Want to sell my car in order to cycle

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Jamesh »

Jdsk wrote:How easily can you rent a suitable vehicle when you want one?

Jonathan


You could also join a car club???

Taxi or delivery service....

Cheers James
Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Oldjohnw »

Jamesh wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:I go fly fishing on a Stillwater 18 miles away, using my bike.


You wouldn't want to go carp fishing that distance away on a bike!!!

Cheers James


I understand. I can fly fish for trout quite minimally.
John
ChrisButch
Posts: 1188
Joined: 24 Feb 2009, 12:10pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by ChrisButch »

Oldjohnw wrote:I might have difficulty moving a grand piano.

Tried moving a grand in a car?
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by thirdcrank »

When asked about shifting a hundred grand, the late Ken Dodd is reported to have quipped "The notes are very light, my lord."
Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Oldjohnw »

ChrisButch wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:I might have difficulty moving a grand piano.

Tried moving a grand in a car?


I was specifically referring to someone saying they moved house using only their bike.
John
arnsider
Posts: 449
Joined: 27 Jul 2011, 12:44am
Location: Carnforth, Lancashire

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by arnsider »

The costs involved with car ownership are utterly indiscriminate.
It is perfectly possible now with GPS and powerful computers to pay by the mile for both road funding and insurance, so why do we all have to pay fixed road funding if we only use our cars over a few thousand miles a year, compared with a professional traveller?
As an incentive, why don't motorcycle owners get discounted road tax if they also have cars?
Surely, a 50cc motorcycle would suffice for a vast number of commutes, especially in summer.
There are myriad ways a creative and inventive fiscal system could operate.
hamster
Posts: 4131
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by hamster »

arnsider wrote:The costs involved with car ownership are utterly indiscriminate.
It is perfectly possible now with GPS and powerful computers to pay by the mile for both road funding and insurance, so why do we all have to pay fixed road funding if we only use our cars over a few thousand miles a year, compared with a professional traveller?
As an incentive, why don't motorcycle owners get discounted road tax if they also have cars?
Surely, a 50cc motorcycle would suffice for a vast number of commutes, especially in summer.
There are myriad ways a creative and inventive fiscal system could operate.


Becasue it's not road tax, it's Vehicle Excise Duty.
Roads are largely funded from general taxation.

Note that to date, political parties have considered road pricing too hot to handle.


Anyway, back to the thread.
I faced a similar dilemma moving some years ago to Singapore. Cars were insanely expensive. So in the end we decided not to have a car and review it after six months, renting one in the meantime every time we wanted.
Six month later we had never rented one and the decision didn't even have to be revisited.

It might be a good approach to the problem. After all, there is notihng to stop you buying a car again if it doesn't work out. In the meantime you will be around £100 per month better off, as ther eare few cars that don't cost at least £1000 a year whether you use them or not.
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Carlton green »

Oldjohnw wrote:
ChrisButch wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:I might have difficulty moving a grand piano.

Tried moving a grand in a car?


I was specifically referring to someone saying they moved house using only their bike.


I believe that this is the text referred to:

“I have a friend that has never had a car. He has a Surly Big Dummy and has move the entire contents of his house on it.

It needs a mindset change and preparation.”


Much as I think that Cargo Bikes are wonderful there’s a lot in my house that, to my mind, couldn’t be moved on one, but maybe they could be moved by one. If I had a very large trailer and a suitable bike to tow it with then it would almost certainly be possible to move the contents of my home by bike - I’d prefer easier options though. Pianos are typically very heavy, awkward and not particular hard to damage; my initial reaction is that it would be best to call a man with a van rather than to attempt to shift one by bike.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Oldjohnw »

Carlton green wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:
ChrisButch wrote:Tried moving a grand in a car?


I was specifically referring to someone saying they moved house using only their bike.


I believe that this is the text referred to:

“I have a friend that has never had a car. He has a Surly Big Dummy and has move the entire contents of his house on it.

It needs a mindset change and preparation.”


Much as I think that Cargo Bikes are wonderful there’s a lot in my house that, to my mind, couldn’t be moved on one, but maybe they could be moved by one. If I had a very large trailer and a suitable bike to tow it with then it would almost certainly be possible to move the contents of my home by bike - I’d prefer easier options though. Pianos are typically very heavy, awkward and not particular hard to damage; my initial reaction is that it would be best to call a man with a van rather than to attempt to shift one by bike.


Whatever the preposition, the proposition would be impossible.
John
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Carlton green »

This is perhaps a bit of thread drift but it is amazing what can be shifted by a cargo bike and by a bike plus trailer. For examples see: http://www.theurbancountry.com/2013/06/ ... cycle.html
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by Jdsk »

hamster wrote:So in the end we decided not to have a car and review it after six months, renting one in the meantime every time we wanted.
Six month later we had never rented one and the decision didn't even have to be revisited.

I think that this approach might be very helpful for lots of people. And I'd suggest pinning that promise on the wall, whether it's freedom to rent (and I'd include car clubs!) or to take a taxi.

Making that decision in advance and knowing the process of renting removes the uncertainty from the first time you do it... if that ever occurs!

Jonathan
ChrisButch
Posts: 1188
Joined: 24 Feb 2009, 12:10pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by ChrisButch »

Oldjohnw wrote:Whatever the preposition, the proposition would be impossible.


Strangely enough, that may not always be so. After 150 years of evolutionary development, the fundamentals of grand piano design became virtually frozen after the Steinway Model D was launched c. 1900, despite some unresolved basic engineering problems (which I won't go into). In the last decade, however, some enterprising mavericks, frustrated by the apparent complacency of a market in which, at the top end, Steinway has gradually won a near-monopoly, have been taking at fresh look at the fundamentals. Some of the results have been impressive, although it will take a long time to convince a conservative market. Among these have been instruments in which most of the construction - case, soundboard, action parts, is carbon fibre.

The challenge in transporting a grand unconventionally is that although, theoretically, many parts of the instrument can be dismantled, you're left with the case, soundboard and iron frame which have to be left intact. Not only bulk and shape, but also weight are barriers. The reason for the weight and strength is the need to hold securely the massive combined tension of the strings and compression on the soundboard. Well, some of the recent innovators have devised clever engineering solutions to cut these forces drastically, removing the need for overengineered containment. So, who knows....Even with conventional grands, there have been well-documented Quixotic deliveries, crossing Amazon jungle, Himalayan passes etc using yaks or dugout canoes. I wouldn't bet against it.
Last edited by ChrisButch on 13 Jan 2021, 2:23pm, edited 2 times in total.
hamster
Posts: 4131
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Want to sell my car in order to cycle

Post by hamster »

Interesting thought...a carbon fibre piano frame?
Post Reply