My first fall in fall
This summer I purchased my first bike in years. It quickly became an enjoyable habit. My body became stronger and I can now bike about an hour before getting really tired (backpack and all). It’s forced me to think about climate change and my impact on society; thankful too, because I’m individually reducing carbon emissions. But I’m also open to the elements like never before, and that comes with serious risks.
It was drizzling today, and the roads were riddled with puddles and rivers. If I still had a car, I wouldn’t have thought much of it. I would’ve been isolated from the elements. Cars are protective bubbles and creature comforts. My commute into work would’ve been simple and relatively safe. Instead, I took the first fall on my bike.
Every time I hop on my bike I realize all of the variables that are working against me: my brakes might not work, a car may hit me or otherwise cause me to lose control, a tire may pop, etc. Unfortunately, I wasn’t considering the most obvious possibility this morning: pedestrians.
As I made my way to campus, I took note of my increasingly moist bum. I reached back to check, and found a nice patty of road spittle. Yes, this wasn’t one of my favorite bike rides. Nonetheless, I had no other option at this point and needed to get into work on time. My legs peddled onward.
I crossed the river and was nearly there. The light was green and I began to turn right, when a group of pedestrians crossed illegally. My brakes squealed, as I squeezed to prevent hitting one of them. Then, the bike lost traction and I completely slid off and down. My entire right side was covered in dirt and rain and ominous road schmutz.
People called out, “Are you okay?” Despite the immediate feeling of road rash, I hadn’t hit my head or broken anything. Someone picked up my coffee mug, and handed it to me. I fixed my helmet, put my mug away, and biked another 300 feet into work.
My foreign, happy reaction
But despite this inconvenience, anger, and wetness, I’m curiously happy. Even I question that feeling, “How could I be happy after a group of pedestrians caused me to slip and fall? How could I be happy sitting in wet clothing?”
Well, I’ll tell you!
When I first bought my bike, I wondered how long it would be before I was craving a car. But that feeling never came. Aside from stealing a ride with friends here and there, I haven’t driven more than a handful of times since mid-summer. Each month, I’ve been able to save an extra $300 dollars per month by not having a car (loan, gas, insurance, repairs, maintenance, etc.). Selling the car and pocketing the savings led to a reversal in my net worth, too. I’m finally in the black! And from a future standpoint, each time I take a bike or bus, I am contributing to a different carbon economy.
Dealing with winter
The seasons are changing. And now that I no longer have a car, I feel it like never before. My clothes are soaked and my body is ice cold from the spill. Work feels a bit more uncomfortable with the growing bruise engulfing my right side.
The weather will worsen. Winter in the Midwest is a horrific tragedy of gray and cold. Biking consistently through that will not be possible. While there are some buses that run through the area, the timing of interchanges may lead to severe delays and time lost. It will be a major time to question transportation and work-life balance.
No matter what happens, I’ll be sure to update you on my choices and how they affect my budget. For my bikers out there, be safe and ride on! And, read this awesome article about bike safety from Grist.org!
Are you sure that your current state of euphoria isn’t the result of hitting your head? (juuuuuuust kidding) Seriously though, I’ve heard people say that taking a taxi is still WAY cheaper than owning a car. That may get you through the winter way more comfortably than a bus and dealing with the schedules. Congrats on the bike thing. I love the whole idea of it! 🙂
Kay,
Haha! I may be… Given some time, my body aches a great deal and the fall is turning into a nice welt. So, perhaps I’m a bit less enthused now. 🙂
Thanks for your comment,
Sam
At least you seemed to have applied your brakes evenly! I once applied my front brake only and did an insane ‘stopie’ nearly throwing me head first onto a curb.
Those people should have been more kind after causing you that injury.
Will,
Ouch! Yeah, that would be trouble…
Unfortunately, the student population doesn’t really care at this intersection. They had no right of way and were not supposed to be crossing, but like any herd of sheep, if one goes, the other follow.
Sam
Well, you stayed positive after your crash. I’m not gonna lie, I’d probably have been pi$$ed off and yelled at them… but that’s just me 🙂
Kayla,
I was definitely upset and jumbled up immediately afterwards, but as soon as I biked away I tried to let it go. I’ll be more careful next time!
Sam
Glad to hear you’re OK! Mr. FW bikes to work year-round–even in the depths of Boston winters. I drove him to work a total of 2 times last winter (it was aggressively snow-hailing and I insisted he not bike 🙂 ). There are definitely ways to keep biking all winter if you want to. Mr. FW wears ski goggles and a wind-proof knit skull cap under his helmet. A wind-proof outer jacket shell is key as well.
That’s some serious dedication! I wish I had the guts to be out there in winter, but that scares me quite a bit. Haha. Not sure if I’m ready for that level of commitment! 🙂
Gosh, I’m glad that you’re okay Sam! When I was on my high school years, me and my friends went out biking and when one dog crossed the street, I almost hit that poor dog if I didn’t go in another direction and the reason I had my very first bike accident.
Biking can be tough, especially in Winter, I wish i lived in an area where the weather allowed for year-around biking. You will probably adjust to various conditions as you gain more experience. However, I don’t think I could personally give up my car totally. I prefer to cut other items to reduce spending. I guess it’s all part of our personal journey. Thanks for the article.
Hi Sam,
I read your post and would love to chat with you about a project I am working on.
My name is Brooklyn Bagwell and I’m a Casting Director at Sharp Entertainment. I’m currently casting for a new series about unexpected disaster stories. I’m looking for people that have interesting disastrous stories to share with me- from a road trip nightmare to a home renovation disaster… or even a complete wedding nightmare.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thanks, Brooklyn Bagwell