Cars & Debt

Today I had a meeting with one of my international TAs at school and the conversation rolled around to staying solvent in graduate school. Coming from a country outside the U.S., she asked me if it was possible to make a living working at stores like Old Navy or Target. I told her that if you owned a car, absolutely not!

Of course I ended up yanking out Chris Balish's How to Live Well Without Owning a Car. She and her husband (and one child) live close-to-the-bone as graduate students and both work multiple jobs to stay solvent. When I told her that the average family pays over $8,000.00 per year to own a car she did not believe me. We opened up Balish's book and started tallying. She stopped counting when she hit $8,000.00 for only one of their two cars.

It was an interesting conversation and make me think about how much Car Culture has influenced people that are often struggling to make ends meet in the U.S. yet feel forced to buy into what counts for "normalcy". These two just looked at what everyone else was doing and bought into the old "but I need a car to get to my job and be a responsible adult" without thinking about the fact that in this country, your employer can require you to have a driver's license but never pay you enough to own the car they are implying you *must* have to work for them.

I am not trying to glorify or romanticize being car free or car lite, but I couldn't help but see the strain this young couple are under financially for what amounts to two depreciating assets. This just does not make sense to me.

Food for thought.

Love Scars & Handlebars

I am traveling to Atlanta next week for a conference (AAAL-American Association of Applied Linguistics--I know.....SEXY!) and found out that there is going to be this awesome event while I am there. I have to attend a few meetings and then I am OFF to visit my old stomping ground and get some major bikey love.

Bike Envy: Round II

I have been plotting and planning for a year about possibly getting another bike. My current bike (Schwinn Cross Cross) was my Mom's that she rarely rode so she gave it to me. It is reliable, pretty comfortable, fairly light, and gets the job done. I would most definitely keep this bike even if I bought a new one for certain kinds of trips, or if I was going to have to leave it in an area where there was high theft (I love this bike but it is certainly not new looking anymore).

However, I can't decide what kind of bike to get. I am drawn to the Omafiet (shown below).


This bike is heavy but classy and could carry a lot of stuff. Given my daily 7-10 mile commute roundtrip this would be doable. Dottie over at Let's Go Ride a Bike has an Oma and swears by it. The Oma has generator hub lights and an internal gears which would be nice.

However, I also am drawn to more technical bikes that are built for speed and are light. Not pure road bikes per say but hybrids that can get the job done.


It is hard to decide. I think this is why people who bike a lot, especially for commuting, have more than one bike. Or maybe I am rationalizing. :-) I do like to think that for the price of one used car, I could have several bikes at my disposal and never have to pay a dime for insurance or gas. Now I don't feel so guilty for wanting a new one. :-D

People of this Planet

Adrienne Johnson over at Change Your Life, Ride a Bike posted a great post from a quote ("Men of England") on a sort of call to arms for taking back our lives from the tyranny of the car. Here's my version:

People of this planet
you have traded your birthright
for a lie

"Speed, Sex, Freedom, Power can be YOURS" they claim
all the while covering up the pollution, obesity, ill health, congestion, and dependence that mark
the Rule of the Car

Carism must be denounced
but you must
wake up to do it!

Belief that a car is the "only way"
kills our women, men, children, pets, and planet.

People of this planet
Get in your saddle and claim your birthright-
a world not ruled by machines and fear.

Reclaim your power to be physically and mentally strong
independent
without destroying those in far away lands who can't see us
but feel our impact

Reclaim your power to be self-sufficient,
to make corporations shudder
and tremble at the sight of two wheels and
fast, fit, brazen, and whole people
riding on.

Jeff and Erin's Epic Wedding Adventure

If you have not heard about this video, you should check it out over at the Huffington Post
This post has nothing to do with cycling but is really clever and funny. This couple decided to make SURE that everyone saved the date for their impending nuptials. Jeff and Erin Wong "skipped the dainty cards most couples use and made a video. But not just any video, an awesome epic ridiculous one that takes you through as many movie genres as you can imagine with the couple starring in each. It's so well done that you can't help but love this pair and wish them a lifetime of happiness" (Huffington Post, 1-23-10).

Enjoy!

Some winter cheer

I found this great video over at Happy Healthy Long Life and it brought a smile to my face on this overcast day.

Enjoy!

Pedal-powered snowplow

I found this clever video over at Urban Simplicity and thought it was quite timely. We could use this about now!

I hate to say I have not been able to ride my bike for a bit due to travel and now a nasty head cold. Looking forward to feeling better and trying out some winter cycling (the first in my life)!