Soaring petrol prices have led Brits to ditch driving for cycling - and some now love it so much they have sold their cars.
Fuel prices are starting to fall from record highs seen last month, but are still punishing drivers at the pumps.
Latest figures from the RAC show the average price of unleaded petrol is 182.11, while diesel stands at 192.06.
Charity Cycling UK said the rise in fuel costs has driven many motorists onto two wheels - and they're not looking back.
The charity said Government stats show average cycling levels in England rose by 47% on weekdays and 27% on weekends and bank holidays in the five months to the end of July.
A Cycling UK spokesperson said: "The rise has been simultaneous with the hike in fuel prices, strongly suggesting people want to cycle more for many reasons, including to save money."
One person who recently swapped his car for a bike is Richard Jewell, 54.
Richard, retired from his job as a police office in 2020 and is now a full-time carer for his wife.
He owned a Volvo estate car, which he says he drove for around 3,000 miles a year before he retired.
The fuel-hungry Volvo cost a fortune in petrol - at least £100 a month.
It also drained at least £65 a month from his bank account in tax and insurance even when the Jewells weren't using it.
Richard thinks the cost of running the car was £2,000 to £3,000 a year even without replacing any parts.
Replacement parts were extortionate - with one spare tyre costing £200.
Richard said: "It gets to the point where you're owning a car just for the sake of owning a car.
"Since I retired I'd been umming and ahhing about keeping it. Then with the sudden spike in fuel prices his year it felt like I was being taken advantage of.
"Everywhere I went it felt like there was someone with their hand out asking for money. Then I said to my wife 'I just can't do it anymore'."
Richard has always ridden a bike, but when he sold his car a month ago he started cycling more to fill the gap.
Now he says he can do everything he needs without driving at all.
His main bike is an electric Carrera Subway, which cost him around £1,000 back in 2020, and the latest models cost £1,100 to £1,300 now.
"For daily use it's now effectively my car," Richard said.
"Touch wood, at the moment I've not found anything I couldn't do on a bike I could do in a car - but getting the dog to the vets might be an issue!
"Most of the objections to cycling I hear are just excuses. I'm eight miles from my nearest town and I cycle there just fine.
"I'm in my 50s and weigh 19.5 stone. My e-bike has no trouble getting me up hills - they're amazing."
Richard estimates he can get 35 miles out of his bike on one charge, which is enough for the errands he needs to run.
This charge can dip by 10-15% in the winter.
The bike costs just pennies to charge up - much cheaper than a tank of petrol.
But it's not all about the pounds and pence - Richard says he is happier and healthier with all the extra cycling.
"Without a doubt there's a physical health benefit," he said. "My pulse is down to 54 beats a minute.
"I don't know if it's endorphins or more time to contemplate things, but when I'm on the bike it's an amazing destress and good fun.
"Getting on the bike, every ride is a little adventure and you do look forward to it."
Another convert to cycling over driving is Emma Wright, a yoga and dance fitness teacher in Preston.
Emma, 44, hadn't cycled for 28 years until buying a bike in April this year because of the fuel price rises.
Emma said: "As a yoga teacher, self employed, I had lost a lot of work during the pandemic.
"There was a lot of financial concern. I had to drive around to classes, running a car was another chunk of cash going out on top of my studio rent and insurance.
"When you add fuel prices onto the cost of running a car, and motor insurance.... it all adds up. I thought 'if this car dies I want to shift to being on a bike and hiring a car if I really need one."
Emma said it cost her £50 to fill up her tank in April - before fuel prices hit their peak.
So she went and bought a second-hand Trek hybrid bike for £200 in April, and loves it so much she is now on the waiting list for a new electric bike too.
She said cycling more has been a revelation.
"The realisation was, one, 'oh my gosh this is fun', and two - how far you can get on a bike, quickly," she said.
"I cycle three days a week for work then do 10 to 15 miles on the weekend, so I cycle four to five days a week.
"A journey that would take 30 mins in a car takes 15 minutes on a bike - due to traffic congestion and not being able to take so many shortcuts."
Emma said cycling more than driving is not just practical - it's restful too.
"I have panniers for anything big I need to carry on the bike," she said. "Even the rain doesn't stop me - I live in Preston, it rains all the time and it's fine.
"Cycling is restful, it's calming, it gives you that mental space. You can look around more. I love it so much, I wouldn't go back if I could help it. I arrive from work feeling so much more relaxed..
Emma and her husband David have taken to cycling so much they are now looking forward to a biking holiday in Norfolk.
Cycling UK is now calling on local authorities and employers to do more to help people drive less and cycle more, particularly for short everyday journeys.
Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “Rising fuel prices have triggered some people to think about their transport choices, switching some of their car journeys to cycling.
“But too many people don’t feel like they have that option because they don’t think our roads are safe enough to cycle on.
“The answer to that is more and better infrastructure for cycling and walking, giving more people the opportunity to do so safely rather than default to driving a short trip to work or the shops."
An astonishing 71% of all car journeys made in the UK are under five miles.
Dollimore added: "Switching some of those to cycling is a simple way to help people make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis, with additional health, wellbeing and environmental benefits.
"But to give people that choice we need local authorities to act now to make active travel a realistic option and help people keep moving.”
