Debunking the Excuses

 I can’t think of any real reason on why I sold my car nearly seven years ago except that I found it not worth the money or energy.  I didn’t even buy a bicycle until two years later, but since then I have absolutely fallen in love. 
   When I prepare for a ride my enthusiasm is clear, but when I speak about it there seem to be two main barriers preventing people from joining me, even for a casual ride.  Logistics of riding in the city/weather and a valid safety concern about cycling in city traffic.   But the answers are as simple as patience, preparation, and practice.
    A cyclist never cycles because they are in a hurry.  The journey becomes the adventure and the destination is just a bonus.  Life calms down when you start noticing all the things around you. You realize whatever lies at your destination will still be waiting for you; meanwhile you never realized there was a historical landmark there….
   Planning a trip to run errands on a bicycle does take more preparation than running errands in a car, but if you consider that you will always be riding the scenic routes then life becomes a lot more pleasant.  If you’re running multiple errands you will need to create a circular route and go to the furthest destination first and work your way back home.  And it doesn’t matter that you’ll be cycling for over an hour to get somewhere; I’ve heard my brother say it takes him several hours to run errands in a car because of traffic.  More frequently I get to a destination faster on my bicycle while enjoying the scenery of parks and residential neighborhoods instead of a bypass or traffic jam.  As for picking up my groceries on a bicycle, I have a folding basket mounted on the back of my bike and bungee cords in my purse.  Simple as that.
    Preparing for weather isn’t really any different.  If you check the weather before you leave you can always dress for it.  Sometimes it’s easiest to layer and just stuff the warmer layers in a messenger bag as the temperature rises.  Riding to work in the rain was difficult until I invested in rain pants, but they were worth it.
  But if all of that seems too simple, cycling in traffic stops so many people from even trying.  But this isn’t much different than driving really.  In Kentucky, at least, bicycles are held to the same legal expectations as cars except they are not allowed on highways or expressways.  But riding in the slow lane, signaling before you turn, stopping at traffic lights/signs are still expected of cyclists.  The trick is to take up as much of the slow lane as you need and follow all the rules that drivers are expected to follow.  Sure you will run into complications, but those situations will sort themselves out with practice.  Drivers appreciate a predictable cyclist and you will have far less incidences than you imagine if you respect that.
  Becoming a cyclist in the city is much easier than most people expect and far more rewarding!  As long as you follow the basic principles… it’s smooth sailing!