Happiness is the smell of fresh air
The New York Times has a story today about how more Americans are asking themselves, “do I need a car at all?” instead of assuming that a vehicle is simply a necessary part of their lives.
The headline asks, “is happiness still that new car smell?” Even if we have to get behind the wheel once in a while, I think we can agree that – NO, happiness isn’t the smell of a car, it’s the smell of fresh air.
It begs another question, which is when are cars truly necessary?
Sometimes it surprises people how much you can do on a bike or with your own two feet. So I thought it would be fun to ask everyone about something you’ve done on your bike or without a car that you used to think required a car.
I’ll go first.
Before I began biking to work, the thought of stocking up for a party at the grocery store, going to work in the pouring rain or making a big Target run by bike was not appealing.
But, as many of you know, those worries melt away pretty fast.
Last month, when we painted our dining room (sage green) we made the trip to the hardware store by bike and two of us brought back:
- 4 gallons of paint
- 3 paint brushes
- 2 drop cloths
- 1 paint roller
- 1 paint tray
- And a nifty extender for the roller (we have tall ceilings)
Now this isn’t a Christmas tree, but it is something I would have never thought to do on my bike before. So what’s something you’ve done without a car that you used to think required a 2-Ton vehicle?
Share it in the comments bellow, and if you’ve got any, post pictures to Flickr or Picasa and tag with “tcstreetsforpeople”
Comments
I thought it would be
I thought it would be impossible to go places far away on a bicycle.
I even quoted my self saying I could never do that. Only to find myself arriving there in one day.
Here is a 11 day 800 mile tour of Eastern Arizona.
Coronado Trail, Alpine Arizona 8,000 feet after climbing 10,459 feet in 70 miles.
A few things I've done on a bike
I did sell my car this year after driving it less than 1,800 miles in each of last two years (my wife still has a Honda Civic Hybrid).
The fun part is not necessarily the big or unusual loads that you plan for as much as the unexpected ones when you have to improvise carrying something without baskets, panniers or racks — two Obama lawn signs with mounts, for example. I've regularly hauled large loads of groceries, brought my clubs to the golf course, made beer and hardware store runs and taken in my iMac for service. http://picasaweb.google.com/Charlieqmn/Tcstreetsforpeople#
Sometimes the fun is hauling yourself through a blizzard or... Just this week, I had a cross-metro meeting at 8:30 and since the weather had been so lousy, I checked the bus schedule as a backup plan. The next morning, I decided to ride in, and got there 30 minutes earlier than the bus would have.