The thing which separates humans from animals is that humans make and use tools. The thing that separates smart humans from dumb humans is that smart humans use the correct tool for the job. In this case, Yehuda, use the car.
Actually, Yehuda could easily use a trailer or Bakfiet bike with a tarp strapped on the top of it to traverse the elements with a full load. I have seen people transport their children in the pouring rain in this manner as well. I think Yehuda could transport his boxes by bike, that is, if he didn’t mind a bit of creative engineering to get all the packages secured and covered. Did you notce that Yehuda starts to become obese once he starts thinking about driving a car, as well as covered in oil in frame 3? You can transport many packages as well as children and other people in any type of weather on a bicycle, it just takes the right bicycle for the job, or some creativity on the part of the cyclist.
Yes. You “can” figure out a way to do it. But doing the task by bicycle is not necessarily the easiest, most efficient, or most cost effective way to get a job done. And I can’t see doing something the hard way, when an easier, more effective solution is at hand. Sometimes a trip is just a trip. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a (political, lifestyle, advocacy) statement all the time.
An excellent personal case-in-point: I “can” bicycle the commute to work everyday. 21 miles, one way. 1-1/2 hours each way. I’ve done it before, often, usually when I worked on Saturdays and the shop was on a short work day. However, I don’t. Why? Three hours a day in commuting time is a big reason – I’ve got better uses for my time than running the same out route back and forth for three hours. The hour-ten minutes it takes me for motorized transportation is quite enough already (no, I’m not interested in moving, I like having ten acres of woods and a mile of mtb trails in my yard). Having to extend the daily nursing aide who cares for my wife at least an hour per day (at $18/hour) to be able to bicycle commute rather than drive is out of the question. Our finances are already stretched badly enough due to Patti’s medical needs.
So, as much as I’d like to bicycle to work, I take the motorcycle instead. And on rainy days I take the (horrors!) car.
And bicycles have realistic load limits, too. One of the tasks of living in the country is your are your own trash person/recycler. Which means, every two weeks or so I uncover the pickup truck, fire it up, load the three cans of garbage plus whatever trash my bike shop puts out, and do the three mile drive to the country transfer station. Attempting to do this on a bakfiets would mean at least four trips (one per can, plus a fourth trip for “loose” garbage and recyclibles). Once again, a complete waste of time and energy. Plus, it’s a lot easier to bring the occasional bike I find at the transfer station back with me in a pickup truck. Once done, the cover goes back on the truck and it’s parked until the next time I have to haul a real load.
No, the bicycle is NOT the answer to everything. And bicycle advocacy is best served by a realistic appraisal of what is needed, and which transportation method fullfills that particular need. And the needs of someone doing the urban lifestyle, half a mile from the college campus is a lot different from someone living thirty miles in the country from the campus.
Just like ‘the right clothes for the job’ this is a case of ‘the right bike for the job’.
When I get around to it (later today?) I will have the trailer hitch on the trandem. Then we can shop together. In any weather too now we have capes!
CityCommuter said “Did you notce that Yehuda starts to become obese once he starts thinking about driving a car, as well as covered in oil in frame 3?”
Thank you for explaining that. I was wondering what the little “pop” meant, because I DIDN’T notice the fat & oil happening. Duh.
Given the performance, I’d rather just do the jump to a 150cc scooter (lived with one of those as my main commuter for three years). High (mid-60′s) gas mileage, with a comfortable speed capability of 50mph I can handle just about any road around here without being a traffic stop. Yeah, you have to have a driver’s license and motorcycle endorsement in Virginia, plus tags and insurance, but they’re all easily surmountable expectations.
I’ve learned that the effective (not maximum, of course, any of us can beat these figures) radii for each type of vehicle is: Bicycle 5-7 miles, scooter 20-22 miles, motorcycle unlimited in dry weather, automobile unlimited in bad weather. 50cc scooters and electric bicycles don’t give enough performance advantage over a regular bicycle to be worth the extra expense. This, of course, assumes the rider is healthy enough to handle the bicycle commute. I can see the use of a electric bicycle or small licenseless scooter for someone not capable of the physical exertion that a regular bicycle would demand for the distance traveled.
