words from the ex-cyclist.

well, it's been nearly two weeks and i have not ridden my bike. i have been driving to work every day since then and i am feeling horrible. i really hate using my car so much. i see lots of people riding to work now, more so than usually, most likely because of the high gas prices. people really need this however. spending money on gas seems to be a bigger motivator than a used up planet. perhaps people would be more motivated if some economist could put a price tag on how much it's going to cost to have fresh air pumps in your house and car [most likely what ever happens with global warming...we will still drive cars]. perhaps getting a sample of the future cost of all this would motivate people to conserve.

i know that i talk from a pretty high place, but i practice from a fairly low stand, but at least i am trying...and i have been trying all my life. a lot of the problem for me is that everything takes an initial investment. solar energy wind power, hybrid cars...etc. as for me, well i really think that things are completely screwed up. i really think that these are band-aid solutions to the problem in general.

here is the problem. every city and town in this country is controlled by short sighted money hungry baboons. how can something like a strip mall become such a standard? have the buildings surround the parking lot! what a fucked up idea that is. it is everywhere however. they have become so huge, that it is very difficult to even walk from one store to the next. unless you are very ambitious and the "mall" is reasonable, most people drive from one store to the other. this concept of the strip mall has been incorporated into the huge super malls. these are the malls where we find best buy and dick's sports, circuit city....

why is it that we never see a super market next door to a best buy? or a doctor's office next to a dentist? and either of those next to a restaurant? because everything is fucked up that's why. most people never get more than two destinations from one drive. that needs to change.

i would love to be able to ride my bike to one place, get some hardware, groceries and bike parts with one trip.

anyway, this zoning needs to change, and development on these new projects needs to be flagged. it's the best way to lessen our dependencies on cars.

also, what the hell is going on with all the drive-throughs lately? don't people know the impact of idling cars? this should be the first thing to go in our societies. in my experience drive-throughs only have about a 50% chance of getting your order right to begin with... so get off your fat asses and walk inside.... no excuses.

ok, i am sufficiently fired up now.... but i have to drive into work again :( hopefully next week i can do a better job.


please comment!