AutoblogGreen

Rule No. 5: She should hold every 3rd. breath for one minute before exhaling. This will reduce her (CO2) emissions by 30%. She should badger everyone she meets until they follow this rule too.
Rule No. 6: No more Beans, Cauliflower, Cabbage or other “gassy” foods. This will reduce Methane and other green house gas emissions. She should start a global boycott of these foods.
Rule No. 7: No More Bleach! Enough said.
(She may be already following rule 5)
Is common sense lost? I like bikes too, but how many of us who don’t live in china can ride one to work? This kind of things turns off the main stream!

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I would have taken public transportation to Alt. Car Expo but I drove my car instead. I had been hit by a car while riding my motor scooter two weeks prior and I'm having trouble walking. I attended a lecture last spring by James Howard Kunstler and I believe I was the only one who arrived on a bicycle.
Tim, have you heard of a Stokemonkey? It is the first truly good electric bicycle. It's different in that the motor powers the crank allowing you to take full advantage of the bikes gearing. Designs that power the wheels are bunk. It also can carry an amazing amount of cargo and even a passenger. Check out the Stokemonkey site. I'm sure you'll find it intriguing.
I can totally relate to what Kate says about the social interaction that she had been missing. Another artifact of the automobile. The worst artifact is suburbia where people live too far from their jobs. As Kunstler says, eventually we'll have to abandon our investment in suburbia and make other living arrangements.

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George- Funny you mention electric bikes. I've been looking into them and they do make sense for some based on situation. Of course, like every other form of ev, the new battery tech will make a huge difference. It’s difficult in many parts of the USA as things are often so far apart. Thanks.

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Her task would be a lot easier, but a lot less dramatic, if there was a transit system in place that was actually easy to use and reasonably convenient. Something like:
http://www.unimodal.com/

For a complete rundown of new transport tech ideas, from the sensible to the silly, check out Innovative Transportation at:
http://faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans/

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#1:
Riding a bike to work is not that difficult, unless you've succumbed to suburban mentality and live far away from work, shopping, etc. Even those that would complain about the weather haven't ever tried it. Riding a bike in the winter is quite easy, if you're dressed for it. I commuted by bike for 10 years in Buffalo, NY.

In essence, it is a lifestyle choice. If you want to, you can make it work and will probably improve your quality of life in the meantime. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

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beaker- I work in outside sales. Can't bike all around town, but a PHEV-60 or EV-150 would be perfect. Just think Knight Rider's car "Kit" in Stealth Mode. Fast, sexy, stealthy, economical and very powerful. No Embarrassing Golf Carts (NEVs) Allowed! Few Americans will be caught dead in one! If we make them also affordable, the mainstream will buy them. Say... $30K/copy. We have a few candidates in the current field and mass production will bring the prices out of the "novelty" range.

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Tim,
I admit, if your job requires a lot of travel, bicycling is usually not an option, unless your clientele is within a small radius of your office.

But, many Americans have a reasonably short commute to a static office. They should consider commuting another way. By bicycling, my wife saves $100 a month in parking alone, not including wear-and-tear, gas, etc. Additionally, neither of us have to worry about the other American epidemic: obesity.

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beaker- I agree! One size does not fit all. We can kick the fossil fuel addiction. I have faith that it's only a matter of will and time.

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What do y'all think I should do come Day 80?! Advice wanted.

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When I moved out to LA from Minneapolis, my old beater died about a month after arrival. I then managed to survive the city using public transportation for nearly six months. The downsides were that I was fighting some illness almost constantly and that the Metro bus system has a very lax comprehension of the word 'schedule'. The upside was a seriously huge savings on gas, insurance, and general maintenance. It equalled thousands. Another side benefit, if you want to see it as such, is that it forced me to be less of a mindless consumer. I always had to really determine if going somewhere or buying something really made a lot of sense.

Anyway, living in LA without a car is certainly possible, you just have to become very patient.

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Hi Katie,

Get a car but use it as little as possible. Continue to use your bike as much as possible.
An electric bike such as the Stokemonkey might help with your resolve and you might find you can skip the bus altogether. Buy a small cheap car with no frills and in colors that you hate to minimize the temptation to use it. After all, you don't want to diminish your raison du celebre.

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On second thought, buy a gashog that you absolutely hate and would be totally embarrassed to be seen in and would pose an economic penalty every time you used it. How about late seventies Cadillac or Chrysler Cordova with rich Corinthean leather and illuminated opera windows?

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Katie- Follow your heart, your passion, and your honor to maintain your integrity for this is what you will ultimately take with you. Remember to remain balanced with common sense so that your stay will be more pleasant. You will know what to do on day 81.

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