Bill Nye's City of the Future
- Thread starter Rattrap
- Start date
PlasmaTwa2
The Second-Hottest Man in my Mother's Basement
If the club can handle you when they start chanting "BILL BILL BILL BILL" you're a failure at life.
Bill rocks w/Mudhoney!!
Bill's got his head in the right place.
Bill's got his head in the right place.
...he sounds somewhat stoned in this; however he does make a good point about the some of the cost effectiveness of a bike road vs a real road. I still don't think it will ever happen though. There are people like myself who have to commute at least 24 miles everyday, often time carrying too much stuff for public transportation.
It is nice to conceptualize these things though.
It is nice to conceptualize these things though.
So much truth in this video.
My bike is my only mode of transportation, besides shit city transit, and I hate having to lock my bike up on a stop sign, or pipes beside the building because there is nothing else. It's ridiculous.
These 'protection' tunnels are a cool idea, but the elements is something cyclists will have to deal with forever.
My bike is my only mode of transportation, besides shit city transit, and I hate having to lock my bike up on a stop sign, or pipes beside the building because there is nothing else. It's ridiculous.
These 'protection' tunnels are a cool idea, but the elements is something cyclists will have to deal with forever.
LeyaFalcon
Official Checked Star Member
Bill nye the science guy!! I had a crush on him when I was a kid...kidnapped
Some of the typical excuses for not cycling:
There's no place to park.
If you have to lock your bike out on the street you can pair a U-lock with a chain and padlock. Your bike will be unattractive to thieves because they'll need several tools to break the lock combo. But first, make sure there really isn't a secure indoor location you can use. Your employer may have a closet or storeroom that fits the bill.
I don't want to be sweaty at work.
The sweat factor is generally overrated. If you shower before leaving, you should be fine. If there are no showers available at your workplace, keep baby wipes and deodorant at work to freshen up if you need to.
It takes too much time.
Depending on the length of the trip, your bike commute could actually save you time. Transportation groups have done studies that show commuting by bike to work under 3 miles is actually faster than by car. Trips of 5 to 7 miles take about the same time as driving. And keep in mind that your commute counts as exercise, freeing up time in the evenings and weekends for other things.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/london-calling
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/07/16/cyclists-in-burbank-beat-jetblue-to-long-beach/
My commute is too far.
For those with long commutes that involve stretches of highway, consider a partial bike-commute plan. One way to break up a "too long" commute (15 miles or more each way): You can cut the commute in half by driving to work one morning with your bike, then riding home. (That's how I began when I lived way out in the cuntry.) The next day, ride your bike to work and at the end of the day put your bike in the car and drive home. Repeat as often as you like.
It will wrinkle my clothes.
Many travelers say rolling is good—roll up your clothes instead of folding them, and they'll be less wrinkled. If that doesn't work, drive your clothes to work once a week and store them in your office, and they'll be ready for you to step into when you arrive in the morning. (I used to do this, drive in Monday am with clothes for a few days, ride home & grab my car mid-week to re-supply - I had safe parking on campus)
I need my car to get groceries & run errands.
If you can't save your errands for the days when you drive in, put your bike in the car and drive to a nearby grocery store in the morning, then ride to work. When you ride back at the end of the day, you'll have your car there to bring home your groceries. Or buy panniers that attach to the bike rack. You'd be surprised how much these can hold. When you arrive at the grocery store, take the panniers in with you and load your groceries directly into them at the checkout to save on plastic/paper bags. Or....
http://surlybikes.com/bikes/big_dummy
http://www.xtracycle.com/
Each of these excuses can easily be translated as, "Waaaahhhh"
There's no place to park.
If you have to lock your bike out on the street you can pair a U-lock with a chain and padlock. Your bike will be unattractive to thieves because they'll need several tools to break the lock combo. But first, make sure there really isn't a secure indoor location you can use. Your employer may have a closet or storeroom that fits the bill.
I don't want to be sweaty at work.
The sweat factor is generally overrated. If you shower before leaving, you should be fine. If there are no showers available at your workplace, keep baby wipes and deodorant at work to freshen up if you need to.
It takes too much time.
