Cyclist wins commuter challenge (Manchester)

I'm sure this result would not be a surprise to anyone on this forum & i'm sure that the result would be as much, if not more, of a win for the cyclist in London.

What is depressing is how quickly the car drivers who commented on the website found a way of dismissing the idea of cycling a valid means of transport and how much they regard the road as their sole domain.

Cyclist wins commuter challenge

   Dean Kirby     

16/ 9/2008

TWO wheels proved better than more when cycling campaigners pitted the humble bike in a rush hour race against the car, the bus and the train.

Four commuters headed from Heaton Chapel, Stockport, to Manchester city centre to test which mode of transport was the cheapest, the easiest and the fastest.

The cyclist finished first, followed by the train passenger. The motorist was third and the bus passenger rolled up last.

The contest, organised by the pro-congestion charge Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign, was designed to prove that the bike can beat all comers.

Doug Briggs, from the campaign, said: "Today has shown that two wheels are good, four wheels are dubious.

"We need to regard using the car for short journeys as socially unacceptable."

Towns and cities from Manchester to Munich are promoting sustainable transport this week as part of European Mobility Week.

Each commuter who took part in the challenge followed the quickest legal route to the city centre which, at a distance of five miles from Heaton Chapel, is said to be the average distance people travel to work.

The cyclist and the motorist were followed by "official observers" to make sure they did not flout the rules of the road.

The cyclist completed the journey to the town hall in 20 minutes and the train user arrived in 35 minutes. The motorist took 43 minutes and the bus passenger 52 minutes.

Urban designer Charlie Baker, 44, the cyclist who won the race, said: "It wasn't that bad. The traffic was at a stand-still."

Olly Glover, 23, the campaign's secretary, who travelled by train, said: "It wasn't as fast as the bike, but it's better than travelling by car. The bike is my first choice when I travel, followed by the train."

The campaign says the cost of making that journey by bike is 38.5p day, the bus 90p with a travel card, the train £1.70 and the car from £2.32 plus parking.

Highways engineer David Mason, 58, who travelled by car, said: "It was slow, but uneventful. Parking was difficult and expensive."

Environmental consultant Richard Venes, 58, who arrived last on the 192 bus from Heaton Chapel, said: "There were lots of bus lanes, but the main problem was stopping to let people on and off."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1066850_cyclist_wins_commuter_challenge

they did something like this in London on top gear and the bike won that time too.

Charlie Baker has been to a every Rollapaluza we have run in Manchester. Top bloke...posted 24.65 last year.

Charlie Baker has been to a every Rollapaluza we have run in Manchester. Top bloke...posted 24.65 last year.

I know.... Can't wait for the cycling haters to find that out....!! Then they'll really be able to cry "No Fair...!!"

"There were lots of bus lanes, but the main problem was stopping to let people on and off."

That is a major design flaw with buses

We won't mention the tri club then.........oops.

Didn't Top Gear do the exact same thing, but in London, the bike also won here as well.

They did, except Clarkson being Clarkson he went up the Thames in a motor boat.

And still came second to Hammond on his bike. The stig went by bus/tube and May went by car. Think May was last

"the point is that the bike is healthier"

I wouldn't be so quick to make statements like that.

Riding a bike along the streets of Manchester means that you are inhaling far more of the dangerous chemicals emmited by vehicles.

It may be better for a seasoned rider like yourelf, but a new starter would be puffing like mad and yould get far more of the worst stuff in their lungs.

Stating the blatantly obvious I know, but how on earth could they miss the fact that more people cycling would mean fewer cars on the road, hence less pollution to be breathed in?

I wish I could understand the (anti-)logic people use in these situations. I just can't get over the arrogance and selfishness.

I've been car free for about 3 years and been walking or cycling to work instead. That's going to change if I get a job I'm going for in Brizzle. Gonna have to buy a motor and spend about 2 hours a day in it. Sucky

none of the races included a motorbike or scooter though...

I'm faster pedaling in zone 1 and 2 but outside of that the motorbike wins. A motorbike would have taken them all in that top gear one that was on TV. I guess that's why it wasn't included.

B.

they did something like this in London on top gear and the bike won that time too.

you believe the shit that those cunts come up with?

1st 2nd 3rd 4th ...
I'd cycle regardless

"They did the same thing" on a radio station in Dublin. Obviously the cyclist (Ray D'Arcy the radio programme presenter) won.

Peace

Same in NYC http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/21/the-cyclist-wins-again/

big ol' useless bump of this thread!

The more amazing thing was when top gear put running against a car across london. Youd think the car would win by miles (literally) over that kind of distance but the runner thrashed it.

Why would you think a car would win across London? Average car speed in London is something like 10kph.

It was the full marathon route if I remember correctly, and a cold rainy day too.

**1st 2nd 3rd 4th ...
**I'd cycle regardless

+1

Sadly there are dickhead car drivers who say the same :(

It was the full marathon route if I remember correctly, and a cold rainy day too.

That was another challenge with clarkson in a small 'city car' Vs a marathon runner over 26 mile course.

Runner beat him by 20+ mins!!

My favourite comment on that story:

The IRO is a seriously fast bike. I love mine so much I took it to Iraq with me. Go Rachel!

Sounds like I need to get an IRO!

Local news in Bristol did this the day before "Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride". They chose a route that was dual carriageway between Bristol and Bath. Not suprising the car won.

They chose a dual carriageway that ran a few miles?!! What did they imagine would happen? The car floored it at 70mph the whole way. Nice one local news.

Local news in Bristol did this the day before "Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride". They chose a route that was dual carriageway between Bristol and Bath. Not suprising the car won.

They chose a dual carriageway that ran a few miles?!! What did they imagine would happen? The car floored it at 70mph the whole way. Nice one local news.

:)

They never put motorbikes or scooters in there, probably because they assume they will win.
But they should. They might be surprised.
My best time from Bethnal Green to Chiswick on a motorcycle is about 45-50 minutes. That includes blasting from Hammersmith up the A4 at the end. add on all the fucking around with locks, helmet, boots and armoured clothes and it's more.
My best time on a pushbike is 40 minutes.

Phrases like "we need to regard using the car for short journeys as socially unacceptable" do cyclists no favours whatsoever, and I wish bike campaigners would stop spouting such inflamatory crap. Their cause would be far better served with something like "We need to realise that using the car for short journeys is pretty pointless"

They never put motorbikes or scooters in there, probably because they assume they will win.
But they should. They might be surprised.
My best time from Bethnal Green to Chiswick on a motorcycle is about 45-50 minutes. That includes blasting from Hammersmith up the A4 at the end. add on all the fucking around with locks, helmet, boots and armoured clothes and it's more.
My best time on a pushbike is 40 minutes.

Phrases like "we need to regard using the car for short journeys as socially unacceptable" do cyclists no favours whatsoever, and I wish bike campaigners would stop spouting such inflamatory crap. Their cause would be far better served with something like "We need to realise that using the car for short journeys is pretty pointless"

Or its quicker by cycle?

Lambeth did a cycle challenge and the motorbike won, but it was decided that the cyclist won as the press release was already done. But what was most surprising was a runner did it in a few minutes longer than the cyclists and motorbike.

Oh and London don't do this any more as the bus/train seems to come way down the list.