Living Car Free - Reasons to ride a bicycle

There must be at least 368 reasons to ride a bicycle. Let's hear yours. These could be personal, social, spiritual, environmental, political, economic, health-related or anything else.

1. Riding a bicycle is the definition of freedom. Freedom from the oil companies. Freedom from monthly car payments. Freedom from expensive car maintenance. Freedom from monthly insurance payments. Freedom from obesity and all of its associated health risks. Freedom from bus schedules. Freedom to stop and admire the view any time you want. Freedom to choose your own route. Freedom to go at your own pace. Freedom to be yourself.

1. Riding a bicycle is the definition of freedom. Freedom from the oil companies. Freedom from monthly car payments. Freedom from expensive car maintenance. Freedom from monthly insurance payments. Freedom from obesity and all of its associated health risks. Freedom from bus schedules. Freedom to stop and admire the view any time you want. Freedom to choose your own route. Freedom to go at your own pace. Freedom to be yourself.

That was a great post.

independence. there are no speed limits on a bike, and i can got across lawns, and don't have to stick to the paved road.

political. economical. i hear people complain about gas prices and i tell them to shut up and ride a bike. then they ask me if i do and i say yes. i talk the talk, and walk the walk. i haven't paid for petroleum in a month.

health. since travelling exclusively on bike I have lost 25 pounds, my blood pressure has gone down, and i've discovered new places. and i have so much more energy now. more than i know what to do with.

there are no speed limits on a bike

That's not what I've heard.

Anyway, I ride a bike mostly because of laziness and lack of patience. Living in a city, it is almost always by far the fastest mode of transportation. Driving a car in a city would kill me, having to stop and wait all the time and taking 10 minutes to go 1 km. And of course the total inflexibility of cars in city traffic. Public transport here is very good by international, and certainly American, standards, but you still have to wait for the metro train to arrive, there are only so many stations, and you have to pay! Buses combine the worst of two worlds, in that they are affected by congestion.

There are some good commuter trains, though, that will actually save me time as I go to my brother's house 10 km out.

i ride cuz i like to ride. On my days offs when i am not riding to work or to the store i like to go on long rides. Again, i just like to ride...
d

Riding a bike makes a biped feel like a quadriped.

Owning bikes is cheaper than owning cars.

i talk the talk, and walk the walk. i haven't paid for petroleum in a month.

+100000

How can I expect others to make changes if I don't make them myself?


Also:

Stress. I find riding my bike to be super relaxing, even on a hard ride. Driving a car is one of the most stressfull activities, in my opinion.

investment in mental health

I have been lazy about getting on the bike lately, in many cases not enough time to get to everything by bike. Picked up an old English 3 speed yesterday and took her for a little spin around the complex. Melted all my stress away being on the bike, and that bike in particular.

The "wheeeeeeee" factor.

Well, it was the first means of transportation other than my parents and relatives cars, when OPEC pulled the plug in '73, when gas prices rose 70 cents in 7 years, (most people today wish that was still the case) unreliable motor vehicles in my youth( mostly due to that 50lb teenage right foot) motor vehicles that I could afford over the years got only 10 to 15 mpg, and as I got older I found out that I cannot eat all I want and stay at a reasonable weight without some help from the bike. Plus, the gas savings let me buy more food so I can eat even more. :D

It's appropriate technology for short trips. Why is it necessary for a person to travel a mile or two by being hauled to his destination in a piece of motorized heavy equipment operated by a licensed equipment operator. On top of that, he then has to find a place to leave the piece of motorized heavy equipment while he is at that location.

To haul several people with luggage long distances at high speeds over routes not served by other means of transportation, cars are appropriate technology. To haul myself six miles to work, they are overkill.

Because my bike continues to be my x-wing fighter,even at 37

Because, when my mid-life crisis rolls around, I will be able to justify my purchase of a professional-caliber road racing bike by noting that I paid substantially less than I would have for a new Porsche.

Because, when my mid-life crisis rolls around, I will be able to justify my purchase of a professional-caliber road racing bike by noting that I paid substantially less than I would have for a new Porsche.+++1111 on that.:love:

Because it's f***ing awesome!

