Bicycling to work for selfish reasons
by Mark Parman 
| Mark Parman |
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The TV, radio and print media have gotten a lot of mileage lately over our high gas prices. In fact, they've shouted the near $2-a-gallon prices from the rooftops
as if we pumped our gas with our eyes closed. Even NPR did a piece on the surging costs and the collective moaning of a nation addicted to cheap gas.
Most of the stories include interviews of patrons at the gas pumps, and predictably the good citizens interviewed blamed OPEC and demanded that the government "do something about it." A couple of stories suggested ways to achieve better gas mileage such as pumping up tires to regulation pressure, not
letting your vehicle idle for more than a minute, making gradual starts and stops all obvious strategies we were taught in driver's ed. Not one story, however, suggested driving less, car pooling, riding the bus or walking. Not one suggested bicycling to work or around town.
So Bike-to-Work Week, May 16-22, comes at an appropriate time, especially since economists predict that gas prices will remain high all summer. Now more than ever bicycling to work makes economical
sense. Still, I don't think economics alone will convince auto commuters to stop driving and start pedaling. Our vehicles, at times and to certain people, seem more important than the traditional necessities: food, clothing and shelter.
Two dollars for a gallon of gas doesn't spur me on either. I don't commute for economical or political reasons. My monthly VISA card statements show me just how much gas I burn, testimony that I'm part of
the problem as well. Nor do I commute in the guise of a green eco-warrior bent on saving the world from resource depletion and foul air pollution.
After thinking about why I ride and talking to several other hard-core bicycle commuters people who tough it out through the worst of our Midwestern winters I realize that we ride for a variety of reasons. But mostly we ride for selfish reasons; for numero uno, for me-me-me-ponchita.
This is not to say that the bicycle couldn't change the world. I truly believe it would fix many of our self-induced problems: obesity, urban sprawl, pollution, dependence on foreign oil and our growing disconnection with nature.
Scott Savage, former editor of Plain magazine and organizer of the Second Luddite Conference, claims the bicycle is the most efficient (i.e. best) technology to come out of the Industrial Revolution. I concur. The
bicycle is a beautiful thing. Embraced by Americans, it could change our world.
Bicycle commuters know this. But it's the other advantages of the bicycle, the side effects let's say, that keep us pedaling. One of my colleagues rides to work each day because doing so "brings many pleasurable interactions with nature." Paul described his daily ride along the Wisconsin River, watching the last of the ice flows making their way
south, seeing the osprey perched on his nest on a river island or hearing Canada geese honking their way north. "My typical 15-minute ride as usual put me in a calm and appreciative state of mind as my workday began," he said.
Paul did recognize other positive effects of riding to work: "Needing only one car for a family of four, my keeping in pretty good shape without paying for a health-club membership and using a more appropriate share
of the world's natural resources." These effects, however, were minor compared to the benefit of being connected to nature outside the cage of an automobile.
Another friend and another Paul, a carpenter and general handyman, has a more unusual commute. Since he must haul heavy tools and materials to his job sites, he needs to drive a truck. He lives 17 miles west of Wausau, where he does most of his work. His solution is to drive his
truck to work on Monday, with his bike in back and then ride home in the afternoon, leaving his truck at the job site. The next morning, he rides back to town. Commuting for him is training for racing. I've ridden home with him on occasion and it was like a two-man time trial.
Doug, another of my colleagues at the university, has commuted for longer than either of us can remember. For years, he didn't own a car, choosing to rent one when he needed to take long trips. I thought he
rode to counteract the cigars he smokes, but I was wrong.
Bicycle commuting, he claims, is convenient, invigorating and economical. It's also exercise. "At this point in my life, it is also some of the only exercise I get. I hate to exercise for its own sake. It seems dumb and yuppie at the same time. I like to force or arrange things so that the things I do require exercise," he said. Doug also mentioned that he used a shovel instead of a snow blower and a push mower instead of
a riding mower.
In winter, Doug felt he stayed warmer riding than driving, noting that he freezes in his car until it warms up, and by then he's at the workplace. With a bicycle, parking headaches disappear as well. "In general, once you try biking and learn how to dress for it (including rain gear), using the car seems a waste," he said.
I ride because I'd rather be pedaling along out in the elements than
insulated inside my truck. When I ride, I smile. But more often than not when I drive, I find myself white-knuckling along, spikes of adrenalin shooting out from the adrenal glands, blood pressure rising, my brain boiling. All because a stoplight turned red just as I pulled up and nobody's around and I sit there fuming waiting for it to turn green. I know if I bolt a cop will coincidentally appear out of thin air and write me up. So there I sit, tapping my thumbs on the steering wheel.
When I bike to work, I ride right up to the door. Sometimes, when somebody will hold the door open for me, I ride right into the building. It's the best parking at the university my office. After work, I might pull into the convenience store for a newspaper or I might ride around the corner for a dozen bagels. Occasionally, I head downtown to the bank, or maybe over to Et Al used bookstore or the coffee shop. It's a stress-free, good plain fun way to get around town.
So don't think I'm some sort of self-righteous do-gooder. I am at times, but not when I ride my bike. I ride for selfish reasons, pure and simple.
Bike to Work Week May 16-22
For more information, contact: League of American Bicyclists
1612 K Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
bikeleague@bikeleague.org or www.bikemonth.com
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
106 E. Doty St. Suite 400
Madison, WI 53703
www.bfw.org
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