stop driving

Last summer I rode my bike like a monk all over the place. I even took a vacation with my girlfriend by train up to Vancouver, BC where we got around strictly by bike and public transportation. It rocked for that very reason.

When winter hit, I became less optimistic for my new bike-only life. I told myself after winter ended I would be back on it, but it turns out that I’ve just not felt up to task at all in this department and have ended up driving everywhere again. It really makes me loath myself.

Part of the reason is that I need to get my bicycle repaired. The pedal has become unthreaded. This seems like an easy fix, and my employer will even pay for it! I just need to stop over there and plunk down some money, or ideally, fix it myself.

Truly ideally, however, there would be a smooth dirt or gravel path that led all the way from my house to my office, but that’s sort of unrealistic I guess. And also, I wouldn’t have to work in an office.

I could, however, imagine walking to work again possibly. I have done it before and it took me around 2 hours, which is admittedly long, but not impossible, and the scenery is noteable mostly.

I vote that we cobble the roads, mulch the freeways, gravel the sidewalks, and replace our thoroughfares with gondola boat filled canals.

This is why I’m sometimes hopeless, but I’m working on a backup plan in case the revolution doesn’t show up in time. Updates to come.

• I’d have to walk to the grocery store and only get what I could carry/ bring back in a rolling cart
• Same with laundry, I’d have to do it much more often and find a closer laundromat, maybe find a friend nearby who has a machine I can use or maybe even start handwashing
• I’d have to give myself more time between events, since I can’t get around town as fast, so I probably couldn’t get over to yoga right after class or teach at the community college as an extra job if I have something to do an hour later
• No driving to D.C. (about 4.5 hours) or elsewhere—I’d have to plan and take a plane or train, or rent a car
• No short trips (at least not alone or spontaneously), like 2 hours north to the Lake Erie beach or out hiking
• No driving to internship sites when I start applying in a couple of years, unless I rent a car (maybe I could get a zipcar for a whole week? does it work that way?)
• No picking people up—can’t drive my partner to work or pick him up late, can’t get people at the airport or take them there, can’t drive to parties (I’d have to carpool, bus it, or skip them altogether)
• No hauling large purchases home, like from Ikea, or even bags of soil from the garden shop—I’d have to get whatever it is delivered or walk or bike the distance and get something to carry the thing in (like a rolling cart).
• No access to some more out there places, like the thrift store I like way up on the North Side, for example
• No storing things in the car, like grocery bags or yoga gear—instead, have to carry it or return home, or find storage somewhere
• I’d have to ride the bus home late at night and walk from the bus stop to my apartment late at night (after taking or teaching evening classes or going to late yoga)
• I wouldn’t be able to drive in an emergency, any situation where I have to get somewhere fast
• I’d save more money (no more insurance, repairs, annual inspections, gas, parking fees and tickets)

So, it looks like I’ll have to figure out buses more and buy a bus pass, I’ll need to pay for a subscription to zipcar for day-trips and pay to rent cars (or find other means) for longer trips. I’ll have to plan my schedule more, including getting up earlier for morning appointments. I’ll also have to become familiar with bike routes around the city, and maybe get saddlebags or a basket for my bike, and definitely a rolling cart that I can fit in my bag for dragging things home. I’ll have to rely on others to drive me around or let me borrow their cars when I can’t get somewhere by bus and don’t want to rent a car.

This will be a gradual transition—I already don’t drive much, but there are still places where it’s a pain not to use my car.

...and instead, bike, walk, take the bus, or carpool with somebody. I still have a car, but I try to minimize driving. I also want to buy a more-eco friendly car eventually, if I keep driving at all.

in order to stop driving, i am learning to love my bike. however, my favorite place to bike is down by the river. so i drive my car to the bike path…..

hmm…...

I’m ambivalent about this goal. Sometimes I feel more free without a car, and sometime less. There’s something very satisfying (and autonomous) about being able to get around on PT, but it can get frustrating when you’re out in the sticks.

Though Winter cometh, I am going to get an xtracycle for my ‘round town bike and a pea-pod for my wee passenger so that I can finally break the car habit.