Depending on the length of the trip, your bike commute could actually save you time. Transportation groups have done studies that show commuting by bike to work under 3 miles is actually faster than by car. Trips of 5 to 7 miles take about the same time as driving. And keep in mind that your commute counts as exercise, freeing up time in the evenings and weekends for other things.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/london-calling
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/07/16/cyclists-in-burbank-beat-jetblue-to-long-beach/
My commute is too far.
For those with long commutes that involve stretches of highway, consider a partial bike-commute plan. One way to break up a "too long" commute (15 miles or more each way): You can cut the commute in half by driving to work one morning with your bike, then riding home. (That's how I began when I lived way out in the cuntry.) The next day, ride your bike to work and at the end of the day put your bike in the car and drive home. Repeat as often as you like.
It will wrinkle my clothes.
Many travelers say rolling is good—roll up your clothes instead of folding them, and they'll be less wrinkled. If that doesn't work, drive your clothes to work once a week and store them in your office, and they'll be ready for you to step into when you arrive in the morning. (I used to do this, drive in Monday am with clothes for a few days, ride home & grab my car mid-week to re-supply - I had safe parking on campus)
I need my car to get groceries & run errands.
If you can't save your errands for the days when you drive in, put your bike in the car and drive to a nearby grocery store in the morning, then ride to work. When you ride back at the end of the day, you'll have your car there to bring home your groceries. Or buy panniers that attach to the bike rack. You'd be surprised how much these can hold. When you arrive at the grocery store, take the panniers in with you and load your groceries directly into them at the checkout to save on plastic/paper bags. Or....
http://surlybikes.com/bikes/big_dummy
http://www.xtracycle.com/
Each of these excuses can easily be translated as, "Waaaahhhh"
Mr. Daystar
In a bell tower, watching you through cross hairs.
I used to watch this guys show baked out of my skull. It was such a blast.
You forgot one thing that can make a bike a bad choice. It's way too easy for somebody to steal it. At least with a car it takes somebody with a little bit of know how, specialized (even if sometimes crude) tools, and time to do it. With a bike just about any idiot with bolt cutters and five seconds to spare can take it away.
It's also dangerous to bike in a lot of places. Where I'm at not only is there no dedicated bike paths or even real shoulders on the road but it's rural and there is no lighting. Combined that with the hills and a car will be practically on top of you without the person driving the car even knowing it, and that somehow assumes the bike rider can get around almost completely in the dark on moonless nights.
You forgot one thing that can make a bike a bad choice. It's way too easy for somebody to steal it. At least with a car it takes somebody with a little bit of know how, specialized (even if sometimes crude) tools, and time to do it. With a bike just about any idiot with bolt cutters and five seconds to spare can take it away.
It's also dangerous to bike in a lot of places. Where I'm at not only is there no dedicated bike paths or even real shoulders on the road but it's rural and there is no lighting. Combined that with the hills and a car will be practically on top of you without the person driving the car even knowing it, and that somehow assumes the bike rider can get around almost completely in the dark on moonless nights.
^ I agree, there is only 1 thing that makes biking dangerous, inattentive morons driving cars.
As for traveling at night, you ever of headlights, I believe cars use'em as well.
As for traveling at night, you ever of headlights, I believe cars use'em as well.
No flying cars? 
Made for Mexico, but the same goes worldwide.
Rattrap
Doesn't feed trolls and would appreciate it if you
Some of that is spot on (emphasis added):
Key.
Seems pretty straightforward to me.
Of course, when we talk about the USA, there are exceptions - many, in fact. There are large rural areas and vast distances between places as of yet unbridged by useful alternatives. Some cities don't have great alternative infrastructure. That, with pressure, can and should and eventually, one way or the other (automobiles simply aren't sustainable) will change - the question is how soon and how comfortable that change will be. Though even now, in any city with a half-decent public transportation system you don't need a car. And man, could you imagine if there was some political will to build high-speed rail lines?
Unfortunately I don't see any of that happening until gas really becomes unaffordable and then the changes will be a painful catching up instead of a thoughtful planning ahead. It's one of the reasons I've taken to living in Europe.
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