1. Riding a bicycle is the definition of freedom. Freedom from the oil companies. Freedom from monthly car payments. Freedom from expensive car maintenance. Freedom from monthly insurance payments. Freedom from obesity and all of its associated health risks. Freedom from bus schedules. Freedom to stop and admire the view any time you want. Freedom to choose your own route. Freedom to go at your own pace. Freedom to be yourself.

Perfect, I couldn't say it better.

I'm not 16 yet, but I'm still able to go places. (Now if only I had money so I actually have places to go to...) Also, I think all of my bikes, and the cost of the accessories on them, probably cost as much as a tank of gas.

6. While a bicycle is great technology for short trips, it also has its place for longer trips. Once you've acclimated to staying the seat for several hours at a stretch, you can easily do 60-80 miles in a day. Stick a tent on the rack and you have a traveling roadshow.

7. Habitually riding a bike causes a real upsurge in health. I've never felt fitter since I starting riding 3 years ago.

8. Great way to cool off in heat. Move along at a slow pace and feel the wind in your hair.

9. Save a ton of money.

Because I like to stick it to the man.

For reasons I don't fully understand, I experience the presence of God when I'm cycling. A ride, especially on a quiet rural road, is often when I am most in awe of the Creator. This can happen at other times too, but I notice it more on a bike than at any other time.

Pedaling into a strong headwind in first gear is still faster than walking. I confirmed this the two days ago.

Pedaling with a strong tailwind is a blast. It makes me feel like superman.

When I owned cars or motorcycles there was always this mental tether attached to them. I was always concerned about them getting damaged by someone while they were out of sight. I still have this concern about my bicycles when I'm shopping at a store, but not when I'm home. The bicycles are inside away from thieves and bad weather.

The mental tether of a $1300.00 bicycle is much less than a multi-thousand dollar car or motorcycle. I feel freer without the motor vehicles. That freedom inspires me to get rid of even more of my unused unneeded stuff.

The "wheeeeeeee" factor.

+1 :)

That 4 seat quad on a TV news segment
1 looked cool
2 made sense

i haven't paid for petroleum in a month.

Do you have a home that is powered/heated/cooled by renewable energy?

I got into bicycling as a result of going car-free. I did the financial math, and realized that owning and driving a car in urban areas was just stupid. In addition, I'm very, very concerned about the environment, or what little is left of it, and decided that I needed to put my money where my mouth is. I tried busing and walking for a few weeks, and, then, frustrated about a late bus, wandered into a used bike shop and bought an old MTB for $75, which I soon modified for city use. It was an instant epiphany. I'm now at least as mobile as I was when I had a car, I never have to worry about parking or traffic, and, in every way imaginable, I'm way happier. And I have a bit more money, too. I'm now convinced that anyone who tries cycling around town will find it to be vastly superior to any other form of transport, at least at distances <10 miles, which, for most people, is a significant portion of their trips.

I feel as though I am with the scenery when riding my Bicycle. It makes my mental state adjust with the changing seasons. I feel healthy and relaxed when riding. My heart expands with joy because i'm doing a good deed for nature. It makes me more of a spiritual person. It made me slow down the pace of life I was living(jumping in a car just to go some where). I also feel "wise" at 21 to be rolling by those gas pumps and having a care-lite(car-free after next needed repair!) lifestyle.

Although I don't consider myself a fast recreational rider or a fitness fanatic on the bike, I enjoy cycling just for fun. It's good to get out for a ride, preferably a long one, and to return home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Been car free for most of my life, I've structured my environment around that decision. I'm practically debt free (Other than to my LBS and bike lust) since I don't spend $400 a month on gas, $300 a month on car payments, $80 a month on insurance, and $1000 + per year on repairs.

It's inexpensive transportation, it's healthy, and I can put the money saved towards the next bike-related purchase. Also, riding everywhere helps keep me alive to pay for my nicotine and caffeine habit :rolleyes:

Finally got my partner a bike; she used to drive 30 miles RT to school and back, and then 16 miles RT on weekends. Lots of gas. Paid for her bike in the first couple months commuting. Amazing how much it costs for the luxury of sitting in cages all the time.

