I Hate Cars
Had to take my aging auto to the doctor this morning. Apparently, windshield wipers are important–even in drought ravaged Texas–and mine don’t work. Couple of other minor issues like a burned out taillight (which is a fucking sealed unit and can’t be serviced by the owner). Oh, and there is a recall notice on the stupid transmission fluid line. So for a low, low fee of $115, the technician will troubleshoot the wiper system in order to tell me it’s not the fuzes which I already checked.
I departed the dealer in my trusty escape pod. Some people would call it a Dahon folding bike. I was amazed at the observational powers of my service representative when he asked me ”is that your bike outside?” I suppressed a couple of snarky answers and he bid me farewell with a “will give you a call” and “be careful.” More self-discipline not to spout sarcastic retorts about my risk management skills.
I eagerly anticipate the up-sell call: ”sir, we noticed that your [insert expensive component name here] is worn and needs replacing.” No doubt the fourth engine mount or some such bank emptying doodad (the other three having already been replaced over the last year).
Observations On The Ride Home
- two bright blinky white lights, a bright white headlight, a dazzling red rear blinky and an eye searing orange rain jacket are not enough to be visible
- apparently, parents and students turning into Anderson High School are not required to use their turn signals
- Dahon bikes don’t have enough steel (or other magnetic materials) to trigger the signal detectors
- huge number of cars avoid the insanity of the Parmer/Mopac intersection by using Waters Park Road
- said cars are in a big hurry
- North Walnut Creek bike trail is still not done
- I need to re-read Dante. Curious to know if this is one of the levels of hell
Open The Pod Bay Doors, Hal
Arriving home. Oops, no garage door opener. That’s on my other bike. Sigh.
1. Good luck reporting those faulty signal detectors through the city 311 site. Lately, I just get error messages.
2. Kids aren’t even required to pass a driving test much less use their signals. Besides, how can you be expected to text and signal at the same time?
3. You can bypass Waters Park by crossing Parmer at Silver Creek and taking Oak Creek to Mopac. Take dirt trail on side of Mopac north to Scofield intersection. Or, going south, look on south side of Adelphi after coming down the hill (heading east). Green gate on right leads to path that parallels Waters Park to Mopac.
4. When my car died I didn’t replace it. I found it costs less to rent one every couple of months. (The $5 you save on your utility bill by not owning a car translates to one free rental a year) Everyone’s situation is different, but it worked for us. We just rent for big out of town events and do a heavy shopping trip when we have a car. Stockpiling non perishables and just picking up fresh stuff at HEB turned out to be pretty workable – actually felt it saved us time in the long run.
5. I’m sure if cars had been around in 14th century Dante would have mentioned them. And leaf blowers.
leaf blowers…don’t get me started
Yeah, I sold my car for an electric bike four years ago and use it to go to work every day throughout the year (24 mile roundtrip). We are now a one car household and it’s great. It did take four years to offset the purchasing cost of the bike but this year I start saving at least $2500/year on car expenses… well not really because I’m getting a steel frame from a local frame builder soon but that’s a different story (so next year I start saving I guess). Oh and did I mention that I don’t need more time to get to work on this bike than in a car. I also cancelled my gym membership as it’s no longer needed
starting to wonder if I should sell my car and get a scooter ala Larry Crowne
I hope you don’t think it was rude of me to be chuckling sympathetically while I read this. Shaking my head that in bike-friendly Austin you have the same kind of *&$#^& to deal with as we do in trying-to-get-bike-friendly Fairfax County, VA. I feel your pain, and frustration.
And those driving-to-school kids/parents? Our local bike advocacy chairman asked me (parent of a hs student) why kids don’t bike to school. Part of it is that school starts so early in the morning, it’s not light enough to be safe or advisable … but my 16 year old just told me that as soon as there’s enough light in the morning, he’ll be riding. He can actually sleep later if he does.
I’d say that it is the Fifth Circle of Hell: Wrath and Sullenness
“In the swamp-like water of the river Styx, the wrathful fight each other on the surface, and the sullen lie gurgling beneath the water, withdrawn “into a black sulkiness which can find no joy in God or man or the universe.”
Looks like MoPac to me:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Stradano_Inferno_Canto_08.jpg/466px-Stradano_Inferno_Canto_08.jpg