Bike or Car: Your Daily Ride?

[MikeL]

I'm not really interested in riding a bike in Auckland traffic.

Well after 3 years commuting in Auckland on the bike I'm beginning to get a bit sick of it. Lately I've been averaging about one near miss a day. Yesterday was typical: as I was coming along Manukau Rd towards Greenlane intersection a f*ckwit in a boy racer car suddenly lane-changed right in front of me, then as I came round Greenwoods Corner at 50, heading south, had to do a panic stop as a woman in a station wagon pulled out from the side road. I stopped with a foot to spare.

I would go back to using the car if parking wasn't such a hassle.

On the other hand, coming home early from work on one of these warm spring afternoons and going for a blat is still magic.

[marty]

water pistol filled with brake fluid does the trick...

[marty]

I have also had times in my 4x4 watching bikers doing dumb shit in Auckland Traffic. So go figure....

BLASPHEMY. bikers never do dumb shit (except for ducatilover.....) - it's ALWAYS the cage fault.

[ManDownUnder]

My bike is my transport. We have a car, but daytimes that's used to move the family (inc 2 1/2 kids)... and I quite enjoy the 900...

MDU

[ducatilover]

Until feb this year I drove, then I 'trained', since july I have ridden every day. I have absolutely no desire to drive to work anymore...I look forward to riding to work every day.

Commute from Ngaio to Gracefield (wgtn).

thats the spirit, people kep telling me to get a cage for my 150 odd km commute, but i tell them my bike is more practical, and i definately dont tell them that i nearly killed myself being dumb i just say "ummmm i crashed in a corner" and they say behind my back "going too fast no doubt, being an idiot, could have a car, or a smaller bike for that price" what else am i gonna get that does one fucking hundred and forty bloody k's comfortably at 120kp/h every weekday and provide fun pride and comfort for only $1930 aye, okay, rant over, it was a dutch man that said all that shit too me [an ex-rider too the fucken hypocrite] then he reckons you dont need any thing bigger than a 600 on new zealand roads, his address is 1024 high street, taita, wellington now wheres that shotgun?

[ducatilover]

BLASPHEMY. bikers never do dumb shit (except for ducatilover.....) - it's ALWAYS the cage fault.

fair enough, i found the shot gun.......killing rampage.......run nigger [and dutch] cage drivers run for your life......

[emaN]

SJ50 is used for the work commute; 4kms to work ain't worth starting the bike up for. Guess i could go the long way 'round the lake...there's a thought..
In London i used to ride into work once,maybe twice a week; purely 'cos it was too dangerous "push your luck" to commute on it everyday. Sure does develop your defensive riding tho'!

[marty]

i was commuting 280 a day on sh1 to auckland. i NEVER rode the bike. fall asleep - you're dead. auckland drivers in the waikato - you're dead. overcook one corner - it hurts.

i didn't want to kill myself just going to work - what a waste.

and it's hard to drink coffee and eat pies on the bike. oh hang on maybe that would have been a good thing!

[Lou Girardin]

For all the negatives in bike commuting, it's better than wasting 2 hours of your day in a line of stationary traffic listening to mindless DJ's and hating the biker that tootles past to the front of the queue.
Ya just gotta love it.

[Mattyc]

Ahhh is that your filthy ZX9R that's infront of my filthy Triumph?

Bike most days, if its *REALLY* yucky outside i'll bring the car.

Sure is Devil ! what CC is your triumph 600 or something ? did you get an email about not parking in parks allocated to cars BLAH BLAH ?

[MikeL]

For all the negatives in bike commuting, it's better than wasting 2 hours of your day in a line of stationary traffic listening to mindless DJ's and hating the biker that tootles past to the front of the queue.
Ya just gotta love it.

Thanks, Lou. You reminded me that there are compensations - I tend to overlook the advantages of the bike until I'm forced to drive, and then the sight of a biker makes me realize what I'm missing...
But as I said, despite the hassles, I'm committed to riding simply because I can't afford either the time or the money that is involved in finding a car park in the city.

[wil]

i have always been lucky enough to live within 10 mins of work which doesnt warrent putting my leathers and helmet on so i have always had a cheap runabout car to get work. it makes the bike seem all that much more fun and special using it weeknights and weekends. in the uk we dont get alot of opportunity ride this time of year, unless you have an enduro bike aswell which hopefully i will have in nz (wife allowing)

[Leong]

I use the car most of the time, bike is just for fun... ie get home, gear on and out for a blat in the country to wind down!!

[dawnrazor]

bike everyday - not exceptions, 'cus i can't driver a car, although the pressure from the other half to learn is huge, so maybe one day i'll have to go over to the dark side.

[Cleve]

2 wheels every day. Bicycle some days and motorbike the others. I live in St Heliers and along the waterfront everyday. Great commute! I park in downtown right outside my business and get a parking ticket once every 6 months!
A good deal.