Why I love riding my bike

So, I am a bike junkie. I love riding my bike. I especially love the simplicity of riding a single speed road bike with only a front brake. I am very aware that one of the significant factors to why I love riding my bike is the fact that I live in sunny Southern California where the weather is significantly more pleasant than most other locations in the U.S. (including my native Oregon). One drawback of living here is the very "un-friendly toward bikers" culture here in LA. I couldn't even count the number of times I have been brushed by passing cars, honked at for riding on the road (many drivers don't understand that it is illegal for bikers to ride on the sidewalks), slammed through enormous potholes that slowly break down my wheels and joints, and directly hit by a non-observant driver (actually I can count that this only happened once - thank God!). So, not all is perfect in the happy biking world I live in.

I am in a position that I don't have to own a car because I choose to ride my bike and take public transportation. This is true even though I could cut my commute in half by driving and not have to endure the above-mentioned discomforts. I am a huge proponent for the investing in and using public transportation. There are many factors to this. I believe in better access and transportation for those who can't afford to own a car, I believe in lessening our negative impact on the environment by using forms of mass transportation and biking, I believe in the positive impact of commuting with the diverse group of people that ride public transportation, and, finally, I believe in the physical well-being that biking regularly brings to the individual.

Believe me, I'm not an anti-car person. I would really love to have a car for those longer trips, but I'm able to make due with what I have currently. I write this not to push my interest and passion on others, but to promote thought or conversation by those who dismiss other forms of transportation other than driving as ridiculous and impractical. I encourage others to use these forms of transportation if they are available instead of driving. It might be scary or uncomfortable at first, but believe me it gets better and you become very thankful for the availability. Keep this in mind the next time you travel in the city and encourage your kids and friends to try it out.