cyclefreaksix

Hiya guys and gals! Just thought I'd better introduce myself: I'm in Plano Texas and a new commuter, in fact I'm very close to giving up my car altogether. Plano, I'm told, got it's name from the Spanish word for flat. Funny how un-flat a place gets when you start riding a bike. I'm a nurse (easy fellas, I'm a guy nurse) in an LTAC (Long Term Acute Care: think ventilator patients). This is a good thing AND a bad thing. Good, because I only work 3-4 days a week. Bad because I work a 12 1/2 hour shift entirely on my feet, which sometimes leaves very little go-go juice in me for the ride home.

I currently ride a K-2 Alturas that I've had for a couple of years. I bought it to help in rehabilitating a leg that got pretty mangled in a car wreck, and just never seemed to have time to ride it much. Started commuting to work recently for a number of reasons: I need to lose some weight and get in better shape, I'm sick of paying for gas, and it takes one more car off the road. My ride is about 21 miles round trip in a pretty heavily trafficed area. The trip is getting easier, the hills (elevation changes) don't seem to effect me much lately and I'm enjoying myself beyond all expectation.

It's been several weeks since I've driven a car. My wife and I had to run some errands today and I found myself in the drivers seat. It was quite disconcerting! The car felt huge and I felt oddly disconnected from the act of getting around. All in all, it was a very strange experience.

Thanks to all here for making this such a great site for information and motivation, I've been burning up this forum and absorbing as much as I can. I have much to learn...

bikinpolitico

It is amazing how grumpy you get driving or riding in a car once you make biking your primary mode of transportation. Congrats on the switch, especially in Plano.

ken cummings

Welcome. When I have been out of a car for a longish while I have to keep reminding myself not to drive on the right-hand side of the land. Couple of times I've felt the right wheels go off the shoulder.

JR97

Judging how much I space I need to park in my truck is usually my first challenge after not driving for a week or more. Backing it up doesn't seem to leave until I"ve hit a few months. I do make sure to start the thing at least a couple of times a week or my battery goes dead. But congrads on taking the plunge.

acline

Great! I've been commuting full-time and in all kinds of weather for four years now. I love it. I usually drive my car now about once a week--usually when I have to pick up something that I can't carry on my bike. My record is six weeks without driving.

cyclefreaksix

Thanks for the support and the welcome!! Why didn't I start doing this years ago??

shubonker

Because you needed inspiration or motivation. Go with the wind lassie!!

buzzman

welcome! glad to hear of someone enjoying their commute. don't even think about "why didn't I do this years ago?" you're doing it now- that's all that counts. Congrats on a good decision.