Re: Cities Turning to Bicycles
"Frank Krygowski" <frkrygow@mousepotato.com> wrote in message
> Bikes are beautiful machines. They deserve to be allowed to run.
>
> SUVs or no SUVs, cycling is extremely safe if done with any competence.
> Even in crowded areas, you can usually find pleasant side streets to
> ride. And once you learn a little about cycling in traffic, even most
> major roads are perfectly fine for cycling.
>
> In my experience, there are too many people who use "If only..."
> fantasies to excuse their contribution to the problem. Get out there
> and do what needs to be done!
This is a good point. START!
Even in what seem to be grim circumstances for cycling, there are likely to
be recreational routes.
Then, one can discover how these recreational routes can be used to get to
interesting places, or to shopping places. Maybe you can't get to the big
box Home Depot easily, but you can get to a neighborhood hardware store. The
difference in price is counterbalanced by the savings in fuel (and the
ability to get some daily exercise in).
If/when you move, you can look for bike-friendly locations, much like a
jogger looks for a neighborhood where he/she can run around easily.
Eventually, we did not replace our second car and became a one-car suburban
family, as an experiment. The scheduling snafus were very minimal, and to a
certain exent provided an opportunity for family sharing and conflict
resolution when they did occur.* I do more bike miles in a year than car
miles, and I'm a better and thinner person for it.
I'm still discovering new ways to get places.
* in the interest of full disclosure, we are now a two car, four driver
household. Our older daughter has one car in another state so she can get to
her student teaching assignment. When the 10 year old van gives out, we
don't plan to replace it.
