I must apologize with two tongues. A: injecting myself into this article is crass and B: the subject is terribly played out.
Now, business.
Transportation has been a major player in the minds of humans for at least 75 years, and we would like to think we are only advancing; horse, bike, skateboard, car and hover board. I will grant us that. However, I am afraid we have become too reliant upon the automobile. I'm not humping trees and slurping soy milk, but let us examine some things before I'm completely written off.
Every advancement given to the automobile seems to be an attempt to remove us further from nature or our real setting, Mother Earth.
First, we installed windows to block out Zephyrus' gentle presence. Then there is the issue of shocks and struts and whatever else is under there. There is no need to make every minor flux in elevation recondite. I'm sure there are more complaints to be had, but let us get to a solution while the bite is still fresh.
The bicycle is the best mode of transportation. I said it, so what?
Firstly the car is one end, trying, as I said, so earnestly to pillow us from the brutal, blue planet that sustains us. Walking, then, would be the other end, placing us face to face with the elements. But honestly, walking is too damn slow. Bicycles are the golden mean!
While still being able to get somewhere in a timely fashion, they provide you with direct contact with the earth. You get each Anemoi kissing your cheeks so you know what it is to be alive. You can feel each dip and hump of her crust as the clack of your pedals take you along the path.
Riding at night is the best time to practice your appreciation for her. No longer do you rely on your eyes, because even those are unreliable. No, you must stay steadfast and drop with your tires and hope that the car at the next intersection won't be second-guessing anything. Feel, not see - there is nothing more beautiful than a night ride.
Practicality is obviously a factor to be considered, and in terms of distance there are ones that are more practical to be had in a car.
Then again, if you cannot bike somewhere, you probably should ask yourself if you really need to go there. I'll help - the answer is no.
There is also the aesthetics of the car versus the bicycle. You can own a car that is bombed out and depleted; the muffler sparks as you take your seven kids to school and some odd number of headlights work only intermittently. There is nothing wrong with a beater car, but that is what people will see it as. You can run the gamut with the quality of bicycles, though, and still get by as an acceptable member of society.
Spray paint your wheels red and let your frame rust through and I'm sure we'll still be friends because that bike is your babe, right? Cars still, and maybe even more obviously now, work as status symbols. This furthers efforts of the rich to make America a class society.
It is the bicycle that makes us think nothing of paychecks. And when we have moved past cars, it is the bicycle that will still be here, I think.
Write to Peter atpkcavanaugh@bsu.edu
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
