On Fri, 2 Aug 2013 13:45:50 +0100, "Mrcheerful"
wrote:

Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Fri, 2 Aug 2013 12:25:03 +0100, "Mrcheerful"
wrote:

Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Thu, 1 Aug 2013 08:15:04 +0100, "Mrcheerful"
wrote:

Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:55:18 +0100, "Mrcheerful"
wrote:

Even if my shopping was entirely strong spirits, no-one has yet
explained how it would be viable for me to collect it using a
bicycle.

Yes they have.

No they haven't, I need to be able to throw it in the boot and get
home within 5 minutes, not half an hour.

Where do you live?

There are few places I can think of where driving a complete trip of
five minutes is six times faster than cycling.

Even a long journey, such as London to Portsmouth, takes me 2 hours
by car and 10 hours by bicycle.

And why the *need* to complete the supermarket run in five minutes?
Surely you could sacrifice some of your time on urc to make a more
pleasurable event of shopping?

acyual jouney is only one part of the slowness of using a bicycle.
I get out of my car and push a button and it is locked, immobilised
and alarmed. Try doing that with any bicycle and trailer.
I come up to the car and press a button, the boot opens and
everything can go in within a few moments, no need to pack it
carefully, fix it down, cover it up, put it in cool bags or any
other sodding about.
I get into the car and drive it away easily, no faffing about with
unlocking, gears, potholes etc. etc.

I drive easily and quickly home, the boot take moments to empty and
get freezer stuff away. One press of the button and the car is
locked and secure.

I go indoors and do not need a shower and change of clothes.

Why on earth anyone would sod about with a bicycle to do regular
shopping in an urban area is absolutely beyond me. and as for
pedalling up a hill with a trailer and 25kg of shopping, you would
have to be really daft if you have cars available.

I see. So your reason for not using a bike for your shopping is
nothing to do with the viability of using a bicycle, but sheer
laziness.

It is not viable, it is too much total effort for too little return.

That depends on how lazy you are.

Anyway, I have a serious question for you.

I'm in the market for a new car. My current vehicle is a Peugeot 406
HDi which is now 14 years old, and it costs more and more each year to
keep on the road. Several things have stopped working, and I see
little need to fix them. But the car needs to be usurped.

Soon we will be a family of three plus a dog.

I will also use the car to lug large bits of furniture about, beds,
mattresses, tables, etc. (We managed to move from our previous homes
into our new home without the need to hire a van).

I also need to be able to take up to six adults as passengers in the
car when I do the lucrative airport run for guests staying at one of
our holiday apartments. (At the moment I am limited to four
passengers, and when a group of 5 or 6 wants a transfer I only receive
a £10 referral fee from the local taxi firm).

And idea of what car might be suitable for my needs.