This Curb Your Car Month post comes from Andy Brush. He’s in the IT department at Washtenaw County:
Bike Commuting: There isn’t a better time than now
If I don’t get to ride my bike to work, I have to *find* time to exercise. If I don’t get that morning snootful of fresh air, I feel much more antsy at work. Biking is good all around. It lets me know that I’m not so busy that I have to rush to work. It lets me know that taking care of myself and the planet are important to me on a daily basis. I feel good about it.
These days I commute from my home southeast Ann Arbor to where I work for Washtenaw County on Fourth Avenue downtown. It is about 3 and a half miles and takes between 15 and 20 minutes depending upon the route, my pace, and whether or not I stop and visit with people. I’m lucky because I don’t have much competition for parking my bike inside the building in stairwells or an uncluttered hallway. Parking right at my building shortens the overall commute time, since I don’t walk from a parking lot.
Ann Arbor is a great biking town and it is getting better. Things are getting better with bike lanes, but for me, the main thoroughfares aren’t as interesting as the side streets. The things that cars hate about side streets make them great for bikes: narrow roads, slower speed limits, more choices and turns.
Ann Arbor has a small town feel and you can emphasize that in your choice of bike routes. You can find many ways to get places. If you have a regular commute, you’ll find a route, or several routes, that really work for you. It just takes a little thought. You’ll find the fastest, the flattest (and easiest), the most scenic, the quietest. All it it takes is a willingness to explore. I have my fast route, and then about 7 variations of the scenic route.
Not only is biking good for you and the environment, it is good for you and the car that you leave at home. As gas approaches $4 a gallon, I haven’t really noticed. And 4 mile commute is rough on a car. And the fewer miles, the longer things last. Think about it: two oil changes a year; tires that last for 5 years or more. Leaving it home to rest is much better; a 2000 model year vehicle that feels like new. I don’t even know how much money I’m saving.
Some people think it extreme to bike to work often, regardless of the season. To me it is more about a choice and a commitment and then finding a way. If you need motivation, it isn’t hard to find. Just look around:
· Global warming. Zero emission commute.
· High fuel prices. No gas tank.
· Stress at work. Quiet side streets.
· Skyrocketing health care costs. Built in daily workout.
And with summer in the air, there isn’t a better time than now. See you on the road.
View some awesome photos of the Bike to Work Day Rally here