Perhaps times are changing for bicycles

[Hans Deventer]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0912/p01s01-ussc.html

Sounds good to me. We already have those lanes. In my daily 6 miles commute to the office, less than half a mile is on the regular road. The rest I'm on bicycle lanes.

[Belinda Y. Edwards]

hmm... i am trying to visualize an already 45 minute commute to work on a bike. Better yet - i am trying to visualize the ride home after a 12 hour shift.

The picture isn't coming too clearly. :)

[Cindi Hammons]

I'm trying to picture it in 10 degree (F) or 100 degree (F) weather.

I could sure use the exercise and would love to save gas, but it's not feasable out in the country where nothing is closer than 10 miles.

Maybe if I lived in town... In fact, we've seen several people using scooters (Vespa) around town. I'd love to use one of those.

[Belinda Y. Edwards]

Maybe if I lived in town... In fact, we've seen several people using scooters (Vespa) around town. I'd love to use one of those.

Scooters are becoming more popular here, too - but not on the highway.

i can't ride a motocycle - i am too small - -*laughs* - my legs can't touch the ground to do the kick off.

i would love to do something to save on gas.

[Ann Smith]

This is one of the problems in the U.S. So many of us live so far from work. Our whole culture is built around the automobile. It is heartening that there is some improvement in the availablity of mass transit. There is a bus system in the Kankakee area now. They started providing service to the Metra train system about a year ago. I took it to go into Chicago to a meeting Friday and Saturday. I hate the train depot, but it beats driving 45 minutes to another one.
Ann

[Hans Deventer]

This is one of the problems in the U.S. So many of us live so far from work.

Ann and others, do notice the article is about cycling inside the city of San Francisco. It is not about cycling 100 miles to commute :basic05

It is about distances that can normally be covered by cycling, but usually are not.

[Cindi Hammons]

I think it is a great idea, which should be pursued more. I think we are all just lamenting that we (me) are in a situation where that would never be possible.

[Wanda Van Winkle]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0912/p01s01-ussc.html

Sounds good to me. We already have those lanes. In my daily 6 miles commute to the office, less than half a mile is on the regular road. The rest I'm on bicycle lanes.

It IS a great idea, Hans. I rode my bike to work during comfortable weather for about a year--a couple of years ago. I didn't work up a sweat going to work, and it didn't matter in the afternoon if it were hot because I could shower when I got home. It was four and a half miles.

I have a scooter now, which doesn't provide exercise, but saves on gas. If I didn't work nights, I would probably ride my bike to this job, too. But it's downtown OKC and I get off anywhere from 1:30 to 4 a.m.

Oklahoma is notorious for horribly hot temperatures in the summer. Lawyers or regular office workers would have to be able to shower and dress when they got to work during those times. The trouble might outweigh the benefits to most people, in that case.

But we would be an overall healthier nation if we exercised more--besides reducing the air pollution.

[Wanda Van Winkle]

I'm trying to picture it in 10 degree (F) or 100 degree (F) weather.

I could sure use the exercise and would love to save gas, but it's not feasable out in the country where nothing is closer than 10 miles.

Maybe if I lived in town... In fact, we've seen several people using scooters (Vespa) around town. I'd love to use one of those.

Cindi, I LOVE my scooter! There are lots of brands beside Vespa now. My daughter's vintage Vespa has had some mechanical problems. The thing we're facing in OKC is the lack of good repair people. Nobody knows how to work on them. The "main" scooter shop is a joke. The so-called mechanics there are auto mechanics. BMW sells the new Vespa, though, and should be able to work on their own product.

The cost of my scooter, which I'm making payments on, is less than I spent in gas on my car per month. That's the only purchase I've made in the last year that I had to finance. But I could not see my money burnt up in gas, as we drive an 91 Lincoln. And I am not interested into buying a different car right now. This one works. Buying one that we could afford without financing would mean more repairs...might as well invest in payments on the scooter. We save LOTS of money!