Monday, February 8, 2010

Not Easy To Sort of Be Car Lite

First of all, I'd like to say that I envy those who can live a truly car-free or car-lite life. As much as I enjoy bike riding and commuting by bike, I have a long way to go before I can say that I do not need to rely on a car. Over the last couple of months, I have relied on the crutch that is my car for more often than I care to admit. There have been after work commitments, weather issues, and lately, a lingering cold that have kept me off the bike most days. The thing is, when the car is there, it is all too easy to wimp out use it. I know that without easy access to the car, I would either be riding or taking public transit. Taking public transit would add about a half hour to the commute, plus I would have about a half mile walk to the bus stop. Certainly doable when there are no other options. However, when you are already financially committed to owning a vehicle, it seems to make more sense to go ahead and use it on the days when riding not a likely option. Yes, it hurts to watch the dollars tick by when filling up with gas. And yes, it is painful to sit in traffic, especially when I see another bike commuter. I'll get back into the groove soon, but it is a drag being out of it right now.