Strange that the vast majority of people don't choose the faster option that makes them happy.Stevek76 wrote: ↑1 Sep 2021, 1:14pm Also you're considering the car like it's the best option. It isn't, even now, cycling is objectively the best option in urban areas at most times of day, it's faster, much cheaper, makes you healthier & happier. The main barrier is the subjective lack of safety from having to share with motor vehicles. Hardly anyone actually likes driving in urban areas!
Depends how you define urban. Congested city centres perhaps. Any further out and the car is king. Arrives when you want any time of day. I waited 40m for a bus last week. Buses are free for me but I still choose my car 99% of the time. AS I was going for a few beers it was bus or bike. Bus won as I didn't want to risk parking my bike in Glasgow city centre for a few hours at night. I currently only have good bikes, no pub bike.
A bike is no use for carrying dogs or large amounts of shopping. A bike doesn't keep you dry on wet days.
As I don't work 9-5 my car is faster than my bike for any journey longer than 2 or 3 miles or so.
For work. I work at several locations. One is 20 miles away. By car 30 minutes. Bike 90 minutes (by the fastest route with some suicidal 70mph dual carriageway). Public transport can't be done because of my shift times. The closest place is 8 miles away. I have biked there. But as I have no locker and have to carry a change of clothes and towel etc the car wins most of the time. There is over 100 NHS employees. The bike rack is normally empty.
One of my colleagues, a GP, lives closer than me. 3 miles perhaps. He jogs several times a week. Plays 5 a side. Cycles recreationally. He never cycles to work.
I have no stats but my impression is that post lockdown there are no more commuter cyclists in Glasgow than before and the extra cycle lanes see little use. Not helped by their poor quality but that is another debate.