Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 415

screw the bicycle.

I got a car free to use for the summer. It's the first time i've ever had a car of my own(im 20, btw).

i used to bike verywhere. Why? because its faster and much, much cheaper than our crappy transit system.

but now, despite the fact that I only work a few hours a week, and parkign and gas (and my speeding ticket) eat up a considerable amount of my spending money... money i might otherwise be spending on PDAs .... so be it.

Sure, it only took me 12 minutes to bike to work. only 5 or 6 minutes to bike to my college. But quite frankly, the comfort of being able to relax as the power of OPEC carries me home beats the living heck out of sweating up a hill and getting my shoelaces caught in the chain.

So yeah, its going to suck to have to give the car back at the end of summer... but if i save up, i might be able to buy my own. its an expensive luxury, and perhaps the flashyness of my hadheld electronics may have to suffer for it, but it's worth it.

the preceding was aproved for all audiences by the MPAA.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 217

I ride my bike to work when I can - 2 or 3 days a week when the weather's decent.

It gives me needed exercise, saves a few bucks, conserves a non renewable resource, and doesn't pollute. Not to mention the fact that I don't have to sit in traffic.

Why the heck would you drive when you can ride?

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Mike
I'd rather be upside down in my kayak than rightside up at my desk.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

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Originally posted by Jupe
Why the heck would you drive when you can ride?

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 284

If I were in a position where it would only take 5 to 15 minutes to bike to work, I'd do it even if there were hills!

Of course I'd want shower facilities at work as well, and the ability to store the bike in my office instead of chaining it to some open rack behind the building (out of sight of security, of course).

Guess I ask for too much in life.

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Misplaced Canuck in Charleston SC
Posts: 257

I didn't own my first car until I was about 26, when I moved away from home (Edmonton) to work in Detroit.

Before that, I used to ride my bike all over the place. Rain, heat, cold, didn't matter (except for snow...road bikes don't like snow much). Hills were my favourites. I could get around to anywhere in the city on my bike...but put me in a car, and I got lost .

During my university days, I used to make the the trip from my parents' to campus (~12 km) in about 20 minutes. Sometimes, if I caught all the lights, I could do it in 15 and beat my friends (who were driving) to school. Definitely beat the bus, and when I was in the mood, I'd race cars off the light and see how far I could get before they caught me (usually 2-3 blocks). just to make the ride entertaining .

Of course, I'd arrive at school all hot and sweaty, but it's a fun ride and after a quick shower at the gym, I was good to go.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

quote:

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originally posted by thorin
screw the bicycle.

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

Don't cars mess us up? You see all these people driving themselves in these behemoth SUVs and minivans and such- capable of holding 6 people and a ton of cargo, sucking in the non-renewable fuel and spewing pollution- just to get themselves someplace they usually don't want to go anyway.

We have these megatons of concrete and asphalt to allow these heavy, usually mediocrely built contraptions to roll more smoothly from place to place- the roads have to be smooth, even though it costs a lot to do so and the cars all brag about their great suspensions.

We have paved areas to allow these things to sit unused in large collections under the hot sun, or exposed to weather. Places where there used to be grass, meadows, trees, wildlife.

We pay taxes for these things in hundreds of ways, big and small- some whether we use them or not.

The car allows us the 'freedom' to live far away from work. After all, who wants to live near their business- all that traffic, noise, pollution, and concrete- no trees or grass. Yuk.

I love the convenience of driving, and Omaha is too hilly for most of us to easily bike commute, but I often wish they would quadruple gas prices and 'dethrone' cars from being such a major part of our lives and society!

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 217

quote:

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Originally posted by septimus

...I've been using the bus as much as possible, and driving when I'm an idiot and miss it. I love it.

