Do you drive as well as cycle?

[crossroads]

When sometimes reading posts it seems to come across that a lot of the regular posters (and perhaps not so regular posters) only cycle and don't drive or own a car - using terms such as 'them' or 'they' meaning drivers of cars, motorbikes etc.
I am interested in hearing if this is true or if its simply a case of sometimes having the cycling hat on rather that the driving hat (if you know what I mean)

In my case we (me and Mrs) own two bicycles and cycle to work every day and sometimes do weekend rides and longer holidays on the bicycles. We also own a car and use that a fair bit as well. (also been members of the CTC for years)

I would be genuinely interested in responses.

[eileithyia]

Cyclists and car/van owner/drivers in our household. Yes I do refer to drivers as them or they cos generally 'they' are not also cyclists and do not have the level of awareness of cyclists' that I feel those of us who cross both boundaries do and have probably made some sort of manoeuvre / overtake that has endangered my safety... (and it work both ways with cyclists who do not appreciate limitations of vehicle manoeuvrability / blind spots etc).

[Mark1978]

Cyclists and car/van owner/drivers in our household. Yes I do refer to drivers as them or they cos generally 'they' are not also cyclists and do not have the level of awareness of cyclists' that I feel those of us who cross both boundaries do and have probably made some sort of manoeuvre / overtake that has endangered my safety... (and it work both ways with cyclists who do not appreciate limitations of vehicle manoeuvrability / blind spots etc).

Agreed; I feel there is a big difference between the likes of myself who is a keen cyclist but also drives to work, and someone who doesn't cycle; in terms of their awareness of bicycles and their requirements.

[tatanab]

using terms such as 'them' or 'they' meaning drivers of cars, motorbikes etc.

Normal terminology. I do not have to be a non motorist to refer to motorists as "them" when discussing what is perceived as a group behaviour (or sub set of the group). It is simply use of language.

Yes I drive and have had motorcycles.

[squeaker]

Yes: cars. Formally motorbikes as well (in the pre-Jap bike era...).

(Having observed several incompetent large 4x4 maneuvers recently, am wondering if a separate 'light truck' category, requiring an additional practical driving test, is needed )

[crossroads]

Just to note: I didn't have a problem or lack of understanding of the 'Us' and 'Them' terminology - but more if it really did mean posters were cyclists only.

[skicat]

Between two of use we use the roads as pedestrians, cyclists, car drivers, horse riders and horse-box drivers.

I don't think our mindset changes as we switch between the different modes of transport. Awareness of surroundings, regard for safety and common courtesy are attributes of the person not the vehicle. I would imagine therefore that a bad, impatient driver would be a bad impatient cyclist as well, and vice versa, although I have no specific evidence of this.

[crossroads]

Cyclists and car/van owner/drivers in our household. Yes I do refer to drivers as them or they cos generally 'they' are not also cyclists and do not have the level of awareness of cyclists' that I feel those of us who cross both boundaries do and have probably made some sort of manoeuvre / overtake that has endangered my safety... (and it work both ways with cyclists who do not appreciate limitations of vehicle manoeuvrability / blind spots etc).

That last point (in brackets) is a good one that had not occurred to me. Its easy to think of it as one way only.

[crossroads]

Between two of use we use the roads as pedestrians, cyclists, car drivers, horse riders and horse-box drivers.

I don't think our mindset changes as we switch between the different modes of transport. Awareness of surroundings, regard for safety and common courtesy are attributes of the person not the vehicle. I would imagine therefore that a bad, impatient driver would be a bad impatient cyclist as well, and vice versa, although I have no specific evidence of this.

Yes I would also agree with your last point - again with no hard evidence to support it.

[[XAP]Bob]

I drive, and have driven, everything from small cars to LWB vans - anything up to 35k/year (just counting commuting)

Nowadays I rack up more miles on the trike than anything petrol driven - but I still do drive.

"Motorists" as a sub group in my mind are those who don't appreciate the requirements of power limited vehicles, particularly those with limitations around surface and balance.

[AlaninWales]

I used to cycle >7500 miles a year, just counting commuting. Nowadays I cycle only for pleasure/local transport. I used to ride motorcycles (have been both motorcycle and bicycle despatcher), I used to ride horses on the road (to exercise on the common). Nowadays I drive more, due to location.

[crossroads]

I drive, and have driven, everything from small cars to LWB vans - anything up to 35k/year (just counting commuting)

Nowadays I rack up more miles on the trike than anything petrol driven - but I still do drive.

"Motorists" as a sub group in my mind are those who don't appreciate the requirements of power limited vehicles, particularly those with limitations around surface and balance.

thinking about the comment 'eileithyia' made perhaps we need a cyclist sub group for the reverse

[snibgo]

I became happily car-free in 2010. Just over 2 years later I inherited one, plus some more responsibilities, so that carefree time is over, for now. But I cycle far more than I motor. The car spends weeks at a time quietly rusting on the drive.

I think people who frequently cycle see things differently to those who don't.

[thirdcrank]

If you are conducting a bit of a survey:

I've been a (vehicular) cyclist since I learnt to ride a bike at the ripe old age of 13 in 1958.
I passed my driving test in 1965 and I've owned 4 wheeled transport (initially a purchase tax free van, mor recently cars) since 1972
I passed my motorcycle test in 1970, and rode a motorbike for a few years.
For some years after we were married, my wife could not drive and refused to learn, so I did the family driving. For quite a while, that meant the car was sitting in the garage when most of my own travel was by bike. We were on holiday in Scotland when I became very ill (only a flu-type virus but still very ill.) It looked for a while as though we would have difficulty getting home, and after that holiday, she signed up for lessons. Once she had a licence, I did even less driving. I hate driving, although I am quite an experienced driver. The thing that put me off driving most was disappearing up my own exhaust pipe driving round and round Beeston, Leeds 11 in a panda car between 1968 and 1970.

After retiring in 1997, I had little reason to drive at all, except when my wife an I were going out together: she hates driving with me as a passenger. Deteriorating health (angina and a period with a leg in plaster with a bust achilles) has reduced my ability to ride longer distances, especially up hills, and increasing care commitments (93 yo mother + 3 grandchildren) have meant both less time for cycling and more unavoidable driving (I drive my mother and generally walk with the grandchildren.)

Briefly: I am an experienced but reluctant driver. I'm a qualified but comparatively inexperienced motor cyclist. I'm an experienced but feeble cyclist. I always walk in preference to driving when it's possible.

As a bit of an afterthought, that reminds me about public transport. In the 1970's and responding to pressure fromthe transport unions, Woy introduced free bus travel for police officers. Leeds used to have an excellent municipal transport service (trams and buses) and I'm more than happy to let somebody else do the driving (but too mean to take taxi's) so free bus travel was good for me. It ended when I retired but they kindly introduced free bus passes for OAP's, eventually equalising the qualifying age at 60, just in time for me to get one. Unfortunately, the local bus services are deteriorating about as fast as I am.

[Si]

I have, in the past (and tomorrow!), been a professional driver...which is probably why I much refer cycling (which can also be stressful when you are doing it professionally but in a much more rewarding way).