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I live about two miles from my office. I drive there most of the time. I should bike more, but I saw someone on a bike get hit two years ago, and it really frea

I live about two miles from my office. I drive there most of the time. I should bike more, but I saw someone on a bike get hit two years ago, and it really freaked me out. I figure I'm better off driving. So not only is he needlessly adding to global CO2, but also to the number of cars on the road. A shame. 2 miles from the office is less than 10 minutes by bike...

dabeeeenster 17y ago
Why am I getting modded down for this? DRIVING TWO MILES TO WORK! That's insane...
- xal 17y ago
  because many people drive their car for less then a quarter of that.
  - dabeeeenster 17y ago
    What's crazy is that it's not rational at all. Has he never witnessed a serious car accident? He is no doubt aware of the local and global environmental impact of doing something as selfish as driving two miles to work and back most days, and yet I get modded down for pointing this out. Talk about cognitive dissonance...
    - dannyr 17y ago
      Which accident would you most likely survive? Get hit in a car or get hit on a bike?
      - ciupicri 17y ago
        And which accident is more likely probable? I think that everything should be taken into consideration.
    - caffeine 17y ago
      Well at this point I think you're just getting -'d for whining about being -'d ... Be that as it may - I'm not certain what the mortality statistics are on cars vs bikes. I would prefer to avoid accidents in either modality. I found it uncharitable of you to attack Fried after he admitted what is a personal (and yes, perhaps irrational) reason for avoiding cycling to work. Rather than lambasting the man, you could have proposed alternative solutions that would accommodate his instinct for personal survival and your concern for the larger biosphere. For example, filling up an efficient car with co-workers and/or using public transportation are ways in which to travel on four or more wheels while minimizing emissions, no?
    - burnout1540 17y ago
      I'm downvoting you because driving a car 2 miles to work every day really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It especially isn't worth criticizing when global warming isn't the topic. It seems as though every eco-nut focuses on the greenhouse effect of transportation and ignores every other source. For instance, do you eat meat? If you do, then you're responsible for more greenhouse gases than the typical car driver. Do you have kids? If yes, then shame on you! Think about the effect those kids will have on the planet!
- axod 17y ago
  Because you're not adding to the conversation, and taking a radical political viewpoint that is really offtopic anyway.
  - dabeeeenster 17y ago
    Asking someone not to drive 2 miles to work everyday is a "radical political viewpoint"? Are you serious? Where do you live? Saudi Arabia?
    - dannyr 17y ago
      Jason gave his reason why he doesn't bike to work in the article. It's not like "I prefer driving because I want to contribute to global warming and increase our dependence on foreign oil." Have you taken into account what kind of traffic he probably would get into when riding a bike? I live in San Francisco and I would like to bike everywhere I go. I actually hate driving or riding the bus. But there are too many cars in the city that I'm afraid I'm gonna get hit. I used to bike to work when I was living in San Diego but it's because the roads I took didn't have many cars in them.
      - davidw 17y ago
        There's some sad game theory (?) at work here that leads people to 1) drive cars because cyclists get maimed by car drivers 2) then bigger cars because smaller cars get wrecked and 3) finally humvees. Ultimately, it's probably a bit of a loss for everyone.
      - stephencelis 17y ago
        I live in his general neighborhood and used to work down the street from him. The roads in the area have been on and off messes the past few years (littered with potholes and generally torn up), but they're improving, and his general commute is full of bike-laned roads if you know the lay of the land. I'd recommend biking if he can get over the accident he witnessed. It's almost always quicker than driving in the city and can be surprisingly less stressful.
    - 17y ago
zackattack 17y ago
You're a hypocrite, and you're playing a part. "Look at me, look at me. I'm an environmentalist! I'm a good and unselfish person!" But really, you're just looking for an excuse to lash out at someone. I know this because I do it all the time. Did you know that the #1 reason people buy Priuses is because they like to distinguish themselves as "environmentalists"? If you Really cared about the environment, you would work hard to actually accomplish some change, instead of wasting your time ridiculing someone over the internet. I don't care about helping the environment right now. And I enjoy ridiculing people on the internet. At least I'm honest.
- dabeeeenster 17y ago
  I don't quite see where I 'lashed out'. I merely said it was a shame. I never professed to being an environmentalist, I just thought it was a shame that someone with a 2 mile journey to work is unable to feel like they can use an appropriate form of transport. If anything, I am making a comment about the city he is living in and the facilities, or lack of facilities, that it provides. I do work relatively hard to accomplish change. I cycle over an hour a day to and from work. But then I'm talking to someone who 'doesn't care about helping the environment right now' which makes me very, very sad to think someone can feel like that. I feel sorry for you.
run4yourlives 17y ago
You do realize that if he only lives 2 miles from work, he's still driving a hell of a lot less than the average American? So, how long is your commute?
- dabeeeenster 17y ago
  I cycle to and from work, in London, 14 miles a day round trip. If it's driving rain I take the train. Keeps me fit, costs me nothing and I get to the office feeling great. It's quicker than any other mode of transport save for maybe a motorbike. Almost carbon neutral, other than the production cost for the bike I suppose.
  - ido 17y ago
    And I guess the energy used to grow the extra food you consume by doing more physical activity.
  - run4yourlives 17y ago
    My point is that although Jason is not a shining beacon of sustainable living such as yourself, by living close to his workplace - and often working from home - he is not exactly the raging consumer of carbon resources that you make him out to be.
  - petercooper 17y ago
    I wonder how much energy is being consumed in providing you with a shower when you get to work. I mean.. you are showering after a 7 mile bike ride.. right? ;-)

dabeeeenster 17y ago

Why am I getting modded down for this? DRIVING TWO MILES TO WORK! That's insane...