I commute 20 miles one way to work all the time. It lets me do two things at once. I can train and I can ciommute at the same time. Whole trip takes me about an hour and 10 -15 minutes usually so I take exception to the 7 mile thing. Sometimes the challenge of making something work is the reward. I’m with Yehuda. Why figure out a way to do it a different way? Because life the easy way is boring unless whatever you are missing is more entertaining or challenging than the alternative and in most peoples lives that is sitting in front of a tv.
A clear case of “one-size does NOT fit all.” Syke has it right – there are many transportation modes, some of which seem reprehensible to those with a different perspective, but suitable for the person with the need. The needs of urbanites are different than those living in rural areas. For our EU folks, consider that it can be more than 50 miles from my home to the dump/church/bike shop and we are fortunate to have paved roads – not all of our friends are even that blessed.
Yes, for some trips a bike is not very suitable. For some, a car is needed. But remember: we decide, individually and as a society how we live, and how we plan our cities – and if we build a dependency on far too large amounts of car traffic.
on the politics here I simply cannot pass up.
I did not drive till age 30+ I started learning then and it took me a few years to get a license. Curiously enough I had a vehicle first. At any rate, even when I had a vehicle it was a vehicle which lasted best when parked in the driveway. I never could afford a decent car. So for me the bicycle was a natural choice. Our transit system is small and cannot afford to provide the kind of service large metropolitan areas take for granted. I found myself entirely too frustrated with being an hour late if I was one minute late, and decided to rely completely on bicycles. When I had a vehicle, again it made more sense to continue with the bicycle as a primary vehicle. suddenly, however, I didn’ thave to pay a taxi to get my freshies home at -20C and I didn’t have to beg help when I had furniture and the like to haul. I had a van. A nasty old beater, true, but a sweet old character too. From there I went on to other beaters but always kept some fashion of cargo space, often removing excess seating.
These days I drive a smart car. This is a car so healthy, so efficient, and so low emissions, it takes from me 80% of the leverage I use to make myself pick up the balaclava instead of the keys. I’ve gained 50#. Oh, there’s a lot more to the weight gain including health issues beyond my responsibility, but to be sure not riding a bike makes healing and regaining fitness far more difficult!
I had a similar instance just a few hours ago, debating on doing a grocery/library run by bike or by car, with time constraints. I sucked it up and rode the bike and probably did it faster than in the car due to traffic and parking situations.
For people thinking that convenience/efficiency/time-saving is what it’s all about, sure that can be important in many situations. But if it’s just a matter of “saving time” so you can do some other leisurely activity later in the day, say, ride a bike or go to the gym, you do realize that you’re wasting an efficiency opportunity and polluting/paying more to boot, right? Ask yourself what you’re doing with all the “free time” you get from driving – maybe it’s worthwhile OR maybe you should just ride the bike. Individual mileage may vary, but you’ll never know until you ask yourself honestly.
three weeks ago i rented a car and got 5 errands done in an hour, which would have taken me a whole day with ny bike/trailer combo. Sometimes it just makes more sense.
Wow. 5 errands done in an hour in a car? That’s almost impossible here in LA. Unless all the errands are a mile away in the same shopping center, on a Tuesday at 4 am…
I’m i Fayetteville, NC. The LBS is 10 miles away and is the closest of many places I needed to get to. They’d never seen me in street clothes before that day.n
I guess there’s no middle way with Yehuda. Best he rides the bike, rather than become a fatty. I’m a bit like that. Got hit twice last year; At least they both had insurance.
Stick to your guns Yehuda! What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger!
But sugar melts when it gets wet!
@K’Tesh: Like the Black Knight in Monty Python & the Holy Grail?
I’m not dead yet!
It’s just a FLESH WOUND!
The thing which separates humans from animals is that humans make and use tools. The thing that separates smart humans from dumb humans is that smart humans use the correct tool for the job. In this case, Yehuda, use the car.
Use Thistle’s Bakfiets with trailer, Yehuda…
Another fine example of the bicycle NOT being the answer to all situations.
