In a town as small and flat as Darwin I can get around pretty effectively on my bike. A bicycle requires a little effort, enough to keep my metabolism ticking over. Lately I haven't been riding fast so it's not exactly keeping me fit, but it does burn a few extra calories.
Other reasons I commute by bicycle are ethical, lower emissions, and financial.... do I need to explain? Not running a car makes my life much more manageable.
For the last two weeks while my boss has been away, I've had access to and have been using a luxury, large body, large engine sedan! Toyota Aurion. Front and rear air conditioning, awesome stereo with a lot of bass! (I have listened to Dire Straits 'Love Over Gold' on loop for two weeks solid pumped to the max and still not tired of it!).
Rear reverse camera, some weird key, that's not a key the car actually unlocks itself if you have the electro gizmo in your pocket. Completely adjustable seats... and so much more. A complete extravagance!
I know this may seem out of sync with my values... But I'm not here to be a model of strict adherence to an ideology. While my regular program of 30km pre dawn ride was interrupted by having the vehicle it also presented new opportunities. I have used the car to get down to Nightcliff foreshore for run, swim and a coffee before work. It's been awesome! But now it is over. The car has been returned.
Last night I plonked the folding bike into the boot, reality strikes. Of course I am a little relieved to be returning to my usual modes but I realize there are some odd benefits to having a car. Particularly a large one.
What I learned is that when you're cruising along in a fancy automobile, you can totally dissociate from the world outside. In a car like this you can really feel cocooned in an impenetrable fortress. Tinted windows protect you from prying eyes, soundproofing and good stereo Block all outside noises, air conditioner eliminates reality of climatic conditions outside the steel shell. Peace seems much easier to achieve when immersed in so much comfort. You can look outside and see people struggling to get on or off the bus with baby prams or shopping, in 35° heat and wonder how they manage to get so stressed out. Seriously, don't they appreciate how wonderful life is?
During a busy week at work I am usually stuck at my desk, if there's an event or if friends want to meet for lunch I am likely to decline because to ride my bike any distance at all results in complete saturation from sweat and usually I would have about 20 minutes of usable time between travelling to and from venue. It's just not practical to venture too far from the office with a bike. Having the car on the other hand, means I can blitz it and get back to work as fresh as a daisy.
There are plenty of other benefits too, like getting cold items from shop home before they melt, picking up the kids from friends or school, etc... people actually show respect on the road when you're in a bigger car. People generally pay more attention to you and hold you in higher regard when you step out of a luxury sedan as opposed to getting off a rusty old bike stinking like a cattle yard and sweating like a horse. People are shallow.
On the down side, this abomination of machine sucks so much fuel it's embarrassing! As an office car these things are completely unjustifiable. The people I work for are not supposed to be in the business of big noting themselves. Yet they drive these abominable vehicles that absolutely scream excess! The car is a status symbol. But the status they symbolize is in complete contradiction of the values the organization claims. (Me too, yes I too am a bloody hypocrite)
So I gave the car back this morning, pulled my trusty folding bike out of the boot and proceeded to peddle home along the bike path, through the parks in the sun and covered in sweat. God bless the bicycle.
I will not be waiting for the next opportunity but I will take it when it comes. Gotta experience what I can. ;)
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