Cities Turning to Bicycles

For those that don't want to, it's always too far/too cold/too wet/I have
too much crap to carry.

Pete

Ahh, baloney, where do you live and what's the coldest temps you ride in?
It's unrealistic to think most people or even most cyclists want to get up
early in January and ride their bike in the minus zero temps in the dark on icy
roads.
I'm not going to put my life in jeopardy riding on dangerous roads just to save
2 bucks in gas. You also have to adjust your schedule to go to bed early and
get up earlier. I'd rather bike when I want to and most especially where I want
to.

Fx199 wrote:

Subject: Cities Turning to Bicycles
From: "Eric S. Sande" wrote:
Anything shorter than 10 miles, the cyclist wins.



yeah, but many people need a car for inclement weather, hauling goods, or doing
things such as gasp transporting their bikes somewhere, hauling a kayak, etc

It's true, most Americans need a car. It's a part of our culture.

But in my case, we were able to go from a two-car to a one-car family
for many years because of my bike commuting. We specifically chose a
house location that allowed that. (And, BTW, we used the cash from
selling the car to finance a bike tour of England and Scotland!)

Eventually, we moved to another state. We had to live further from my
work, far enough that I can't commute by bike every day. And we now
have two cars.

But the second car is 14 years old (bought used) and I drive it less
than 3000 miles per year. It gets used for hauling plywood, hauling
kayaks, towing a utility trailer, and for occasional trips to work. At
this rate, I expect it'll be good when it's 20 years old.

But it's sad that we don't have mass transit from my home area to my
work area. If we had that, I'd ride my bike to the bus or train, and
ride the last bit at the end. And I'd sell one car.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

Subject: Cities Turning to Bicycles
From: Frank Krygowski
Date: 9/16/2004 8:52 PM US Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

Fx199 wrote:

Subject: Cities Turning to Bicycles
From: "Eric S. Sande" wrote:
Anything shorter than 10 miles, the cyclist wins.



yeah, but many people need a car for inclement weather, hauling goods, or
doing
things such as gasp transporting their bikes somewhere, hauling a kayak,
etc

It's true, most Americans need a car. It's a part of our culture.

But in my case, we were able to go from a two-car to a one-car family
for many years because of my bike commuting. We specifically chose a
house location that allowed that. (And, BTW, we used the cash from
selling the car to finance a bike tour of England and Scotland!)

Eventually, we moved to another state. We had to live further from my
work, far enough that I can't commute by bike every day. And we now
have two cars.

But the second car is 14 years old (bought used) and I drive it less
than 3000 miles per year. It gets used for hauling plywood, hauling
kayaks, towing a utility trailer, and for occasional trips to work. At
this rate, I expect it'll be good when it's 20 years old.

But it's sad that we don't have mass transit from my home area to my
work area. If we had that, I'd ride my bike to the bus or train, and
ride the last bit at the end. And I'd sell one car.




My two vehicles are very modest and cost very little to own, you surely
couldn't fund a vacation from their worth, one is a s-10 truck with 190,000
miles, the other a 84 tercel 4wd wagon with 150,000, insurance is cheap and
they are paid for, and both get moderate mileage. probably better than many
holier than though types in their v-6 and v-8 lexus' and toyotas. They are
invaluable in their utility and usefulness.
I drive about 15k a year at the most.

yeah, but many people need a car for inclement weather, hauling goods,
or doing things such as gasp transporting their bikes somewhere,
hauling a kayak, etc

Not many. I certainly ride in the winter and manage to get the job
done. It isn't as easy as using a car, but it's much less expensive.

As far as inclement weather, I'm guessing it's going to depend on
where you are.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

"Fx199" wrote in message
...
For those that don't want to, it's always too far/too cold/too wet/I have
too much crap to carry.

Pete

Ahh, baloney, where do you live and what's the coldest temps you ride in?

I've ridden daily through a Utah winter.
As a kid, I used to ride to my local ski area (upstate NY) on my bike,
carrying skis and boots.
Stationed at an airbase in upstate NY, I rode just about every day from Oct
to May, when I bought a little sports car.
I rode several times last winter, here in Cincinnati.
I've also ridden daily through a Lousyana summer.
Rode every day for two years in SE Virginia, winter and summer.
Rode every day for a year and a half in Madrid. Hot in the summer, cold (no
snow) in the winter

The absolute coldest I've ridden in, IIRC, was maybe 5 below zero(F).

It's unrealistic to think most people or even most cyclists want to get up
early in January and ride their bike in the minus zero temps in the dark
on icy
roads.

As I said....riding your bike to work doesn't have to be an everyday thing.
You bring up the point about riding through the cold winter being
unpleasant. What about those that don't live where it's freezing in January?
("waaaa..it's too hot in the summertime!")

Of COURSE if you live in the norther climes, it gets pretty damn cold in the
winter. Can be unpleasant riding.
I grew up in that. And the excuse for the other 7 or 8 months?

I'm not going to put my life in jeopardy riding on dangerous roads just to
save
2 bucks in gas. You also have to adjust your schedule to go to bed early
and
get up earlier. I'd rather bike when I want to and most especially where I
want
to.

If you want to, do it. If you don't want to, don't. But don't believe that
everyone follows your self imposed limitations.

Where do YOU live that riding to work is so impossible?

Pete

"Frank Krygowski" wrote


It's true, most Americans need a car. It's a part of our culture.

But in my case, we were able to go from a two-car to a one-car family
for many years because of my bike commuting.

Precisely.

Pete

"Fx199" wrote in message

Bicycling is great exercise, but you guys are getting
delusional utopian fantasies. There's no way most people in northern
states are
going to bicycle in the winter time.

A "less car" life is likely to be multimodal.

Although you are right for most people, there's a surprising ability to
bicycle in the winter. I'm in Chicago, and I actually did more miles in
December than any other month last year except June. The main problem for
me isn't the cold, the snow, or the ice -- it's rain when it's about 38
degrees out.

The main problem for me isn't the cold, the snow, or the ice -- it's
rain when it's about 38 degrees out.

Yeah, nothing is as bad as freezing rain. With the possible
exception of golfball sized hail in a thunderstorm.

Or a tornado. Those are bad news. I don't understand why more
people don't chuck their cars and ride bicycles year 'round.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

How many dollars a day to the Amish earn?

A good quality of life is measured in more than currency. I know some pretty
miserable rich people and I know some less than wealthy people who have
wonderful lives.

Cheers, helen s


--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

Ah, 'tis true: arrogance will out. My time is far from worthless. In
fact, it's worth so much to me that I intend to waste as little of it
stuck inside a wheeled cage in traffic jams as I can. Your time, like
mine, is free to spend as you will.

Indeed, if it wasn't basically necessary to own a car where I live and
for the job I do, I could work about 5 to 8 hours a week less and come
out ahead financially, or work as much and trade up to a nicer house.
Cars are danged expensive to own and operate. What is the AAA
estimate- $6000 per year? Being as how I pay cash for cars rather
than paying interest on them, I spend probably somewhat less than
that. The joys of being a Volvo 240 fan...








Talk about your arrogance...ladeedah, I pay cash for my cars.
Must be a big deal since your friends are poor or something, but plenty of
other people can do that.
If driving a car is faster than driving where you live, you're just stuck in
some hellhole urban environment to begin with.
Read what you're writing before you accuse someone else of being arrogant.
Cars don't cost diddly squat if all you're buying is insurance.