Carless, not carfree

[urbpan]

The best part about my car being in the shop is that I can't wimp out and decide not to ride my bike. I have no choice, and that's exactly what I need to get my butt in gear.

The worst part? Hard to say. I still can't take a full breath without coughing mollusks (otherwise not sick any more), it's 46 degrees out, and the sun won't be up until I'm almost all the way at work.

But when I do ride my bike to work, I feel good--not my body, no, that hurts and complains; I feel good about myself, like I actually made a decision (or in this case had it made for me) that reflects my beliefs about, you know, the environment, pollution, traffic, laziness, the fact that cars make cities uglier than they have to be, etc.

But now I'm out of time! See you later!

Comments

[bezigebij.livejournal.com]

I too am forced to bike everywhere due to not being allowed to drive at this time. I'd feel a whole lot better about myself if it was a choice. I think if I was allowed to drive I would still opt for the bike or public transport 80% of the time, but that other 20% is the real challenge.

[urb-banal.livejournal.com]

it is hard not to use a car when you have it...I can be all holier than thou only because I don't have a car and can't afford it!

The only thing I can suggest is you offer rides to people whenever you think you can thus reducing their foot print...and so yours too.

It means involving yourself with other people. The car is more than transportation it is a bubble, much like people's attitudes to global warming.

[bodhibird.livejournal.com]

"Coughing mollusks" - I'm going to have to remember that one!

[ardaraith.livejournal.com]

I SO hear this. Of course, here in Austin I don't have your temp concerns...yet. Perhaps I will experience them this winter. I notice that I stay home and do things around the house more, and cook more, because the 'instant' entertainment of city diversions isn't so easy to come by on a bike!

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Getting yourself out of the habit of taking the car is a big step. I live far enough out in the sticks that it's really impractical for me to bike exclusively, but I bike about 2/3 of the way to and from work (13 miles of a 20-mile trip) and try to arrange as much of my transportation needs as possible around biking.

Getting up and getting on the bike in the cold, cold mornings before the sun is even up.... yeah, that's always hard. Never gets easier. I have to remind myself that I never regret choosing to take the bike, even on the coldest days of the year.

[nutmeg.livejournal.com]

You inspired me to ride my bike on my errands downtown today.

thanks!

[ankhanu.livejournal.com]

Awesome :)

When I moved to Charlottetown last month, a local offered to lend me a bike... I was pretty stoked about being able to bike to school and not drive every day. Unfortunately the offer fell through for various reasons, and it's just a tiny bit too far to realistically walk every day :/ Gotta keep polluting.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Hooray!
Good for you :)

[bicoastal.livejournal.com]

Here in San Francisco, biking is a big club, and a highly politically charged one at that. So normally, my commute on my bike is great - bike lanes and about 10 other bikers with me. But this week I'm doing yoga before work every day and have to bike to work by a different route, part of which has no bike lanes.

Yesterday, on this section, a woman screamed at me as she drove by, "I have to get to work!" I screamed back, "I have to get to work too!" Then we waited at the same traffic lights three times.

So: cold-weather northern biker, I salute you. You've just read the worst of my bike problems, at least until the rains start. I can't even imagine doing it in real cold when there are cars who don't know that there's always, always bikes!

[gigglingwizard.livejournal.com]

Coughing Mollusks should be the name of a band. :o)

[miekec]

coughing mollusks
Aha! So *that*'s what they are. I think they're infesting my lungs too.

Coughing mollusks

[fledchen.livejournal.com]

My friends and I call them lung guppies rather than mollusks.

[artemii.livejournal.com]

one of my close friends here describes a car as a constant temptation, especially when feeling tired or sick, and cycling (unless a car is absolutely needed, obviously) as the successful resisting of said temptation.

[bellelvsbeast.livejournal.com]

That is too cold for me to ride a bike...oh who am I kidding, I would make an excuse in any weather...:P
I am so lame like that...
I don't even have a bike though, so that takes care of it...:P