Los Angeles escapee in San Diego seeks sanity
Fellow cyclists of the world, I salute you! I am a recent transplant to San Diego in search of sanity. Driving was a major part of my job in L.A. and for that reason, as well as many environmental and socio-political reasons, I am now a proud bicycle commuter and non-car-owner for about the last two and a half years. Several and various experiences as a driver and a cyclist have pretty much put me in an anti-car frame of mind; particularly anti-combustion-engine car. I believe people should have the right to drive cars, but oil-dependency and environmental degradation are simply prices too high to pay for such a privilege. Additionally, I am horrified at the lack of safety and courtesy in peoples' driving behavior. I just upgraded last April from a too-heavy mountain bike I had owned for ten years-plus to a carbon-fiber road bike I am loving tremendously. My final crossover challenge is to equip this new bike with cleat pedals which, I am told, I will also love. I enjoy recreational riding in addition to all the commuting that I do and am a semi-regular participant in the local Critical Mass rides which happen here once a month. Looking forward to sharing the wonderful world of cycling with all of you! BIKE ON!