apparently my city literally literally banned public rail funding, and people online love jerking off about how good biking is, so i figured might as well try. I have come up with:
pros:
- good for mental health / exercise / endorphins
- arguably quaint
- feel like an old timey guy taking his wares to market
- feel european
- can annoy others
- less of a police state around them vs cars
- more flexible parking, routes
- capacity to be peaceful
- nice in summer
cons:
- look like an annoying dork (esp w neon - which also hurts the quaint factor)
- have to wear a helmet (^)
- getting sweaty, potentially “unpresentable” for work
- still have to find safe parking
- still takes a while
- have to find new routes to places
- can’t listen to music or might die
- little meaningful protection against severe injury
- can only carry so many groceries/etc
- sucks in winter
I’m sorry, but I’m not arguing in bad faith. City trips and (not country biking) doesn’t automatically mean you’re not exposed to the elements. I live within city limits and it’s a 10 mile bike ride to get to downtown. According to maps, it’s a 1 hour trip, which is manageable, but 95% of the time I would biking directly under the sun. I will only be able to avoid exposure in limited spurts as I get near downtown with all the overpasses. As of this comment it’s 95F and 70% humidity. Elements does not just mean rain and snow. A lot of people underestimate how bad prolonged sun exposure is.