Reasons I like my bike:

1. It has a basket so I can't forget where I put my lock and helmet, and I always have a way to carry things.

2. It has a bell so people can hear me. (cars can't hear, so it doesn't help much there... drivers can sometimes)

3. it lets me play outside in the rain! (and just about any other weather... and everyone needs to play)

4. it takes me to the library. more to read, the librarians recognize me, and it's a pleasant place to camp out and read.

5. it takes me to the dairy (fresh ice cream! good cheese! yum!). nice feeling since UW's dairy is cheaper than a grocery store, and the money goes back to support the dairying training program.

6. it takes me to the butcher shop (yes, I know meatless is easier on the enviroment... it's *not* easier on household sanity)

7. it takes me to the grocery store

8. it has bright shiny me-powered lights

9. it lets me go fast. zoom zoom!

10. it lets me carry things without bruising my shoulders

11. it doesn't hurt my hip, knees or ankles, and tends to make my arthritis hurt less.

12. it lets me be part of the city... I can always choose to smile at a stranger and they'll *see*. Getting a smile or a hi back is fun.

13. I always have my own bags. They're easier to carry than plastic, and they take more abuse. After forgetting a proper bag a few times early on, the luxury of a good bag is just blissful.

Health and fitness.
Stress relief.
Satisfaction and pleasure.
A sense of doing something, without burning gas.
Gas savings.
Better for the environment and for the congestion in the city wherein I live.
Satisfies my competitive nature, even if I'm only competing against myself.
Allows me to prove to myself what I can do. (ie, climbing that canyon, or riding some distance.)
Freedom to just mess around, going here and there, seeing my surroundings, without feeling like I'm wasting anything at all other than time.
The exercise addiction.
The gadgetry (I enjoy tinkering with the bike, and am proud of my equipment).
Getting more out of life than the couch potato.

Because chicks dig guys without cars, wait never mind they dont :(

For reasons I don't fully understand, I experience the presence of God when I'm cycling. A ride, especially on a quiet rural road, is often when I am most in awe of the Creator. This can happen at other times too, but I notice it more on a bike than at any other time.

I thought I was the only one who felt that.

Yeah, sometimes, I'll ride for hours with no destination in mind simply because I feel that.

Do you have a home that is powered/heated/cooled by renewable energy?

if he is like most self proclaimed petroleum free types, his home is lighted, heated and cooled by pixie dust and his food is transported to him by magic carpet.

I always love riding early in the AM when no one is on the streets or trails. It's just a great way to experience a beautiful morning.

I ride a bike, beyond the obvious reasons, because it's not socially acceptable for an adult to play with GI Joe, build with blocks or lego, have a snowball fight, watch cartoons, visit Chuck 'E' Cheese, or any of the other joys of childhood but it's perfectly okay to ride a bike. I still get a child-like joy from riding my bike.

.. Because I can
.. To Live
.. for my sons

The last one, I want them to have the ability to find 30 reasons they can do something others feel is impossible.

--I am a dispatcher, and we are susceptible to an occupational ailment called "Dispatch Butt." It refers to the ridiculous growth of a dispatcher's backside when that dispatcher sits down for 12 hours, eats fast food and donuts from friendly field crews, then drives to and from work. I ride my bike to prevent that.

--Between 5 radio channels and 20 phone lines at work, and one 14-month-old at home, my bike ride is the only silent part of my day.

--The aforementioned 14-month-old has figured out how to put her helmet on, climb in the bike trailer, and say "whee? whee?" when she wants to go for a ride. It's too cute to resist.

--Riding in the rain is way fun.

because I enjoy it

'Cuz it's fun. Duh.

Bonus points for it being quicker to work than by car, cheaper door-to-door than by cab, easier to park than just about anything.

All the political crap is crap. There are a couple billion cyclists out there that just don't care.

if he is like most self proclaimed petroleum free types, his home is lighted, heated and cooled by pixie dust and his food is transported to him by magic carpet.

:roflmao2::thumb:

And his bike is made from hemp, bamboo, catgut, and tree resin ... oh wait, that's like harvesting plants & animals...

And his clothes are made from natural wool... which was, of course, stolen from the back of an innocent sheep...

:roflmao2::thumb:

And his bike is made from hemp, bamboo, catgut, and tree resin ... oh wait, that's like harvesting plants & animals...

And his clothes are made from natural wool... which was, of course, stolen from the back of an innocent sheep...

