"think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world"

I have undoubtedly been a contributor to the current environmental crisis that the world is facing. I could count the number of times I’ve used OC Transpo on one hand and I’ve been guilty of driving just down the block to run trivial errands. But I’ve seen the error of my ways and am trying my best to make small yet significant changes in my lifestyle for the sake of the environment.

I’m being more conscious of my energy use, turning off lights and electronics when I am not using them. I’m reusing paper for notes before I recycle it. I’m hanging more of my clothes to dry, instead of putting them in the dryer (this is also because I’m too cheap to pay the coin-operated machines).

The most significant change that I’ve made is busing or biking to and from work. Due to my experience with both modes of transportation, I’ve only biked or bused from work so far – I haven’t yet mastered the timing enough to be confident I’ll arrive to work on time and sweat-free. But I’ve been carpooling (with my bike), so that’s still an improvement.

As much as I wish more people would bike or bus to work, I know that these modes of transit just will not work for everyone. And as much as I hope that everyone will feel passionate about changing our high-consumption lifestyles and lessening our dependency on oil and gas, I know that it’s an unreasonable expectation. (I also wish people would stop being fat, but that doesn’t seem to be happening either…)

I’m not a strong biker, and my legs burn a bit, but I’ve been enjoying the rides thus far. It only takes me between 30 – 40 minutes. Really, it’s saving time, because I don’t have to go for a run when I get home (after sitting in rush hour traffic for an hour). My plea is not that we all hop on our bikes; rather, I simply ask that you not run over those who are making an environmentally responsible decision by biking to and from work. Everyday I face the dilemma at Colonel By – bike path or road. I inevitably stay on the road – large groups of pedestrians and dogs on leashes make the bike path seem really treacherous. But cars are completely oblivious to the presence of bikers on the road! They hug the curb so I can’t get by when they’re stopped in traffic, or they swerve while they play with their Crackberries…

You know, I’ve heard the pleas from bikers before and was entirely unsympathetic to their cause. I know bikers can be a pain in the ass – we switch from sidewalk to road, cut in front when cars are parked on the side of the road, etc. But now I realize that bikers’ annoyances result from their having no place to ride, the annoyances are their accommodations for the poor road conditions that exist for them.

Basically, to sum up my frustrations, please look out for bikers on the road. They just want to save some gas money, do their part to save the world, and not get as fat as you fatties in your cars.