Actually, Yehuda could easily use a trailer or Bakfiet bike with a tarp strapped on the top of it to traverse the elements with a full load. I have seen people transport their children in the pouring rain in this manner as well. I think Yehuda could transport his boxes by bike, that is, if he didn’t mind a bit of creative engineering to get all the packages secured and covered. Did you notce that Yehuda starts to become obese once he starts thinking about driving a car, as well as covered in oil in frame 3? You can transport many packages as well as children and other people in any type of weather on a bicycle, it just takes the right bicycle for the job, or some creativity on the part of the cyclist.
Yes. You “can” figure out a way to do it. But doing the task by bicycle is not necessarily the easiest, most efficient, or most cost effective way to get a job done. And I can’t see doing something the hard way, when an easier, more effective solution is at hand. Sometimes a trip is just a trip. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a (political, lifestyle, advocacy) statement all the time.
An excellent personal case-in-point: I “can” bicycle the commute to work everyday. 21 miles, one way. 1-1/2 hours each way. I’ve done it before, often, usually when I worked on Saturdays and the shop was on a short work day. However, I don’t. Why? Three hours a day in commuting time is a big reason – I’ve got better uses for my time than running the same out route back and forth for three hours. The hour-ten minutes it takes me for motorized transportation is quite enough already (no, I’m not interested in moving, I like having ten acres of woods and a mile of mtb trails in my yard). Having to extend the daily nursing aide who cares for my wife at least an hour per day (at $18/hour) to be able to bicycle commute rather than drive is out of the question. Our finances are already stretched badly enough due to Patti’s medical needs.
So, as much as I’d like to bicycle to work, I take the motorcycle instead. And on rainy days I take the (horrors!) car.
And bicycles have realistic load limits, too. One of the tasks of living in the country is your are your own trash person/recycler. Which means, every two weeks or so I uncover the pickup truck, fire it up, load the three cans of garbage plus whatever trash my bike shop puts out, and do the three mile drive to the country transfer station. Attempting to do this on a bakfiets would mean at least four trips (one per can, plus a fourth trip for “loose” garbage and recyclibles). Once again, a complete waste of time and energy. Plus, it’s a lot easier to bring the occasional bike I find at the transfer station back with me in a pickup truck. Once done, the cover goes back on the truck and it’s parked until the next time I have to haul a real load.
No, the bicycle is NOT the answer to everything. And bicycle advocacy is best served by a realistic appraisal of what is needed, and which transportation method fullfills that particular need. And the needs of someone doing the urban lifestyle, half a mile from the college campus is a lot different from someone living thirty miles in the country from the campus.
Just like ‘the right clothes for the job’ this is a case of ‘the right bike for the job’.
When I get around to it (later today?) I will have the trailer hitch on the trandem. Then we can shop together. In any weather too now we have capes!
CityCommuter said “Did you notce that Yehuda starts to become obese once he starts thinking about driving a car, as well as covered in oil in frame 3?”
Thank you for explaining that. I was wondering what the little “pop” meant, because I DIDN’T notice the fat & oil happening. Duh.
@Syke: Perhaps an electric assist bicycle can speed you up enough to match the car transit time?
Vade retro, Satanas!
Given the performance, I’d rather just do the jump to a 150cc scooter (lived with one of those as my main commuter for three years). High (mid-60′s) gas mileage, with a comfortable speed capability of 50mph I can handle just about any road around here without being a traffic stop. Yeah, you have to have a driver’s license and motorcycle endorsement in Virginia, plus tags and insurance, but they’re all easily surmountable expectations.
I’ve learned that the effective (not maximum, of course, any of us can beat these figures) radii for each type of vehicle is: Bicycle 5-7 miles, scooter 20-22 miles, motorcycle unlimited in dry weather, automobile unlimited in bad weather. 50cc scooters and electric bicycles don’t give enough performance advantage over a regular bicycle to be worth the extra expense. This, of course, assumes the rider is healthy enough to handle the bicycle commute. I can see the use of a electric bicycle or small licenseless scooter for someone not capable of the physical exertion that a regular bicycle would demand for the distance traveled.
