Could bicycle use stop oil wars?

[taterguy]

Suppose everyone opposed to oil wars just decided to stop driving? Or only drove when it was absolutely positively necessary? Wouldn't this allow the US to stop importing oil and treat the Middle East like it treats East Timor, ie, ignore it. What do you guys think?

[Clark2008]

1. Our country is not set up to allow for bicycle commutes for most.

First of all, as a pregnant lady, there's no way I could bike 15 miles (30 round trip) to work and back on the Interstate (and it would be more like 20/40 if I took the backroads). I couldn't do that NOT pregnant - I have to take kids to school and grandma's, etc.

Most American cities also don't have little street markets to allow us to purchase our groceries as needed - we go to the super grocery stores once a week and buy bulk. Can't put that in a bicycle.

It's a lovely dream, but our sprawl, our shopping, everything, has been built around car travel for the past 50 years. Hard to change that overnight.

[PLF]

5. eventually reality will force this change

but you're right, it won't be overnight.

[devilgrrl]

7. Perhaps soon, we'll have no other choice but to change our ways...

now won't we?

BTW, dig the dismissive attitude! Also, were do you live?

[me b zola]

15. How about a car that runs on compressed air?

A company in Europe is about to begin production of such cars. I just heard about this company this morning and so I am scrambling to learn about it. They are suppposed to get about 200 miles to the tank, only takes a few moments to refill tank, and the cars themselves are very easy on the wallet.

http://www.theaircar.com/faq.html

[Esra Star]

26. Where does the energy come from to compress the air? n/t

[chknltl]

29. Saw that car on the Discovery Channel last night.

Future Cars, part 3: "Fuel" This was the last car reviewed. The narator pointed out that this tech has a potential for perpetual motion. The tank is filled from a compressor which runs on COMPRESSED AIR. Yes of course, I too wondered what compressed the air to run the compressor...the narator never provided that detail. Still, a car which runs on compressed air is tantalizing...could you imagine if that compressed air tank was fueled by a footpump which was placed where the traditional gas peddle is now. Fred Flintstone would be so at home here.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Good idea in theory, but then how do we eat?

[taterguy]

9. Most people live within a couple miles of a grocery store

It might take an extra five or ten minutes to get there on a bike but that seems reasonable to me

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. And how does the food get to the grocery store?

We use about 17 million barrels of oil a day, and a little over 7 million goes to vehicles.

I tried to find a breakdown of how much of that 7 million is passenger car versus commercial use, but couldn't find it.

However, trains and airplanes use just over 3 mbd, and much of that is cargo transport, bringing in flowers from South America and beef from New Zealand and so on. Also it is used to ship the shelving and walls and light fixtures and coolers and freezers for the grocery stores...

A lot of fuel gets expended harvesting food and getting it to the market.

A better idea than just using one's bike to go to the grocery store would be not to buy anything out of season (no strawberries in January unless you are in California), nothing frozen, nothing from the middle of the grocery store (that is, nothing canned or boxed): buy only fresh produce, fresh meats and seafood, fresh dairy, and only that which is locally produced. And, ask Americans not to eat so goddamn much, and not to waste so much food. This paragraph will save far more oil than biking to the grocery store.

Now, clearly, bike usage will reduce fuel usage -- however, considering the few number of people who are in a position to bike to the grocery store or to work or to whatever, the impact would be marginal.

What we need is to completely rethink our cities and our urban and suburban environments so that, twenty-five years from now, bike usage is more of a reality. And we are seeing that in a lot of places, with bike paths and bike lanes being put in, even in smaller cities, and communities coming up with ways to put consumers and business closer together.

The 1950s suburban sprawl and asshole zoning regulations totally fucked this nation, and we're gonna be paying for that for a long time.

[taterguy]

23. Or we could do things that could be implemented immediately

Deciding to ride a bike instead of drive a car for this week's groceries. But that's just my opinion and I could be wrong

[Rabrrrrrr]

53. Yes, this is true - but you are clearly not reading people's posts here.

Not everyone is in a position in which they can ride their bike to pick up their groceries.

Have you ever shopped for a family? Try to ride a bike with 4 gallons of milk and 30 pounds of other groceries? When I lived in NYC, I *walked* to the grocery store, and buying groceries for two people for a week was pretty the limit of what I could carry a large backpack and a couple canvas bags.

For those who can do so, yes, it will help the environment, and help our oil addiction. But to propose bike riding from such a holier-than-thou stance as you do, as the easy catch-all solution that EVERYONE can do but which most people are, apparenrly, too fucking lazy to do (judging by your responses in this thread and over the last year or so), is quite obviously ignorant.

I don't ride my bike to pick up groceries because the grocery store is, literally, directly between me and my place of work. I pick up groceries on the way home.

Other people are too far away.

Are you taking your bags back to the store to use in your damily stops? Or are you getting new bags every time? Are you washing and reusing the produce bags? That's all plastic, and plastic is made from oil.

[RC]

39. You would have to go almost every day.

I go once a week. There is NO WAY I could carry that on a bicycle

[tammywammy]

40. I go to the grocery store on my way home from work

So it's not like I'm making a bunch of unnecessary trips throughout the week.

[PLF]

3. Yeah, I'll get right on that.

[Esra Star]

I that a swollen right testicle or what ?

[wildhorses]

4. my job is 75 miles one way UP a mountain---

i can not afford to live any closer cos the cost of living in that town is ridiculous...

i wouldn't bike it but, i would consider a horse...of course it would take a LONG time to get there either way:shrug:

[PLF]

6. It's uphill both ways ain't it?

[wildhorses]

8. bwahaha

no, that was my granpa and it was snowing, too;)

[PLF]

10. For the record, my bike is my primary source of transportation.

I've never enjoyed driving for some reason.

