1. I’d be preaching to the choir
2. Bikes are fun, and  drama clouds that fact
3. I’m a judgmental asshole and try to keep that at bay as much as possible
4. I am actually not a good writer and have a hard time making coherent points

But that doesn’t mean I don’t stew about all of the things out there in the social sphere that impact why we and others do or don’t ride.

Friday morning while I prepared to hop on my bike and ride to work, I heard on the local NPR station (WBHM represent!) about a wreck on our most nightmarish road to town, 280. The wreck had resulted in one death and major traffic delays. It was upsetting to hear that someone had passed away (which later turned into multiple deaths), but I felt that the reason they were reporting on the wreck was primarily because it was blocking all lanes of traffic into and out of the city.

When I arrived to work I heard my co-workers speaking about how terrible the traffic was on said road from hell. I didn’t hear details of the conversation, but I’m sure it revolved around how inconvenient the incident was for them as they tried to make it into the office. I restrained myself from jumping into the conversation with unwelcome comments such as “it took me the usual 10 minutes to get to work today” or a more general “I had a great time riding my bike this morning”.

This all got me thinking about how people’s priorities are completely backwards (how did traffic become worse than death?), question for the umpteenth time why everyone wants to live in the horrible suburbs and spend an exorbitant amount of time in boxes, and contemplate why we as a society have lost our ability to discern how we want to live and to run our government for the good of all society. For example, many people I know move out of the city because they want the perceived safety and the good school system, but why can’t they take a stand and create that in the city? Why do they want to commute in a car for an hour on a good traffic day when it is completely unnecessary and unhealthy? Why are we all sheep who do what society tells us to? Questions for the ages.

While this is not specifically bike related, it does speak to a main reason why I ride. I ride because I want to live a meaningful life of integrity, and no one is going to tell me otherwise. The cars that buzz me, the friends and family that think I have a death wish, the strangers who make snide remarks, the city planners that continue to ignore that I even exist – they might upset me, but they don’t stop me for doing what I love and believe in. I wonder how many people who live the suburban life can say this.

I have hope for change; the city seems to be recognizing the great things that downtown Birmingham has to offer and new businesses and opportunities for development are popping up. We have new apartment buildings being built too, which is very exciting. I love my city, and I just wish the people around me who do nothing but gripe and complain and thus accept the status quo did as well. Take a stand! Live for the city IN the city! Don’t accept these social ills!

See what I mean about not making coherent points? Maybe what I’m saying is that everyone else’s life is shitty and mine is awesome so be more like me…which is not a very good argument for anything. Whatever, I’ll just ride on my wide open streets and appreciate what I have anyway.

Y’all this is out of control. Bike sales are increasing like crazy but cyclists are still seen as an anomaly. Because I ride a bike, people think I am fun or funny. Bike paraphernalia decorates my walls and clothes. Don’t get me wrong, I love that cycling is a bit of a sub-culture and that I feel like part of a club (a club that drinks beers and looks good); but I wonder when people will start taking cycling seriously as a way to stop this environmental and health death spiral?

I simply don’t understand the societal disconnect. If you are worried about our environment, ride a bike. If you are overweight and looking for a cheap way to get into shape, ride a bike. Broke from gas prices? Ride a damn bike. Be more than just talk; do something. I am ok with baby steps: transition to a smaller car for the family, try taking the bus once a week…just do something. Until then, quit complaining about how the big companies are ruining the world; they exist for a reason, because their product is in demand. How can we hope for lowered gas prices AND more careful drilling? Boycotting BP but still driving your SUV is not saying Damn the Man. You know how you damn the man? Stop participating in the problem. Get our of your car and on your bike (or the bus or a nice walk or the subway).

LA was freaking out over “Carmageddon“, but does anyone care when the bike lanes are blocked due to delivery trucks, sidewalk renovations or valet signs? Nearly every city has a parking requirement for business zoning, but rarely is bike parking thought of*. I don’t know the numbers, but would assume that the difference between money spent on roads and money spent on bike infrastructure is vast. Yet I see cars with anti-drilling stickers on them all the time**. I want cycling to be more than a cute hobby with t-shirts and mugs and wall hangings. I want it to be ordinary. I long for the day when this and other cycling blogs are moot because everyone does it and it is nothing special. There is hope: Ray LaHood is a big supporter of cycling and is working hard to make things happen. However, it is going to take more than that to really make a difference. People need to take cycling seriously and see it as a method of changing our world, one pedal at a time.

Until the change is mainstream, let’s keep encouraging others to get on a bike. Let’s work our hardest to make it accessible. Let’s ride like it is an ordinary thing because for most of us, it is. And that is a beautiful thing.

* Some cities, such as San Francisco are requiring bike parking and I salute them for it!

**considering I live in the heart of the Gulf oil spill, there may be a disproportionate number here.

I wish I were surprised.

