Originally Posted by
CrimsonEclipse
I've lurked here for quite some time, watching, listening. I admire those who gave up the car or never even owned one. Florida was not exactly safe for cycling (hit 3 times) nor comfortable (90+ humid 10 mouths out of the year), which is why I've moved to Portland, OR.
It's time to sell my truck, I have had enough. I'm also in one of the best places in the USA to live without a car and I already own 3 bicycles. So what am I waiting for.
Even after all of the reading, I'm still having a hard time starting the listing to sell the truck. A million "what if's" keep haunting my mind.
What if the perfect job opens up out of range of me or public transportation?
What if my bike gets stolen?
What to ware in the rain and 40F temps.
What if I hurt my (knee/foot/ankle) and cannot ride for 1-6 months.
Quite frankly... I need a push... a nudge out the door.
The biggest (immediate) pluses are:
If the truck sells for the right price, I can pay my credit card with enough left over for a Brompton.
I really want to do this. I already completed the hard part, 3,500 mile slog across the country. This last bit really should be easy... right?
Right?
Portland OR is considered one of the best bike orientated cities around the US. But look closer. And what do you see? People obviously still drive there. I would ask why they do
before I part with the truck. Portland is one of the cities on my West Coast bike orientated cities tour (sans the bikes) I am planning to do I hope soon to see for myself.
".....What if the perfect job opens up out of range of me or public transportation?
What if my bike gets stolen?
What to ware in the rain and 40F temps.
What if I hurt my (knee/foot/ankle) and cannot ride for 1-6 months...."
Your thoughtful questions seem to be very valid and should be addressed by
both yourself
and your significant other (if there is one) before you actually put the truck up for sale. It seems like many people leave that very important variable out when they do important decisions that impact all underneath your roof. By the way, Do not automatically assume that they will be your personal chauffeur with
their car, either! I would add to the list myself aging (like how old are you now?) and your overall physical condition. From my own experience, I have waxed and waned on cycling as time marched on. I was forced to stop cycling for a month or so last year due to illness. That period of time was marked by renting a car to get around while my bikes were place in storage. That was an eye opener for me as I decided to return to driving full time and buying a-only one I might add-new car. I realize that at this point in my life I cannot afford to rent or borrow a car-just try to get one when there is a rush/heavy demand for them i.e. a transit strike-as I need to not only drive myself, but my
elderly mother and
rheumatoid arthritis prone sister around. A bike does not cut it for those people that are important to you (it is not always about yourself).
I will be writing on my decision and clarifying why bikes do not work all the time in all periods of a person's life in the near future-within a day or two. Then I hope people can make a better informed choice about giving up the car or not. I predict massive grumblings and complaints that what I will say might not be to other's demands that I live a certain way. Too bad.