[taterguy]

13. You freak!

Just kidding, thanks for the support and demonstrating that it can be done

[PLF]

54. Nobody has to do anything 100% but many are indignant at even trying at all.

They think it is their right to consume as much as possible.

[cyclezealot]

34. I made a point of riding to work 1/4 of the time

I lived 26 miles from work. With two significatn hills. When traffic was backed up on the freeways, I figured it only took me like 40 minutes longer on the bike. One freeway exit might take up to 15 minutes to exit. When I got to work I was happier.
Figured I saved like 2700 miles a year on my car and like 140 gallons of gas, that did not have to be imported from the Middle East. One patriotic act I truly enjoyed.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

11. Though I'm Against Reliance On Oil, I'm More Against Riding A Bicycle To Work. Sorry.

[taterguy]

14. Why?

Genuinely curious, not trying to flame

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

16. Good Luck Gettin Me To Want To Ride A Bike 1/4 Mile, Let Alone 15 Miles. Ain't Gonna Happen.

Unless you get me a bike that I don't need to peddle, comes with heat and a stereo, just ain't gonna happen.

[taterguy]

17. I hear ya

Fresh air and exercise is nasty stuff that should be avoided at all costs :)

[PLF]

19. It's that typical American sense of entitlement.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

20. The Walk From My Car Into The Building Is Exercise Enough, Thank You.

:rofl:

[taterguy]

27. Personal decisions that lead to death and destruction are funny

I dig your warped sense of humour

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

31. Trust Me, I've Never Killed Anyone On My Way To Work...... .....Yet.

I'll let ya know if I do, ok? I just hope it doesn't turn out to be some poor schlub who was ridin their bicycle.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[taterguy]

43. The poor schlub would deserve it

He's undermining the Bush regime and needs to be terminated

[Porcupine]

45. Are you sure you're posting on the right board?

Usually we try to avoid posting in all caps.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

48. Are You Sure You Are Pal?

[hlthe2b]

12. If motor traffic were reduced to 25% or so...

Bicycle commuting might become a safe alternative in more areas-- including opening roads, highways, and boulevards now closed to non-autos.

It would be ironic if a western country pushed dramatically in this direction, at a time when China has all but abandoned its ubiquitous bicycles in favor of gas guzzling autos.

[taterguy]

25. More than 25% of drivers oppose the war

Therefore all it would take would be for them to decide "Screw it. I'm done supporting the carnage. I'll ride my bike instead of driving my car."

[hlthe2b]

32. I'd love it....

While it is only about 15 miles each way for me, the ONLY way to get through town and out to where I work in the foothills is on a highway that has no continuous access roads and non-auto traffic is prohibited.

I'd get an electric bike (until I get in better shape) and hit it, if I could (and there were less idiot SUVs on the road to run me over)

[Ignacio Upton]

21. No

Commuter rail or light rail, maybe. But bikes are not practical for the commutes that many American's have

[TahitiNut]

22. If all military personnel worldwide were required to uses bicycles alone ...

... I think it'd have a positive effect. Lots of exercise and not as able to drop bombs. Cool. :silly:

[LSK]

24. bicycle use was IMPOSSIBLE for me this month

Who would bike when its 5 degrees out?????

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

28. That's Your Typical American Sense Of Entitlement Talking.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[LSK]

33. my pregnant sister with a 3 year old in tow is going to bike to the store in 5 degrees?

:wtf:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

35. Just To Be Clear,

You know my reply was making an utter mockery of the concept, correct? :)

[LSK]

36. oh ok

Sorry.

[tammywammy]

38. Or for me in the summer

when it's 100 degrees + outside. I really don't want to be stinky and sweaty at work.

[treestar]

30. The enabling and encouraging of bicycle use would do a lot of good

cities in California build a lot of bike paths, and some even off the road.

Then give them some type of tax write off.

[Little Wing]

37. I'll be starting as soon as it stays light an extra half hour, and especially after DST change

my newest ride

[RC]

41. How do you pedal it?

[taterguy]

42. Sweet ride

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

44. It is wonderful in a perfect world, but when you have children and live in the

northeast with a variable climate, then add to that the hills we have here, it really can't be done. Also, many people in my community work in NYC which is about 1 1/4 hr. away by car.

On edit... try taking your child with 102 degree fever to the doctor by bike.

[Swamp Rat]

46. Who knows, but we could try

... or act like lazy, little weenie assholes and just ridicule the idea. ;)

[HCE SuiGeneris]

55. That is funny!

:rofl: How many guesses do I get to determine who you were referring to? :evilgrin:

[ecstatic]

47. Fast and organized rail systems... maybe... but a bike?

absolutely not. The Atlanta metro area is way too spread out for that.

[Bjornsdotter]

49. I wish we could

....and be more like this.

[StrictlyRockers]

50. Best idea I have heard!

[taught_me_patience]

51. sorry... not going to get to work all sweaty

Other problems include:

rain
stifling summer heat (Los Angeles)
winter
hills
no room for groceries
darkness (i often stay in the office until 8pm)
20 mile commute.


After a hard day of work, even if gas were $8/gal, I'd pay the $5 to get home instead of riding a bike for 1.5 hours (I currently pay $1.50 in fuel costs to get home).


taught.

[WI_DEM]

52. Be my guest, I walk 3-4 times a week to work about 3 miles each way

or take mass transit, but if people who can do it want to bike--that's great. But the reality is that many people live far away from their jobs in the suburbs and commute to the city and can't simply bike or don't have adequate bus service. And yes, too many Americans are in love with their cars and would never consider it.

[JCMach1]

56. NO, our whole freakn' society... especially architecture and infrastructure

has been built for the car. So, virtually impossible in most places.