Fuel prices. i can't afford to drive nearly as much as i used to. so i've had to dig out and service the old bike and i'm starting to cycle again. great for weightloss and fitness, not good for hourly planning as it takes longer to get to places.

i've notice thought that when you cycle you see and especially hear alot more than in the car. people say hello to you (small town mentallity).

i'm walking or cycling shorter distances where i used to drive. i.e sainsbury's is only about 3 miles away. i used to drive it regularly. now its to much to do it. really. i get 24mpg around town. so sainsbury and back quater of a gallon. which is now 1.28 in fuel alone.

is anyone else walking more due to fuel prices. even walking to the bus stop is 3/4 mile away.

its now 5.12 a gallon here. or 5.75 for diesel. which is now more than 1 hour of work at minimum wage.

I don't drive anyway, just get the bus so I have to walk to the bus-stop and back which is quite a way from college, but I've been considering cycling.

I'm worried about being run down though, I'm not great with roads? Also I don't have a bike.

the only thing you have to be worried about hitting you is the school run mum in her chelsea tractor, i'd rather cycle in a lane specifically allowed for the white van man than be anywhere near a woman in a range rover.

Oooh. You picked a grande place to post that Actually.. I'd rather just ride on the path (but apparently I'm not really supposed to do that) Plus I live in a city..

i dont drive, and i know if my boyf who drives could cycle to work would but its over half hour ina car.
but i have notices that food prices are sooo high, it is really hard to live on a healthy diet cheaply. its very unfair that prices are so much higheron the items which make u healthier, and cost the government less in nhs costs. I also think its unfair that students are forced to living incredibly unhealthily because fresh fruit veg and meat are out of their price range,

but anyway off my rant now ...damn recession!

I know this is the UK area, but well, prices in the US haven't exactly been fabulous lately...

Either way, I've been making a conscious effort to walk to the grocery store. It's really close enough that I should've been walking all along, but hopefully this is the start of a habit that will carry on even if gas prices go down a bit. (Beyond the price, the waste of fuel is just not needed.) And when I move by the end of the month, I'm going to be close to a strip mall and my pharmacy. So, more things I can just walk to for the summer months!

I don't have a car either. I bought a bike but it's too big for me, I'm scared enough on one without my feet not being able to touch the ground I would consider cycling to work if I had a bike that fitted me, but I also live in the city and it really unnerves me. My husband used to cycle to work and I spent every day terrified he wasn't going to make it home again. Public transport is so convenient for where I live that wouldn't make sense not to use it - £3 return ticket, and I get from my flat to the office in 20 minutes; it's 40 minutes to drive and £5 for the parking alone, let alone petrol. Plus I'm scared of driving nearly as much as I am of cycling, think I'll be sticking to the train!

this is one of those times when I'm really conscious of the difference between different versions of English, that totally makes me think of things I think you probably didn't intend!

Does it just mean a row of shops?

i can actually cycle to town faster than getting the bus. plus the bus's here come every 90mins if your lucky, they tend to just cut off this part of town if they are running late to make sure they get tot he city centre at the right time. as for driving on a saturday afternoon i can cycle to town faster than driving its 6 miles each way to the city centre.

i always cycle on the pavement even thought its illegal i've never been picked up by the police for it and what can they say, its illegal so's speeding, overtaking on zigzagged white lines, jumping red lights plus a whole host of other things. the only thing i've ever come close to being picked up on is settign of the 30mph speed cameras on a down hill section. muwahahah

Tabitha- yes it means just that. A row of shops all together in a parking lot.

My husband has started bicycling himself to work to help reduce costs and to try to lose some weight and I'm worried about him being hit by a vehicle as well. I've had to cut back to visiting my sick mom who lives 30 minutes from me only once a week as opposed to 2 or 3 times a week before. I just call her a lot more often to check on her now. I feel bad for those who have much higher prices than what we do in the United States. I wish public transportation in my area would improve. It's nonexistant right now but I think if the gas prices continue or increase there might be more demand for it in the future.

Thanks, Blondebritbrat, that makes sense!

I do agree that we're very lucky to have such good public transport where I am, it makes a huge difference. We do complain sometimes, but compared to other places we're very well off for it.

public transport here is terrible and very very expensive. a return to town is 2.95, which is great unless youre heading out to another suburb then you have to get a return to town then a return out to the suburb. which is nearly 6 quid, and for some areas i can get a taxi straight there for that

Aye, it does!

I actually have a very juvenile mind... and I enjoy using "strip mall" purely for the fact that it makes me giggle!

OK so strip malls have a different connotation in the UK. It wasn't until Austin Powers came out that we found out that a particular kind of carpet (popular in the 70's) had another meaning across the pond.

I used to bike to school in about year 8 and used to go on the paths because theres sooo much traffic I was too scared to go on the roads.
I was on my way back and a police man stopped me and asked if I knew I was meant to be on the roads, yes I did and admitted it but also said if I didn't bike my mum would have to drive me because It was quite a distance away and would take too long to walk, he replied with 'it would be a lot better and safer for everyone who lives in leicester if you were to be driven than biking on paths where there are children'. - I was a child fool making my own way to and from school
He then went on to ask me what my name was and got his little notebook out, it was at that point I hopped back on my bike and biked away on the path with him chasing me, thankfully I went a route where I knew there was a road with a HUGE hill and lost him.
I was only like 12 and in my school uniform, plonka.
I'd still bike on the paths though in fear of being ran over or making a massive traffic jam.