tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post921111512640627976..comments2023-05-22T10:42:54.046-04:00Comments on 6th or 7th: Quasi-scientific studyEthanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07498712279382078624noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post-26497729789168017972010-06-14T13:12:31.580-04:002010-06-14T13:12:31.580-04:00I hereby accuse Johnny Sunshine Jackson of being a...I hereby accuse Johnny Sunshine Jackson of being alive.JRBhttp://ladypoverty.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post-14194096282329821332010-06-13T23:58:47.229-04:002010-06-13T23:58:47.229-04:00I meant to say explicitly--thanks for writing so b...I meant to say explicitly--thanks for writing so beautifully about your own personal decisions and how they've affected your life. Great read, and I wish there was more writing out there on similar day-to-day topics that didn't veer into gushy sentimental crap.Ethanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07498712279382078624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post-82135968482857760262010-06-13T23:56:36.395-04:002010-06-13T23:56:36.395-04:00What an extraordinary waste of life.
I don't ...<i>What an extraordinary waste of life.</i><br /><br />I don't think it could be said any better than that.<br /><br /><i>I got rid of my car for several reasons both personal and political, but the two main reasons were 1.) driving a car makes me miserable and 2.) my car was going to die anyway and I can't justify being a debt slave to a new one.</i><br /><br />Same here. I ended up being a bus person. I get a lot of reading done, which is nice, and I'm genetically doomed to be a sweaty beast so biking to work is out of the question (that and the fact that I work on the other side of a river that there's only one realistic way to cross while not on a highway, and it's <i>miles</i> out of the way). I do have a bike that I'd like to start riding recreationally and for quick errands, but I have to get it fixed up first. Gotta do that, gotta do that.Ethanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07498712279382078624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post-31481690151196176062010-06-13T23:40:29.605-04:002010-06-13T23:40:29.605-04:00I have been living car-free for almost a year. My ...I have been living car-free for almost a year. My new job requires either an hour commute on the bus or an hour commute on the bicycle. Without a doubt, my time is better spent riding a bicycle.<br /><br />When comparing energy input to distance travelled, the bicycle is the most efficient means of conveyance ever invented. It certainly is not feasible for everyone to ride a bike rather than drive a car, but many people are capable and would stand to benefit by riding a bicycle as their primary means of transport. It requires a reorientation of one's expectations for the distance and amount of time required to travel, and it often means choosing carefully where one lives and works. Be that as it may, most people drive their cars short distances and as you demonstrate they often travel alone. What an extraordinary waste of life.<br /><br />I got rid of my car for several reasons both personal and political, but the two main reasons were 1.) driving a car makes me miserable and 2.) my car was going to die anyway and I can't justify being a debt slave to a new one. I invested some money in a decent bike and a trailer for running errands, seasonally appropriate clothing, etc. I acclimated myself to weather changes and prepared my dress ahead of time. Finally, after cutting down my driving and increasing my riding, I was ready to donate the car to charity and renounce that particularly heinous aspect of our petroleum-dependent culture. <br /><br />It's worked out wonderfully for me. I live in Minnesota and rode the bike through blizzards and -30F windchills this winter. I am not being sardonic when I say -- even through a bitterly cold winter -- it's been an absolute joy riding my bike. It has been a joy experiencing the seasons changing, breathing (sort of) fresh air, feeling the wind, hearing the birds sing in the morning, smelling flowering trees in the springtime. I feel my quality of life has improved immensely since renouncing the automobile. Living car-free requires more preparation, time and effort, but it's better for your physical and mental health, as well as your local and global environment. If you're able to ride a bike instead of drive, I recommend you give it a try.Johnny Sunshine Jacksonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post-14493469944588326032010-06-09T23:02:19.753-04:002010-06-09T23:02:19.753-04:00After I wrote this I found out that my bus fare is...After I wrote this I found out that my bus fare is going up next month.Ethanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07498712279382078624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8981856246989013843.post-9145770370913941482010-06-09T12:44:40.207-04:002010-06-09T12:44:40.207-04:00Salient.
We own our share of the problem, but you...Salient.<br /><br />We own our share of the problem, but you are correct. Public transit, for example, was systematically dismantled in favor of a roads-and-cars system.Jack Crowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07499087036876745723noreply@blogger.com