:thumb::roflmao2:

Aaron:)

Reasons I like my bike:

1. It has a basket so I can't forget where I put my lock and helmet, and I always have a way to carry things.

2. It has a bell so people can hear me. (cars can't hear, so it doesn't help much there... drivers can sometimes)

3. it lets me play outside in the rain! (and just about any other weather... and everyone needs to play)

4. it takes me to the library. more to read, the librarians recognize me, and it's a pleasant place to camp out and read.

5. it takes me to the dairy (fresh ice cream! good cheese! yum!). nice feeling since UW's dairy is cheaper than a grocery store, and the money goes back to support the dairying training program.

6. it takes me to the butcher shop (yes, I know meatless is easier on the enviroment... it's *not* easier on household sanity)

7. it takes me to the grocery store

8. it has bright shiny me-powered lights

9. it lets me go fast. zoom zoom!

10. it lets me carry things without bruising my shoulders

11. it doesn't hurt my hip, knees or ankles, and tends to make my arthritis hurt less.

12. it lets me be part of the city... I can always choose to smile at a stranger and they'll *see*. Getting a smile or a hi back is fun.

13. I always have my own bags. They're easier to carry than plastic, and they take more abuse. After forgetting a proper bag a few times early on, the luxury of a good bag is just blissful.


Although I don't consider myself a fast recreational rider or a fitness fanatic on the bike, I enjoy cycling just for fun. It's good to get out for a ride, preferably a long one, and to return home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

I think those two posts pretty well sum it up:thumb:

I can be a cranky ******* if I don't get at least a bit of cycling in every day. Fortunately my current job has me riding a plant bike (working as a contractor at a fairly large industrial facility) I manage 3 or 4 miles a day just cruising around the plant checking on crews and following up on stuff. Most evenings I manage to get in a 30+ minute ride around the local area, if I stay over the weekend I can get more than that cruising the historic district.

Some jobs I luck up and can commute from the motel to the jobsite:thumb:

Aaron:)

Because it makes me smile like a crazy person, but that's okay on the trails.

Because, when my mid-life crisis rolls around, I will be able to justify my purchase of a professional-caliber road racing bike by noting that I paid substantially less than I would have for a new Porsche.

Wow!

That is EXACTLY what I laid on my wife when she gave me crap about my new bike.

Amazing.

1. Maintaining a bike is very easy and cheap.
2. I can have a conversation while riding.
3. I see more things when I ride my bike.
4. I can be smug and estimate the gas it took the lifted f250 to do a burnout at the light.
5. I can try a lot of different bikes, buying and selling them on craigs list. Who can afford ten new cars a year?
6. I can justify getting ice cream by the 14 mile round trip it takes to get there.
7. Less gear to wear than on my motorcycle.
8. No gas/insurance/registration/fines.
9. I can park most anywhere.
10. My back porch is a bike parking lot, I think it looks cool.
11. Running errands in the morning on my bike. I love riding around in the cool morning air. With a load of stuff to the post office and a list of other stops. If I could only find a coffee holder to mount to my bike it would be pure bliss.

If I could only find a coffee holder to mount to my bike it would be pure bliss.
Many small thermos bottles will fit right in a bottle cage. If the bottle cage is mounted upright it may be able to hold a medium size foam or paper cup of coffee with a top on it (if you first take a couple of sips).

independence. there are no speed limits on a bike, and i can got across lawns, and don't have to stick to the paved road.



Well, yeah... But you do have a governor on there, where your speed is limited by your ability to pedal. And under the law, bikes are treated the same as cars and posted speed limits apply to cyclists, too.

I got a speeding ticket on my 'cross bike about six years ago, and at the time was derned proud of it ;-)

Tom

Wow!

That is EXACTLY what I laid on my wife when she gave me crap about my new bike.

Amazing.

Did it work?

Because I like to stick it to the man.

Wow, that's the correct answer... just like School of Rock!

Time on the bike is truly mine. I pack away my cellphone, so I can't even hear it. Impossible to even talk and ride (wind noise). Just me and the road.

Plus, there is no greater thrill (for me) than hitting 45+ on a nice twisty descent! I can't even imagine how much $$$ on a sports car, and what speed I would have to hit to get the same rush.

-D