🚀 go-pugleaf

In <l3034nINNmma@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> chased@rbbb.Eng.Sun.COM (David Chase) writes:
|First, I might as well state outright that most of the excuses people
|have for not riding bicycles around here sound like so much whining.

Very good point!  I'm glad someone came out and said that.

|Most people, if they do not exercise regularly, will get fat, so
|exercise is appropriate for most people, and many pay for the
|privilege.

Yeah--I think it's stupid how a lot of the people who insist that they
can't ride their bikes to work or whatever spend a lot of their money
and time riding stationary bicycles!!  Why not kill two birds with one
stone?

|Given that, there are some problems with bicycles that ought to at
|least be acknowledged, and maybe worked on.  Here's my list:
|
|1) Collisions with cars can kill you (cars are a given -- sorry, we
|   don't get to assume that pigs have wings, either).

Given.  But with adequate protection (mainly a good helmet) and safe
riding practices that can be minimized.  Don't ride too close to
parked cars, lest their doors open; avoide narrow, bike-lane-less
streets; follow rules of the road; use lights and reflectors, and
maybe a big orange flag so you can be seen... there are lots of
similar things you can do to improve bicycle safety.

|2) Six miles is a little much for someone who hasn't ridden a bicycle
|   in years.

Fine; start by getting a bike rack for your car and taking your bike
with you to work and spending your lunch hour pedaling (with a minimum
of time for eating, of course).  And ride on weekends.  Work up to it.
Or drive halfway to work with your bike in your car, then ride the
rest of the way.  Gradually increase the bike portion of your trip.

|3) Theft -- a bicycle has no secure place to put valuables.  In fact,
|   the bicycle itself is easily stolen.

Get panniers that can be removed and carried with a shoulder strap.
Park your bike next to bikes that look more valuable, if possible.
Use a Kryptonite lock (or two), and make sure both wheels (at least
the front wheel) are locked too.  You may want to lock your seat; that
seems to be the latest rage among bike thieves (I can't imagine why).
If you lock it in a good place and follow these precautions, it
probably won't get stolen.  And even cars can get broken into, and the
cost of a broken car window and stolen stereo can often be more than
the cost of a stolen bike; also, think of the money you've been saving
in gas and insurance by not driving!  It's not as bad as you might
think, compared to driving.

|4) If the air is very bad, or (worse) if the fennel is blooming, I get
|   a noseful of of garbage that I may regret.  (In Houston, the
|   problem was juniper).

Yeah, that's a good point.  Take allergy medication or the bus.

|5) For really long journeys, the speed is inadequate.

Allow more time.  I've gotten to the point where I don't mind an
hour-long bus or bike ride across town... for longer trips I prefer
the bus since I can read and kick back, but sometimes I ride my bike
then too...
-- 
William R Ward                          Bay View Software
VoiceMail: +1 (408) 479-4072            hermit@cats.ucsc.edu
SnailMail: 1803 Mission St. #339        hermit@cats.bitnet
           Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA      hermit@thinkum.santa-cruz.ca.us