h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I dug my bike out of the shed this morning.

Daughter and I share a car. Which really means that I never see my car.

When I stay in Lisburn, I come to work by train and bus, but this requires being left at and collected from the station, which I feel is a bit of a burden on Dai. So today I'm going to take my bike on the train to Lisburn, and then tomorrow I can ride myself to the station in the morning, leave the bike there, and ride it home again in the evening. It's only about a mile from station to house.

This only works if I am going from and returning to the same station, obviously. And taking the bike with me on the train isn't an option in the mornings, as bikes aren't allowed before 9.30 am Which really annoys me at times, so much for encouraging us to make more use of public transport!

I called into Halfords at lunchtime, batted my eyelashes sweetly and got them to pump up the tyres for me.

They only pump tyres in return for eyelash batting? How retro of them.

That's cool, though. I don't think you can take a bike on a commuter train in the US NE Corridor at any time. That would be a terrific idea for the bike folk.

Have you considered one of those clever folding bikes? - a lot of London commuters have them

I'm always amazed that something so compact can open out into a fully-functional bicycle. And come to think of it, why doesn't someone invent a folding car?

It is kinda stupid, isn't it? But then again, I don't think Translink have ever seen the full potential of things like that...

I do understand Translink's problem - the trains between 8 and 9 are pretty packed, and bikes do take up space.

A foldy bike would be the answer (I think I've seen one, ever , here in NI))but they are rather pricey, and I'm just at the "will this work?" stage. Plus, once daughter has a full year's no claims we have Other Plans....

I see about five foldy bikes (ok, three) on my normal comute. They take a bit more pedalling power than walking - but they're there.

There was a foldy bike besie me getting off at Great Vic this morning.

I managed to squeak onto the fast 8.25 train with seconds to spare, having found a safe spot for my bike (and well done Lisburn station for having dedicated bike parking AND an available slot )and I even made the 8.45 bus which drops me right outside my office. Having seen the motorway traffic at a standstill this morning en route to the station, I was feeling very smug indeed - I think public transport won on both speed and pleasantness of journey today!

I actually LIKE our public transport... now I have seen Poland's that is... *shudders*