AIBU to ask why French high streets seem to thrive?

My neighbour had to stop driving due to illness. Well he was devastated naturally, and I got as much as I could for him when doing my own shopping. However, he enjoyed mooching around the shops himself, so eventually got himself a three wheel cycle. Well OMG it is amazing! He needed that for stability and balance. There's a massive basket on the back for "stuff". He is greeted and feted all around the area now on his big green trike.

I want one too but not yet. They are not cheap either, but cheaper than a car I suppose! I also think those bikes with the little covered carriage on the back for kids are fab. You'd get a lot of shopping in there, feck the kids!

I think there are electric versions out now, not sure, but that would be excellent. I'm future proofing for my older age, which is not that far away now!

@CarrieOakie if it's just for 2 that's very different to a family of 2 adults, couple of kids, few pets...

But you must know that Cambridge has huge traffic problems? It's healthy because it's wealthy, but would I ever live there now? No, because for several hours a day it's gridlocked.

Tbh packing for holiday the bike is about the same as a weeks shopping for 2 without home delivery. I’ve put my handbag over my shoulder and the bottle of wine in the drink cage 🙈

Because the French - and I appreciate that this is a massive generalisation and based on my observations only - appear to value individuality and small family businesses or boutiques over larger conglomerates. They also like quality over quantity which favours the independent provider.

Ahhhh.....if you are doing home delivery for bulky stuff you aren't getting a weeks worth of shopping on a bike .... that's cheating 😂😂😂😂

that cargo bike is bigger than a boot on a Peugeot or VW up

I do home delivery for the bulky items - usually stock up at xmas as that s when they are cheap

but a monthly order from any of the supermarkets offering free delivery slots for all the store cupboard foods and then shop for weekly items

I can though pack in two panniers and a rack bag and go on holiday for three weeks abroad.

Oh ok 🙂
I would be interested to know.
I don't drive and before I discovered home delivery (best thing ever) I could only buy what I could carry and fit in my pull along trolley.
It was never a weeks worth so I had to shop several times a week.
I used to buy most of my cleaning/toiletries products from Poundland (most have closed down now - it's annoying because I bought loads there) and the pull along trolley would almost be full within seconds if I bought a 9 pack of loo roll. I usually ended up with a full trolley plus two shopping bags.
And that was just the non food stuff.
So one shopping trip just for household products.
I'd have to do a least another two for food.

You might be surprised!

panniers on both sides plus a plastic bag one on each side of the handlebars (for balance obvs) got my weekly shopping home.

sorry it was about the shopping and moving things by bike

Parking charges have killed our town centre

we had free parking in the town I live - population around 60,000

you could never park anywhere as the "workers" both office and retails parked in the free spaces and non where left
they now charge for parking and you can easily get a space - pay 50p for 30 minutes and there are plenty of spaces. Shops still closing but at night all the restaurants and bars are full, the streets are more crowded than in the daytime

That looks like it would fit one 9 pack of loo roll and 3 tins of cat food 😂😂

Explain what?
Which of my comments are you referring too?

To be fair some people who cycle in Cambridge have panniers which will take a fair bit of shopping (I used to go the weekly shop by bike before we had a car) and you can get cargo bikes.

https://uk.ortlieb.com/collections/panniers-and-bike-bags

These bikes are also quite common in Cambridge and kids and stuff can go in the front.

https://www.babboe.co.uk/

Supermarkets don't sell tobacco, vapes or medecines so you have a tobacconist and pharmacy. They also dont sell a little of bread apart from baguettes so you also have boulangeries and patisserie. The French like to take their time food shopping, its an art not like in UK where we shove everything in a trolley not caring where it came from.

Oh and our local town is currently building a pedestrian and cycling bridge across the river and it is by far the most unpopular thing the mairie have ever done by a long stretch 😅

cambridge traffic is a fucking nightmare to be fair.

yes, many people do cycle around but most people do the food shop by car at one of the big supermarkets that are out of town.

there’s loads - big Sainsbury’s at coldhams common roundabout, Tesco on Newmarket Road, Asda at the beehive centre, etc. many people who live in Cambridge very rarely go into the historic centre - that’s left to students and tourists. Much of the employment is in the science park to the north or addenvrookes/babraham biotech park to the south both of which now have their own train stations.

Needmorelego

I can explain how I do it if you really want to know

Similarities:

• Plenty of out of town shopping centres/retail parks
• self service checkouts in bigger shops
• deserted high streets in many towns

Differences

• not much Sunday trading, and even shops that are open shut at noon
• shops generally stay open until 19h ou 20h
• smaller shops usually shut between 12h and 14h
• parking is usually free or reasonably priced (not including bigger cities here, but most have top notch cheap if not free public transport)

With regards to obesity people are definitely getting bigger but nowhere near what I've seen in England. I've been teaching in a middle school for a long time and I've only ever had 2 obese pupils. Last year I didnt even have any that were visibly overweight.

Some people eat well, others don't. We don't have as many BOGOF etc. offers although with club cards it does seem to be heading more and more that way.

Not sure about the percentage of SAHM, public childcare is pretty cheap and school start at 3yo so a lot of woman are able to go back to work pretty quickly.

I am always curious how those that cycle can fit a weeks worth of shopping for a typical family of 2.4 plus pets on a bike 😂

Balls. You missed out income tax on business owners and URSSAF payments. CFE is a miniscule percentage of what a business gets taxed

And no I don't live in Cambridge nor do I cycle. But maybe I would if I didn't feel I was taking my life in my hands...

I was referring to the stereotype expressed of French people cycling and British people driving everywhere (I actually doubt there's any difference on an average, daily level).

I feel Cambridge demonstrates that it's only that a lot of Britain doesn't have a critical mass of cyclists: if the culture and infrastructure were there, they'd appear.

Oh ok.
I personally don't know Cambridge as a city but I expect the bike riding folks are more likely to be living/working in the city centre (or are students).
If you live on a average edge of town housing estate with 2 or 3 kids then you won't be jumping on your bike to cycle into the city centre to do a food shop.
You'll stick the kids in your car and drive to the out of town shops.
(you also said "what groceries can you buy at a business park" - surely you know what she meant)

I wasn't confused, I was being sarcastic and was questioning the genuine nature of the post when naming one of the healthiest cities in the country as an example of excessive car travel, it makes zero sense!