Comments on: Why Anna is not car free: Reason #1 http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:38:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: karen http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1965 karen Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:17:09 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1965 You don't need to be car-free. I'm not. We simply don't need to let the still dominate car culture to dictate how we live. I don't want for my life to revolve around the care and feeding of a car. My husband and I live close enough to town to ride our bikes or take public transit (our route long promised and still waiting) and I made sure I found a job that did not require a car or a long commute. At the moment, there is a lot of snow on the streets and the multiuse paths are covered most of the time so bike commuting isn't necessarily practical for me or very fun but most of the year it is my choice. You don’t need to be car-free. I’m not. We simply don’t need to let the still dominate car culture to dictate how we live. I don’t want for my life to revolve around the care and feeding of a car. My husband and I live close enough to town to ride our bikes or take public transit (our route long promised and still waiting) and I made sure I found a job that did not require a car or a long commute. At the moment, there is a lot of snow on the streets and the multiuse paths are covered most of the time so bike commuting isn’t necessarily practical for me or very fun but most of the year it is my choice.

]]> By: Ann http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1962 Ann Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:43:20 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1962 I am car-lite, but not car-free. After wasting hours and hours of my life stuck on the capitol beltway in D.C. (it all probably mounted up to years if I cared to calculate it), I took early retirement and moved as far away from urban congestion as I could. I now live west of Glacier National Park. It is beautiful but rural with no mass transit and no car rentals. Most medical care requires a trip of 3 hours by vehicle. I also mainly heat with wood and buck and split my own fire wood (8 cords a year). All this means that I need a vehicle. However, I ride my bike many more miles than I drive my truck. You're doing your part so don't apologize for having and pursing your talents and creativity as a musician. We need music and art, too. I am car-lite, but not car-free. After wasting hours and hours of my life stuck on the capitol beltway in D.C. (it all probably mounted up to years if I cared to calculate it), I took early retirement and moved as far away from urban congestion as I could. I now live west of Glacier National Park. It is beautiful but rural with no mass transit and no car rentals. Most medical care requires a trip of 3 hours by vehicle. I also mainly heat with wood and buck and split my own fire wood (8 cords a year). All this means that I need a vehicle. However, I ride my bike many more miles than I drive my truck. You’re doing your part so don’t apologize for having and pursing your talents and creativity as a musician. We need music and art, too.

]]> By: Anna http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1961 Anna Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:37:05 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1961 I certainly feel like I'm in the car-lite category, but if people can survive with going car free I'm behind them too! (even if they're only going 10 mph Matt!). I probably didn't approach this post in the best way - I just wanted to point out that there are many obstacles when considering car use vs. bike use, and I feel like my situation might be a little more unique since I play all these crazy instruments. Matt, you bring up a point that is a pretty personal shortfall for me - being able to depend on other people if a need arises. I think I'm too proud when it comes to asking for help; I'm much more comfortable giving than recieving. Something to work on! And WLE, that show was actually my accordion debut. We'll see if it stays in the repertoire! I certainly feel like I’m in the car-lite category, but if people can survive with going car free I’m behind them too! (even if they’re only going 10 mph Matt!).

I probably didn’t approach this post in the best way – I just wanted to point out that there are many obstacles when considering car use vs. bike use, and I feel like my situation might be a little more unique since I play all these crazy instruments.

Matt, you bring up a point that is a pretty personal shortfall for me – being able to depend on other people if a need arises. I think I’m too proud when it comes to asking for help; I’m much more comfortable giving than recieving. Something to work on!

And WLE, that show was actually my accordion debut. We’ll see if it stays in the repertoire!

]]> By: Matt http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1960 Matt Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:20:09 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1960 You guys are behind her because she can go more than 30 mph. Eh, I'm totally guilty of using a car when it's convenient or the difference between making life easy or effing impossible. I just don't see why I should lay down thousands of dollars to own and maintain one when people who have them (like my girlfriend) already exist. I also live in a place where cycling just makes sense. and I love bikes. You guys are behind her because she can go more than 30 mph.
Eh, I’m totally guilty of using a car when it’s convenient or the difference between making life easy or effing impossible. I just don’t see why I should lay down thousands of dollars to own and maintain one when people who have them (like my girlfriend) already exist.
I also live in a place where cycling just makes sense.
and I love bikes.

]]> By: Dottie http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1958 Dottie Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:25:56 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1958 Good reason. Good reason.

]]> By: Ed W http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1956 Ed W Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:15:06 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1956 I heartily second the 'car-lite' approach. I'm fond of using a tool analogy - use the right tool for the job. So if the day's job is to haul a worried mom, daughter, and squawling cat to the vets office, I use the car. I heartily second the ‘car-lite’ approach. I’m fond of using a tool analogy – use the right tool for the job. So if the day’s job is to haul a worried mom, daughter, and squawling cat to the vets office, I use the car.

]]> By: jon caradies http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1955 jon caradies Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:13:03 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1955 You really don't need to explain... We are all behind you. Jon You really don’t need to explain… We are all behind you.
Jon

]]> By: wle http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1954 wle Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:52:56 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1954 hey i just noticed you play accordion *I* play accordion dude! though probably not the same kind i play diatonics and button chromatic C system wle hey
i just noticed
you play accordion
*I* play accordion
dude!
though probably not the same kind
i play diatonics and button chromatic C system

wle

]]> By: wle http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1953 wle Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:52:00 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1953 the self powered bike band http://www.myspace.com/gingermyninja i don;t think their music is all that interesting and you will not really generate a lot of power from a bike but here is someone playing music and touring totally car free wle the self powered bike band

http://www.myspace.com/gingermyninja

i don;t think their music is all that interesting

and you will not really generate a lot of power from a bike

but here is someone playing music and touring totally car free

wle

]]> By: Dave Reid http://bikeskirt.com/2009/12/21/why-anna-is-not-car-free-reason-1/#comment-1951 Dave Reid Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:34:02 +0000 http://bikeskirt.com/?p=1055#comment-1951 I don't think people need to try to be car-free, but car-lite. I still own my car but, between my girlfriend and I we only put about 3,000 miles on it a year. Seems to me finding a balance is better than worry about going 100% car-free. I don’t think people need to try to be car-free, but car-lite. I still own my car but, between my girlfriend and I we only put about 3,000 miles on it a year. Seems to me finding a balance is better than worry about going 100% car-free.

]]>