xal 17y ago
because many people drive their car for less then a quarter of that.
- dabeeeenster 17y ago
  What's crazy is that it's not rational at all. Has he never witnessed a serious car accident? He is no doubt aware of the local and global environmental impact of doing something as selfish as driving two miles to work and back most days, and yet I get modded down for pointing this out. Talk about cognitive dissonance...
  - dannyr 17y ago
    Which accident would you most likely survive? Get hit in a car or get hit on a bike?
    - ciupicri 17y ago
      And which accident is more likely probable? I think that everything should be taken into consideration.
  - caffeine 17y ago
    Well at this point I think you're just getting -'d for whining about being -'d ... Be that as it may - I'm not certain what the mortality statistics are on cars vs bikes. I would prefer to avoid accidents in either modality. I found it uncharitable of you to attack Fried after he admitted what is a personal (and yes, perhaps irrational) reason for avoiding cycling to work. Rather than lambasting the man, you could have proposed alternative solutions that would accommodate his instinct for personal survival and your concern for the larger biosphere. For example, filling up an efficient car with co-workers and/or using public transportation are ways in which to travel on four or more wheels while minimizing emissions, no?
  - burnout1540 17y ago
    I'm downvoting you because driving a car 2 miles to work every day really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It especially isn't worth criticizing when global warming isn't the topic. It seems as though every eco-nut focuses on the greenhouse effect of transportation and ignores every other source. For instance, do you eat meat? If you do, then you're responsible for more greenhouse gases than the typical car driver. Do you have kids? If yes, then shame on you! Think about the effect those kids will have on the planet!
axod 17y ago
Because you're not adding to the conversation, and taking a radical political viewpoint that is really offtopic anyway.
- dabeeeenster 17y ago
  Asking someone not to drive 2 miles to work everyday is a "radical political viewpoint"? Are you serious? Where do you live? Saudi Arabia?
  - dannyr 17y ago
    Jason gave his reason why he doesn't bike to work in the article. It's not like "I prefer driving because I want to contribute to global warming and increase our dependence on foreign oil." Have you taken into account what kind of traffic he probably would get into when riding a bike? I live in San Francisco and I would like to bike everywhere I go. I actually hate driving or riding the bus. But there are too many cars in the city that I'm afraid I'm gonna get hit. I used to bike to work when I was living in San Diego but it's because the roads I took didn't have many cars in them.
    - davidw 17y ago
      There's some sad game theory (?) at work here that leads people to 1) drive cars because cyclists get maimed by car drivers 2) then bigger cars because smaller cars get wrecked and 3) finally humvees. Ultimately, it's probably a bit of a loss for everyone.
    - stephencelis 17y ago
      I live in his general neighborhood and used to work down the street from him. The roads in the area have been on and off messes the past few years (littered with potholes and generally torn up), but they're improving, and his general commute is full of bike-laned roads if you know the lay of the land. I'd recommend biking if he can get over the accident he witnessed. It's almost always quicker than driving in the city and can be surprisingly less stressful.
  - 17y ago

zackattack 17y ago

You're a hypocrite, and you're playing a part. "Look at me, look at me. I'm an environmentalist! I'm a good and unselfish person!" But really, you're just looking for an excuse to lash out at someone. I know this because I do it all the time. Did you know that the #1 reason people buy Priuses is because they like to distinguish themselves as "environmentalists"? If you Really cared about the environment, you would work hard to actually accomplish some change, instead of wasting your time ridiculing someone over the internet. I don't care about helping the environment right now. And I enjoy ridiculing people on the internet. At least I'm honest.

dabeeeenster 17y ago
I don't quite see where I 'lashed out'. I merely said it was a shame. I never professed to being an environmentalist, I just thought it was a shame that someone with a 2 mile journey to work is unable to feel like they can use an appropriate form of transport. If anything, I am making a comment about the city he is living in and the facilities, or lack of facilities, that it provides. I do work relatively hard to accomplish change. I cycle over an hour a day to and from work. But then I'm talking to someone who 'doesn't care about helping the environment right now' which makes me very, very sad to think someone can feel like that. I feel sorry for you.

run4yourlives 17y ago

You do realize that if he only lives 2 miles from work, he's still driving a hell of a lot less than the average American? So, how long is your commute?

dabeeeenster 17y ago
I cycle to and from work, in London, 14 miles a day round trip. If it's driving rain I take the train. Keeps me fit, costs me nothing and I get to the office feeling great. It's quicker than any other mode of transport save for maybe a motorbike. Almost carbon neutral, other than the production cost for the bike I suppose.
- ido 17y ago
  And I guess the energy used to grow the extra food you consume by doing more physical activity.
- run4yourlives 17y ago
  My point is that although Jason is not a shining beacon of sustainable living such as yourself, by living close to his workplace - and often working from home - he is not exactly the raging consumer of carbon resources that you make him out to be.
- petercooper 17y ago
  I wonder how much energy is being consumed in providing you with a shower when you get to work. I mean.. you are showering after a 7 mile bike ride.. right? ;-)