I dug a little deeper into this study and looked at Table 5: State Pedestrian Fatalities and Federal Spending on Walking and Biking

Alabama did a bit better here, with 6.6% of traffic deaths that were Pedestrian (2007-2008). However, we only spend 1.4% of Total Federal Funding Spent on Pedestrian & Bicycle Projects (2005-2008), coming in at $1.80 Spending per Capita under SAFETEA-LU (2005-2008). Sigh.

2 weeks ago I returned a rental car and walked home the 2 miles from the rental company. On my way home I saw a woman with 2 small children walking the wrong way down a one way street in the road, due to a lack of sidewalks. Less than a minute later a man in a wheelchair was riding in the road as well. This is a heavily trafficked road that is an artery for the city. There are bus stops along the road, but no sidewalks or shoulder.

Saturday morning we led a bike tour of community gardens in Birmingham. 36(!) riders came out and we took to the roads. It was glorious…until our friend Katie was hit by a car who pulled out directly in front of her. Katie was not even on her radar. It was daylight, Katie was following all traffic rules, but the driver wasn’t looking for her at all so hit her straight on.

I am sure this happens everywhere, but it seems that in a city with nearly no bike infrastructure, it happens more frequently. If drivers are not made aware that cyclists are out there they don’t look. A few “Share the Road” signs would at least give the impression that cyclists are on the roads, even if there aren’t many. A sidewalk on a street connecting a poorer neighborhood to the city center, where there are jobs, should be a priority.

Birmingham, want more cyclists/pedestrians and a less car-centric culture? Make it safer. Studies have shown that more bike infrastructure raises the number of cyclists on the roads. With our poverty and obesity levels, not even touching the pollution rate, bikes on the road is what we need. Having a car is not a right, it should not be a necessity to live and work. Our city is made so that for many the other options are unsafe. Help us out. Please.

What are your thoughts? Is your city this way at all?

I have been hearing all about how How to Live Well Without Owning a Car is the foremost manual on how to live car-free no matter where you live.  I am here to tell you that it is true.  This book rocks.

It starts by laying out exactly how much car ownership is costing you, and our society as a whole.  I found that angle, as opposed to the “Save the Earth” approach, to be oddly refreshing.  Let’s be honest, most people care a hell of a lot more about their bank account than their carbon footprint.  I sold my car, so I was already rid of that cost, but was still stunned by how much a car is truly costing me.  A chapter on how to sell your car also takes the fear out of that, which I can tell you is scary.

The book then went on to list all the reasons cars are bad (pollution, road rage, global warming, unwalkability of cities, etc) in a fair and un-tedious way.  Again, refreshing and un-preachy. The next few chapters were the most helpful: how to get to work without a car.  Balish covered all the bases, talking about biking, transit, carpooling, walking, motorcycling…even in line skating!  The advice was simple and well thought out. Real like examples peppered the pages, telling of suburbanites and city dwellers who went car free for a multitude of reasons and have found success.

Balish also realizes that not everyone can do such a dramatic thing, so suggests car-lite, an idea that I think most American’s would be more likely to get behind (until they realize how awesome it is and give up their cars completely!).  A one week trial period and a weekend dry run are also suggested, making the whole thing less dauting.

Wondering how to get groceries, meds, shoes and diapers without a car?  All covered in this book that I am now calling my “non-drivers manual”.  Tips on arriving fresh and maintaining good hygeine are also a topic of discussion and I found the ideas to be right on track. Dating without a car scare you?  Check out chapter 22.

This book is a must read for anyone who is car free, thinking of going car free, has a daughter who has recently gone car free (Mom-I am looking at you!), or thinks anyone who has done it is a freak.  The stories are genuine and infectious, the ideas are helpful and realistic and the writing is engaging.  I have a feeling I will be referring to this book often in the days to come and loaning it out to friends. (Perhaps we need a copy at Bici Coop?).  A quick and helpful read to be sure.

Thanks Chris Balish, you have taken the mystique and fear out of living a car free life in a car centric culture.

he isn’t afraid to wear a little pink!

(and I have a little nibble on my car, someone is interested)

Ever since I started riding my bike, I have hated driving my car. It feels…wrong somehow. Today I was driving home and wanted to run every red light, punch the butthead behind me who rode my ass and honked, and was nervous that I would be pulled over (more on that later)

I am also a crappy car owner. A few examples of this are as follows: I don’t wash my car, I constantly let my tag expire, I wait too long to get an oil change and I hardly ever check my tire pressure. That doesn’t even talk about paying my car note on time, carrying my current insurance card and my intense hate of pumping gas. This weekend I got 2 (!) tickets, one for an expired tag, and one for having a suspended license. How do you have a suspended license when you haven’t had a ticket in over a year and you paid it? WTF?!

So, why do I have a car? Well, I thought I had to have one. I still think that my life will be more difficult if I don’t…rainy days, cold winters, Hwy 280 (if you live in Bham, you know what I mean by that), travel to visit my nephew…the list goes on. Birmingham is a city that is NOT pedestrian friendly. However, I have a friend who did not have a car for a year and did fine. She then got a Vespa for another year (maybe 2) and also survived. It can be done.

