Originally Posted by bcspain
Never worked for a company that had a garage, let alone parking attendants. Must be nice.
I suppose if I drove. I work for a science museum, so we pretty much have to have on-site parking. Since it's paid parking, we need attendants.
Me, I have to park in the crappy playground bike racks by the front door that don't actually fit an adult bike and leave my ride to the whims of the marauding bands of kids. I used to have a set of fun valve covers. After they were stolen twice, I stopped replacing them. But I've gotten off easy compared with what some of my coworkers have had stolen.
I sure wish
I had secure monitored parking.
My bike won't shift or brake properly when its got that much ice on it. Granted, its not some multiple thousand dollar bike, just a poor Fuji, but the seat is still wet and cold even if I chip the ice off it.
I would almost bet that your bike is nicer than mine. This is what I ride when it's snowy out. I put a plastic bag over the saddle while I'm inside to keep it dry. I paid $130 for the bike which would have been sufficient for all but the coldest days. I like the feel of a fixed gear and wanted to be able to ride when it gets down to 0, so I built the rear wheel for $150 though I could have done it for $85, I just wanted a bomber off-road wheel too. I also didn't like the pedals, so I swapped out the plastic blocks for metal shin shredders for $25. It came with slicks which weren't any good for the weather I was planning on, so I got new tires for it for $60. For $130 you could be rolling on a bike that will serve you just fine in snowy weather. For $350 you can have the dream machine I put before you.
http://www.zweknu.org/uploads/t-0_1024.jpg
Still, in my experience, I retain control of my bicycle under conditions in which cars are sliding all over. One time last winter I even stopped on my way to work to help push a guy in a 4WD Jeep through an intersection because he was spinning out and couldn't move. Studded tires would allow me to ride on even the worst glare ice.
The "hydrogen idol" as you called it was yet another example of some suggestions that others had put forth, I was trying to make the same point you are, in that we must find other answers, new technologies, and so forth.
And I'm making the point that our lifestyle has gotten out of control and we need to think real hard about it because there are a
lot of problems that need to be solved, fuel for personal mobility is just one.
Besides all that, commuting actually constitutes a small minority of the average household's motor vehicle trips. So to raise up the specter of the uncooperative workplace doesn't really fly because there are many more trips in the day for most people.
I agree, we need to find solutions in the shortest order. I also don't care if they're bicycle-based, though I think that is a part of it. I'd much rather promote effective mass transit than bicycle transportation, but this isn't TransitForums, is it?
You claim living in higher density communities to allow for more reasonable transportation options is an extreme lifestyle. I find that ironic given that our most pressing public concerns revolve around being able to continue to live the sprawl lifestyle without putting ourselves in hock and wrecking the environment in the process.