I commute 20 miles one way to work all the time. It lets me do two things at once. I can train and I can ciommute at the same time. Whole trip takes me about an hour and 10 -15 minutes usually so I take exception to the 7 mile thing. Sometimes the challenge of making something work is the reward. I’m with Yehuda. Why figure out a way to do it a different way? Because life the easy way is boring unless whatever you are missing is more entertaining or challenging than the alternative and in most peoples lives that is sitting in front of a tv.
I see myself in this comic. except I did way more than consider.
Nice one Rick.
Me too, and I saw my tummy in the comic, too!
A clear case of “one-size does NOT fit all.” Syke has it right – there are many transportation modes, some of which seem reprehensible to those with a different perspective, but suitable for the person with the need. The needs of urbanites are different than those living in rural areas. For our EU folks, consider that it can be more than 50 miles from my home to the dump/church/bike shop and we are fortunate to have paved roads – not all of our friends are even that blessed.
Yes, for some trips a bike is not very suitable. For some, a car is needed. But remember: we decide, individually and as a society how we live, and how we plan our cities – and if we build a dependency on far too large amounts of car traffic.
Did you not notice him getting FAT just thinking about it?
The solution is a Velomobile
I’m surprised Yehuda has not bought one of these for the shop http://www.impactlab.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/7-cargo-bike-442.png
But it sounds like he was going to try this http://bikehugger.com/images/blog/shanghai_cargo.jpg
The bakfiets can do as much as any small car, Yehuda, don’t give in! Or make joe drive you.
on the politics here I simply cannot pass up.
I did not drive till age 30+ I started learning then and it took me a few years to get a license. Curiously enough I had a vehicle first. At any rate, even when I had a vehicle it was a vehicle which lasted best when parked in the driveway. I never could afford a decent car. So for me the bicycle was a natural choice. Our transit system is small and cannot afford to provide the kind of service large metropolitan areas take for granted. I found myself entirely too frustrated with being an hour late if I was one minute late, and decided to rely completely on bicycles. When I had a vehicle, again it made more sense to continue with the bicycle as a primary vehicle. suddenly, however, I didn’ thave to pay a taxi to get my freshies home at -20C and I didn’t have to beg help when I had furniture and the like to haul. I had a van. A nasty old beater, true, but a sweet old character too. From there I went on to other beaters but always kept some fashion of cargo space, often removing excess seating.
These days I drive a smart car. This is a car so healthy, so efficient, and so low emissions, it takes from me 80% of the leverage I use to make myself pick up the balaclava instead of the keys. I’ve gained 50#. Oh, there’s a lot more to the weight gain including health issues beyond my responsibility, but to be sure not riding a bike makes healing and regaining fitness far more difficult!
I had a similar instance just a few hours ago, debating on doing a grocery/library run by bike or by car, with time constraints. I sucked it up and rode the bike and probably did it faster than in the car due to traffic and parking situations.
For people thinking that convenience/efficiency/time-saving is what it’s all about, sure that can be important in many situations. But if it’s just a matter of “saving time” so you can do some other leisurely activity later in the day, say, ride a bike or go to the gym, you do realize that you’re wasting an efficiency opportunity and polluting/paying more to boot, right? Ask yourself what you’re doing with all the “free time” you get from driving – maybe it’s worthwhile OR maybe you should just ride the bike. Individual mileage may vary, but you’ll never know until you ask yourself honestly.
three weeks ago i rented a car and got 5 errands done in an hour, which would have taken me a whole day with ny bike/trailer combo. Sometimes it just makes more sense.
He gets it!
@percheron: That’s a very good argument for car rental by the hour. U-Haul does that for vans and pickup trucks for local moving.
Wow. 5 errands done in an hour in a car? That’s almost impossible here in LA. Unless all the errands are a mile away in the same shopping center, on a Tuesday at 4 am…
I’m i Fayetteville, NC. The LBS is 10 miles away and is the closest of many places I needed to get to. They’d never seen me in street clothes before that day.n
That’s not oil, He almost went to the dark side.
I guess there’s no middle way with Yehuda. Best he rides the bike, rather than become a fatty. I’m a bit like that. Got hit twice last year; At least they both had insurance.
Please issue an alert before putting Yehuda behind the wheel. I want to stay home that day!