Monday, June 16, 2008

Live without a car in San Diego - an experiment in low carbon output

I have sold my car, my 2003 Honda Element with AWD ABS and a CD MP3 stereo player, and seats that fold down, a car that is completely paid for. After getting the cash... and it was cash, I rode my bicycle to the bank. Riding back from the bank after depositing the money, I felt a slight sense of righteousness, of right, of green. Plus, the cheap gas station was selling regular gas for $4.59 a gallon. This is an experiment to see what the limitations are, and if the concerns of my friends and family are justified. Will life be "impossible" without a car? No, but getting to the beach will be harder.

My impressions of my first task completed riding a bike:
  • I was struck by the decibel level of the 15 as I rode over it... quite loud.
  • Actual navigation in the bike lanes was easy, but I did ride on the sidewalk a couple of times because the traffic lane seemed too close to the bike lane.
  • I think that drivers are more distracted than a decade ago.
  • I got sweaty but that felt good.
  • The round trip took 40 minutes, not bad.

Next step, attach container to bike trailer, attach bike trailer to bike and go grocery shopping.