The Price of Necessity

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by CherylNYC

I live in a part of NYC where public transportation is difficult and very time consuming. But two wheels and an engine make it so easy to bungee my tools on the back and ride to the far flung studios where I work. I ride my bicycle when it's feasible, but mostly I commute via motorcycle. My biggest, least fuel efficient bike gets 43 mpg. The rest of them get 50 mpg or better. If I wanted to get even better mileage I could go shopping today and come home with a scooter that gets 123 mpg! And then there's the world of electric scooters which cost less than a dollar a day in electricity to operate. What is more, up to seven two wheeled vehicles can park in a spot normally taken by one car. A car will take up the space occupied by up to four two wheeled vehicles in city traffic, and that doesn't include lanesplitting.

Cities in Europe are way ahead of us here in the U.S. when it comes to encouraging fuel efficient, congestion reducing two-wheeled motorized transportation. London has notably good policies. Sydney, Paris, and countless other European cities provide great facilities for us. Toronto, Vancouver and Austin Tx give free parking at Muni-Meters. San Francisco has a very well structured system. Unfortunately, we are subtly and overtly discouraged from riding motorcycle and scooters here in NYC.

Check out www.nymstf.org

Denver is very two wheel friendly as well. Even though there have been some high profile accidents of late we're home to the BCycle program. It's doing quite well. I see people on them all the time and it makes me smile each time.

In many places in Albuquerque the parking spots for scooters and motorcycles are closest to the entry.

I have it too easy though. Working from my home means I don't have to worry about transportation at all until I have to go on the road. I, like you, try to do my part because I have such a big carbon foot print due to my travel. 3x or more a month on a plane. Often times long hauls.