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Mike
I'd rather be upside down in my kayak than rightside up at my desk.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

quote:

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Originally posted by Jupe


I was thinking about riding the bus when I don't ride my bike but I went to that Metro Transit Trip Planner website and the total trip time would be 67-87 minutes! Riding my bike takes only 35-40! Maybe it's because I live in South Minneapolis and work in St Louis Park.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 284

quote:

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Originally posted by Madkins007
We have these megatons of concrete and asphalt to allow these heavy, usually mediocrely built contraptions to roll more smoothly from place to place- the roads have to be smooth, even though it costs a lot to do so and the cars all brag about their great suspensions.

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Not required if you have an SUV (well, not if you use it right anyway )

quote:

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The car allows us the 'freedom' to live far away from work. After all, who wants to live near their business- all that traffic, noise, pollution, and concrete- no trees or grass. Yuk.

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Don't forget the people. I lived in a trailer park for a few years where my neighbors were less than 6 feet away. It was great listening to them scream at each other at 2 AM when I knew I had to get up at 5.

You can say what you want about urban living, but given that my neighbors are now more like 60 yards away, I'll take living in the 'burbs over the "close knit urban neighborhood", thank you.

quote:

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I love the convenience of driving, and Omaha is too hilly for most of us to easily bike commute, but I often wish they would quadruple gas prices and 'dethrone' cars from being such a major part of our lives and society!

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Ride a motorcycle. Almost the same effect as a car with less resources used. Since I got my motorcycle license my pickup sits in the garage unless the weather's terrible or I need to haul something big, and I'm working on the terrible weather part.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

I biked everywhere as well until I was 18, then stopped. I did ride a motorcycle for about 1.5 years, but i wrecked every one I ever had, so my pickup seems to be the best choice for me, I have a company vehicle and can't drag the boat to the launch site with a bike anyway

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
Posts: 1049

My 92 mile roundtrip commute allows me to live in a big old house on 3 acres (down from the 130+ acre farm) and raise my kids alongside the chickens.

When we were glassblowing our commute was a walk upstairs.

I prefer the drive because my wife doesn't have to work.

I do drive a small car that gets reasonably good gas mileage though.

My bike has had a flat tire for over a year.

That is sad.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

I haven't had a bike for 5 years

I also live on 3 acres

The only chicken I have is Chicken-Boo

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

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Originally posted by sowens
If I were in a position where it would only take 5 to 15 minutes to bike to work, I'd do it even if there were hills!

Of course I'd want shower facilities at work as well, and the ability to store the bike in my office instead of chaining it to some open rack behind the building (out of sight of security, of course).

Guess I ask for too much in life.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

quote:

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Originally posted by ToolkiT


on the way back (downhill most of the time)

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Is this an Australia land feature?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

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Originally posted by dampeoples


Is this an Australia land feature?

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Huh, am I missing something... did I write something funny without realizing it?

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

How can the way back be downhill most of the time? Is it uphill sometimes?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

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Originally posted by dampeoples
How can the way back be downhill most of the time? Is it uphill sometimes?

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Ah I see, my english was failing me...

60% of the trip back is downhill, 10% uphill and 30% is flat...
I meant is like in part of the way in distance, not like on tuesdays its downhill but on wednesday it is uphill

Thanx for pointing me to my mistake..

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Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 366

I bike to most places and only drive when I absolutely have to. When I move to Tucson next month, I plan on using my car even less. Why pay 350 dollars a year to park my van at a parking garage on the other side of campus from where I work when I can register my bike for free and park it 2 feet from my desk?

Hmm, that's a hard one.

Jason

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

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Originally posted by volcanopele
I bike to most places and only drive when I absolutely have to. When I move to Tucson next month, I plan on using my car even less. Why pay 350 dollars a year to park my van at a parking garage on the other side of campus from where I work when I can register my bike for free and park it 2 feet from my desk?

Hmm, that's a hard one.

Jason

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$350? consider yourself lucky.... I would have to pay $3000 per annum for a parking spot in my building... and there even is a waiting list

So Obviously I don't park in my building.. I carpool with my wife and she drive a bit further to her work and parks over there for free..

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