Originally Posted by
LarryMelman
Yeah, yeah. You only want to hear that you're right, so of course I must be "negative" or "insulting." No, no. That won't fly.
You are making grand uninformed plans when there is absolutely no need to. This is what your father is trying to tell you. Maybe you should listen.
You said you'd never commuted by bike and have very limited biking experience. Does it really make sense to commit most of your earthly funds to biking, then? Absolutely not! You could borrow a bike for a while. Rent one if you can. Buy a used bike if you must. You might find that after one commute, that you totally hate it and will never do it again. Or you might find, like most of us, that bike commuting can be an occasional replacement for a car... but that you really do need both.
Pull your head out of the clouds and stop worrying about "taking full advantage of my youth". Whatever that even means. Use some common sense. Your father would like that.
Granted it goes without saying that the OP's parents have his best interests at heart, but as with his parents he needs to make his own mistakes and learn from them. What would he learn if he (or anyone) didn't question his parents and try things on his own?
And it's not like he's heading out to climb Everest. He's just jumping into cycle commuting. Yes, he may find that he doesn't like it, or he may find that he loves it. And is willing to accept any and all "shortcomings" that comes with it.
He may find that he enjoys it so much that he decides not to buy a car and to live carfree. As a lot of other people have also decided to do.
The bottom line is that it is his money and his life and if he decides to jump into cycle commuting with both feet, as it looks like he's getting ready to do.