I've been experimenting with a new personal policy this summer. When doing business in Lakewood (i.e., getting take-out, going to the gym, going to coffehouses/bars, the bank etc...), I will either walk, ride my bike, or take a bus. Mostly I've been riding my bike as it offers the best combination of speed, convenience and cost. It is truly the last means of transportation that's on the human scale before we submit our asses, feet and vertebrae to an unfair amount of inactivity and compression.
Of course there are times when I still use the Car, but I'm really trying hard to stick to this.
Let me make this clear: This is not a ploy for self-aggrandizement(maybe just a little), nor is it meant as a subvertive way of preaching to others how they should live their lives. It is simply something I am doing for myself, for the following reasons:
1. It's great exercise. In addition to working out, I can burn several hundred extra calories per week just doing things I would do anyway.
2. It saves money on gasoline. This one is obvious. While I'm not driving hundreds of miles a week around Lakewood, it really does add up. And it just seems so damn lazy to sit on my ass in my car just to go down the street and get a movie or a beer.
3. It's clean. I don't create any emmissions, wear down the surface of the street, which always seems to need repairing. Riding a bike and walking has a very small footprint. Unless you're one of those piggish inbreeds who insist on throwing their garbage all over the sidewalk/street(this is another blog entirely).
4. There is something incredibly satisfying about earning your way. Even though I sometimes feel a little sweaty by the time I get to where I'm going, it doesn't take long to dry and I feel like I've earned my latte.
5. You see and experience WAY more. In a densely layered community like Lakewood, you really don't see much when you're driving through at 35mph(which is way too mother-f*cking fast down the side streets!!!!!!!). When you drive, it's all about getting from one point to another. Your eyes are focused on waypoints that are much farther apart. When walking or riding, I can ride down the same street every day and notice something different. Since I like looking at houses and shops, this is very appealing to me. In fact, slowing people down is crucial in areas like this because the small scale of the shops require foot traffic(or bike) which creates an intimate public space. Lakewood's streets should be about getting people in and around Lakewood instead of getting them through.
Of course every mountain has its valley.
Cars are generally oblivious to bikes on the street. I prefer riding in the street to the sidewalks(the word "walk" here should be a clue). Pedestrians, pets etc... are much safer without bicycles flying past them. But I have had a few close calls. Usually it's a matter of drivers just not seeing me, but sometimes people get impatient and will just blow past you. The key here is to follow traffic rules. Without fail. Looking out for yourself is the best defense. Of course a bike lane with a clear physical divider would solve most of these issues. But it seems that Lakewood is more content with installing pretty flower pots along its major business district. Awesome.
The roads in Lakewood are terrible. You actually need a mountain bike so that you don't bend your rims or blow out a tire. I would rather the city fix the roads then come into my backyard and get my garbage. I could take it to the treelawn like everyone else in America.
Of course there's always the ubiquitous grease on the inside of your calf. But what the hell, I'm a big fan of physical evidence.
At first, it seemed a little inconvenient. It takes a little bit longer to do some things. But only a little. I have found that your sense of time begins to adjust, and you don't notice the difference anymore.
For example:
To rent a DVD, I have about a 3 minute drive to go in a car(if I have to find parking, even longer). On my bike, about 5-6 minutes. This includes getting the bike out of the basement, the ride itself and locking it up. Not a big deal. Probably about 50-60 calories burned. My internal clock now is adjusted to this time and so when I want to go get a movie, I know it will take me "5-6 minutes".
I will be bummed out when it gets too cold and sloppy to ride. I'll have to walk and re-adjust my internal clock again. I certainly won't be able to count on the crummy public transportation in this town(a full review of the RTA is coming soon...)
In the meantime, if you have a bike, get the old gal out and put her to work...that's what she's fer.
