Biking as main transportation
Posted by ledzepfan12 on Jul 14, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 675 posts
I am very seriously considering biking as my main means of transportation. I have thought long and hard about it and I know how incredibly stupid and just plain bad drivers are (that's my only major issue, the people!), but I at least want to try it out for a while. I don't plan on starting immediately because I want to get used to riding again, learn to ride alongside cars the proper way and, you know, get a bicycle. ;)b
So, basically, I'm interested in hearing your opinion on biking as opposed to driving and would you do it realistically.
after two knee surgeries, bicycling, no matter how much I used to love it, is now pretty much out of the question....
I've had massive knee surgery (broken femur)........I think I actually did some cycling in therapy for my knee. You pedal with your quads/hamstrings/butt!
I think it would be useful to post this: http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/index.htm
It talks a lot about how to ride properly (and its not the way people have usually been taught to ride a bike) and how to ride without bike lanes, alongside cars in the acutal lane, among other things. I live about 30 or so miles from work round trip and there are two ways to get there, one where I will surely get hit and left for dead and one where there's only one sort of dangerous part.
GESC --------> that link.
i bike/train/bus everywhere i need to go.. ive had cars since i was 16 but finally realized at 24 that cars are totally weak and your legs + public transportation is way awesome.. its better for the environment and if more people do it it will force the world around us to take into account the fact that we need better public transportation and bike routes..
a few things ive learned to do to make it easier/less scary are
1. dont rely on bike lanes.. if there are bike lanes i purposly dont use them cuz bike lanes are totally stupid.. they are too small, too close to parked cars and their doors that swing open into the lane you are riding in and drivers think bikes are only suppose to be in bike lanes.. the street is a giant bike lane! i take up a whole lane of the road (if it is more than a single lane) when i am in the street.. sure some people will honk at you, but that means they can see you and they arent gunna hit you!.. if you stay way to the side of the road drivers will either not see you and possibly hit you or squeeze past you making it very uncomfortable and scary.. just take up the lane.. do it.. its fun :)
2. wear a helmet.. seriously.. brains are important
3. have lights on your bike at night.. anything that you can do to make yourself more visible is better
also, some people have said they cant ride cuz of injuries etc.. there are actually alot of different bikes available out there.. recumbents are sorta silly looking but fun to ride and are great for bad backs.. and those bikes that parapalegics use that you pedal with your arms are pretty cool too.. just letting you know there are options :) oh and about the whole load carrying issues.. you can get a basket or even better panniers.. or just do what i do and have a giant military backpack that you can shove 50lbs of stuff in :).. or all 3.. also you can get a bike trailer and just load all your stuff up into that.. for when you need to get alot of groceries or other heavy stuff..
bikes are awesome.. i can completely dissassemble mine, clean it and put it back together in about 30 mins.. you cant do that with a car.. andw/ a bike you dont need insurance.. and your gas is your yummy vegan food! hurray!
and KMK.. i dunno if anyone said it yet, but a scooter is like a moped, or a vespa.. like that.. a tiny cute motorcycle type thingy..
i want to move somewhere where i can bike everywhere. like copanhagen. the bike lanes had curbs and traffic lights. everyone yielded to bikes. it was amazing.
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