In/Adequacy of Bicycles as an Alternative to Cars

Thanks for the clarification Peter, I fully appreciate the inadequacy of bicycles for shopping trips, with maybe just a wicker shopping basket on the handlebars or a pair of rear rack-mounted panniers to carry all your food and supplies, when you do a large shop once a week. My wife and I, both now retired, have also tried to limit our food shopping trips to once a week since the Covid-19 ‘Lock down’ here in UK, choosing to shop at quieter times initially, in March/April, but now with the wearing of masks being compulsory, in all stores, we have found no crowding at any time in our local supermarkets. Fortunately our local Sainsbury's is within walking distance, which is fine in good weather, but frequently involves walking less than 1 to 2 metres besides lines of near stationary/gridlocked traffic in what is a built up area. My wife typically steers me 'all around the houses' to avoid the heavy traffic congestion and fumes, if we need to walk further to our local bank branch or alternative food shopping venues. Even then, we cannot avoid commenting on how many of the cars have only the driver in and often wonder why we see so few other pedestrians or cyclists. It's simply human nature I guess and a natural reaction to the easing of travel restrictions. One of our weekly 'treats' is to cycle about 4 miles to our favourite Italian ice cream shop near an ancient fishing village on the Thames Estuary, and then return via a deli styled super market, on the way home. Simple pleasures in challenging times!

Reduced Car Use during the Pandemic

We do have a car (a 5 door hatchback, 4 metres in length and approx 1140 kg curb weight) and have recently begun to use it to visit our relatives, for a day in the garden with them, some 50 miles away in North Essex and it is always interesting to see how much better the cumulative indicated fuel economy is (e.g. 64 mpg) on this 'longish' run and return journey, than if the car is used solely for local short journeys. (45mpg). The accuracy of these figures has been validated by proper 'brim to brim' measurements. I must admit that a small electric car would also suffice for these journeys.

What will the New Normal Trends Be ?

It remains to be seen whether there will be widespread permanent adoption of 'remote working' and less traffic on the roads as the course of the Pandemic reveals itself. So far the indications are not good as far as traffic density and congestion is concerned. Additionally, our Prime Minister is urging every one to 'get back to work' as the Governments' Furlough Payments Scheme of 80% salary come to an end from 1st October 2020 and as all our children all go back to school.

It rather looks as though my personal 'dream' of a brave new world with at least 40% of workers working remotely, not commuting for an hour each way in their motor cars, cycling to work, getting healthy, 40% less traffic pollution and large corporations setting up fully equipped, air conditioned, remote working ‘communications hubs’ in rural centres, to facilitate the above, is not going to be kick started, not even by the advent of Covid-19. So I am off to my drawing board now, to try to sketch out a design for a lightweight, two seater, weather protected, battery electric car, and to attempt to estimate what the benefits of such might be. Maybe I should action the latter before the former!

In/Adequacy of Bicycles as an Alternative to Cars

Thanks for the clarification Peter, I fully appreciate the inadequacy of bicycles for shopping trips, with maybe just a wicker shopping basket on the handlebars or a pair of rear rack-mounted panniers to carry all your food and supplies, when you do a large shop once a week. My wife and I, both now retired, have also tried to limit our food shopping trips to once a week since the Covid-19 ‘Lock down’ here in UK, choosing to shop at quieter times initially, in March/April, but now with the wearing of masks being compulsory, in all stores, we have found no crowding at any time in our local supermarkets. Fortunately our local Sainsbury's is within walking distance, which is fine in good weather, but frequently involves walking less than 1 to 2 metres besides lines of near stationary/gridlocked traffic in what is a built up area. My wife typically steers me 'all around the houses' to avoid the heavy traffic congestion and fumes, if we need to walk further to our local bank branch or alternative food shopping venues. Even then, we cannot avoid commenting on how many of the cars have only the driver in and often wonder why we see so few other pedestrians or cyclists. It's simply human nature I guess and a natural reaction to the easing of travel restrictions. One of our weekly 'treats' is to cycle about 4 miles to our favourite Italian ice cream shop near an ancient fishing village on the Thames Estuary, and then return via a deli styled super market, on the way home. Simple pleasures in challenging times!

Reduced Car Use during the Pandemic

We do have a car (a 5 door hatchback, 4 metres in length and approx 1140 kg curb weight) and have recently begun to use it to visit our relatives, for a day in the garden with them, some 50 miles away in North Essex and it is always interesting to see how much better the cumulative indicated fuel economy is (e.g. 64 mpg) on this 'longish' run and return journey, than if the car is used solely for local short journeys. (45mpg). The accuracy of these figures has been validated by proper 'brim to brim' measurements. I must admit that a small electric car would also suffice for these journeys.

What will the New Normal Trends Be ?

It remains to be seen whether there will be widespread permanent adoption of 'remote working' and less traffic on the roads as the course of the Pandemic reveals itself. So far the indications are not good as far as traffic density and congestion is concerned. Additionally, our Prime Minister is urging every one to 'get back to work' as the Governments' Furlough Payments Scheme of 80% salary come to an end from 1st October 2020 and as all our children all go back to school.

It rather looks as though my personal 'dream' of a brave new world with at least 40% of workers working remotely, not commuting for an hour each way in their motor cars, cycling to work, getting healthy, 40% less traffic pollution and large corporations setting up fully equipped, air conditioned, remote working ‘communications hubs’ in rural centres, to facilitate the above, is not going to be kick started, not even by the advent of Covid-19. So I am off to my drawing board now, to try to sketch out a design for a lightweight, two seater, weather protected, battery electric car, and to attempt to estimate what the benefits of such might be. Maybe I should action the latter before the former!