Dateline: Now. Also 2008. Back then was my first of 3 consecutive Bike Tour Colorado bicycle event. Weeklong loop, a couple hundred attend, it's a hoot. Mentioning as '08 was the historic $5/gallon petrol in USA. I recall rolling into Telluride, talking with the other cyclists about it; how the car drivers were cranky. How our non-biker pals started asking how they also could get started in cycling. Suddenly our biking habit didn't seem so odd to them. Seemed smart. Or at least fiscally smart.
Where I live there's pickup trucks everywhere. Literally: everywhere. Many are raised up high, no idea why, it doesn't snow here, but maybe the ladies dig it. So me being me, I'll often feign interest in a truck parking in my grocery store parking lot. Easy to do, they're everywhere, as outlined earlier. I say the same line each time as I walk by: 'nice truck, thinking about getting one, how's the mileage?' They'll either reply 'not good' or a number such as 'around 15.'
I drive a car that gets 25-30 mpg. Plus, I don't drive much in general. I live a mile from the grocery store. PO box is next door. ATM out front. All this is deliberate. Small town living. Smallish anyhoots. Grew up in big city, driving all the time. Biking also but lotsa driving. Can't be avoided.
Back to the title: why I dig $5 petrol. Two reasons:
- All the pickups on the road? How many are carpenters, plumbers, hauling firewood? 10% maybe? My theory is the rest like sitting up high, good visibility, makes sense. Is that view worth $100/week?
- Bicycles suddenly seem like a good idea, at least for short trips around town. In Europe they're everywhere: errands, commuting etc. How many of your car trips are under a few miles?