What am I saying (what AM I saying…)? I don’t want my car anymore. I found it after a car accident, which was not my fault, and I got much too nice of a car for what I need (I am such a typical American). Oh, did I mention that it has a Salvaged title? Yep, an ex-boyfriend convinced me this would be an ok idea. At the time, I assumed I would drive it until it died and the title wouldn’t be an issue, and so far it has not. However, I am considering selling it and don’t know what the market is for a 2004 Mini Cooper in fine shape, but with a Salvaged title.

In order to sell it, I need to clean it, replace the brakes (another thing I hardly ever do), change the oil, etc. Despite this, I am seriously considering giving it a shot. Maybe throwing a For Sale sign on it and waiting to see what happens. If nothing happens, I will keep it and life will go on. If I sell it, maybe I buy a cheaper car for emergencies or maybe I invest in rain gear and rent a car when I need it. For the money I am paying each month for insurance, car note and gas, I could have one sweet 2 wheeled ride AND afford to pay for a rental every now and again.

So, stay tuned. I haven’t made any decisions yet, but the wheels are turning, so to speak

Oh, and if you or anyone you know, want to buy a red Mini Cooper, let me know. Less than 50K miles, leather, sunroof, all the good shit.

Well…this Saturday was equally lovely. Ok, maybe not equally, but pretty close.

Once again, we headed over to Homewood Cycles for a Bike class. This time was level 2, bike tune-ups. Once again, it was awesome! The entire Bici crew came and we learned all sorts of stuff, including how to change a chain…which we practiced on Mick Jagger, as his chain was stretched and needed replacing. Nothing like a few hours at the Bike shop to make you excited about riding. I was reminded AGAIN of how much I love my bike shop. Walked out with a new chain and new gloves, not to mention knowledge and warm fuzzies (man, I am so cheesy!).

On to Primavera Coffee for a Bici meeting. With Prom behind us and our Community Interest meeting coming, it is time to get serious. Which we did, over delicious coffee. Starting a Non-Profit is hard work, ya’ll. 2.5 hours later, we had accomplished so much and were feeling good. Overwhelmed (maybe that was just me?), but good. Are you coming to the meeting Thursday? Because you should be. go put it on your calendar now. I’ll wait…

…Ok, now back to my story:
After the meeting, I decided to bike over to another local coffee shop to pick up something from a friend and indulge in my 4th cup of coffee. It was a nice ride, one that I had never done before. After spending an hour chit chatting and visiting, it was now 4:30 and the sun was waning. Time to try my new route home, the one I was hoping would allow me to get to work without having to drive part of the way. (Again, thanks to Homewood cycles for the route advice). I pulled on my gloves, slapped on my helmet and set off.

20 minutes later I was home, feeling triumphant!! (Then I collapsed and didn’t leave the house again for the night…)

Sunday I got up late, really late. Decided to try the new work route round trip, since I had to go into the office for a few hours. I did it! Got over the mountain and all the way to Irondale. Took 45 minutes, which adds quite a bit of time to the morning commute, but well worth it. I. am. awesome. Only had to rest once along the way! Worked and rode home. Mapped it later and it is 18 miles round trip, which is not a bad workout if I do it 3-4 times per week.

I parked my car Friday after work and did not get back into it until 10:30 last night to pick a friend up from the airport. This, despite a busy weekend of dinners, concerts, bike classes, work and coffee shops. It felt like a turning point in my ‘car-lite’ life. All in all, a great weekend.

Was your weekend lovely, internets?

ok-back to our regularly scheduled post:

Today was day one of the Pact to ride at least 3 days this week. Luckily for me, the roads were pretty empty, with most of the world having today off. Not I. It was a lovely ride, albeit a bit on the warm side (45 degrees). I spent a lot of time this weekend on Mick Jagger (my bike, who I plan to introduce you to later this week), and my legs were more tired than I expected. The ride was lovely despite all of this.

Last night I was getting ready to head to church and I had an internal struggle about how to get there. It is literally 7-10 blocks away and I normally ride, rain or shine. Yesterday, however, I was exhausted and feeling pretty crappy. I stood in my apartment, debating about what to do. Standing there I realized that I am never going to make strides in becoming car free if I continue to freely give myself the choice to drive. So, I grabbed my gloves and hauled Mick down the stairs.

Once I arrived I was so glad that I had ridden. The switch from a driver to a car-lite rider is not going to be easy, but I am determined. And last night was one tiny victory in the battle I wage with myself.

On a side note, my outfit for today is: pink tights, black knee socks, black boots, black skirt. Pink thermal shirt, grey sweater. I wore gloves, helmet (yuck) and a scarf. Was toasty the whole way.

Will report in tomorrow. Enjoy your ride.