOT equivalent, to ensure the bike is in a mechanically safe condition.

[Moscow Mule]

I've always thought that since bicycles use the roads, they should be subject to the same rules and regulations as other road users.

1. Road Tax, since they use the same road as everyone else.
2. MOT equivalent, to ensure the bike is in a mechanically safe condition.

The government is trying to encourage use of bikes!!!

But to answer your points,

1. Definitely, based on the amount of CO2 they emit per km
2. If you don't service your bike, it's unlikely to hurt anybody other than yourself.

[expat]

The government is trying to encourage use of bikes!!!

But to answer your points,

1. Definitely, based on the amount of CO2 they emit per km
2. If you don't service your bike, it's unlikely to hurt anybody other than yourself.

Somebody (I think a cyclist) did calculate a reasonable road tax based on wear & tear on the road to be about 2p per year.

A road tax credit might be a better idea: most cyclists are drivers too, so when they're on the bike they're leaving the polluting wearing dangerous obstructing car at home. Force them off the bike and you'll just get all the cars back.