The Myth of the Open Road
I bike pretty much everywhere in the city these days. But I also have a driver’s license and 16 years of driving experience. And occasionally I still drive. Like the other day I ended up driving across town to run an errand. Now, if you live anywhere near a city, you know that the driving experience is not exactly as advertised:
It’s a little bit more like this:
Which is not a good advertisement for cars. But this is exactly what I found myself driving in.
After my errand, I decided I wanted to stay out. I was hungry and there are great restaurants downtown. And some shops too. (I know, because I discovered them all by bike.) But in a car, I realized that I couldn’t casually go to any of them. I was trapped…
…and had to pass them by. It was like I was carrying the weight of the car rather than it carrying me. And I was tired. So I went straight home instead. Cars are useful, but driving in a city is kind of like trying to thread a needle while wearing a boxing glove.
All too often I have a tendency to raise my middle finger whenever a passing motorist honks or yells at me while I’m riding down the street. Two weeks ago,it was, “Hey! Get off the Street!” from an obese woman who barely managed to put down her Big Gulp while she laid on her horn.
Instead of responding with anger, I must remember to feel pity for those poor bastards trapped in their steel coffins, swimming in Big Mac wrappers and doughnut crumbs.
This is a pretty neat way of expressing the difference I feel when I’m on my bike as opposed to when I am in my car.
On my bike I am much more interactive with the environment. Frequently I see people on the street so I stop and chat to them – in a car all I would be able to do is toot my horn. I feel the rain, the sun, and the wind and I feel more in tune with the wider world.
Thanks for bringing to light this difference.
Cheers
Christopher.
This is sure true for me, at least for Cambridge and Somerville. I hate looking for a place to park.
We’ll be threading needles with boxing gloves on 11 December in London on our Drive to Work Day. Wish us well as we whizz around town 🙂 http://drivetoworkday.org/
http://www.facebook.com/events/183756741759682/
I like this! We Americans can have a Drive to Work In Our Battle Tank Day!