Who has or does bike/walk/bus commute?How far and often?

[DianeB]

When I first moved to the general area I live in now, I used to ride my bike, take the ferry to Seattle, and then ride my bike to the University of Washington, first to go to classes and then to work. Rain or shine. Day or night.

Then when I started working closer to my home, I used to walk a lot, or else commute.

Now my husband and I live in a more rural area and have a little commuter car that we use. I have walked/jogged home a few times just to see how long it would take, or to get exercise. It takes me about 2 hours of jogging/walking. I used to actually bike the route, but not during commuter hours. It is dangerous, even in the middle of a week day. There is no way I would bike it during "rush hour."

That is something about living in an suburban/urban area. You can use alternative transportation more readily. I am always debating this with myself. If you live in the country you have space and grow you own things, etc. But in a city/town you have people, oppurtunties, the ability to bike or walk, etc. Maybe a compromise. There is always old farmhouses with maybe an acre or two in the city or vacent lots that you can build on. A few acres for independence and the convience of urban life.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

There are advantages to country living and to city living. It comes down to which you would prefer, I think.

Yes, a few acres can be used intensively. Just remember that there are usually more regulations in urban/suburban areas.

 

[DianeB]

Not in our city. Usually those are more upscale or dense metropolition areas. Really, won't plan on creating a farm. Just a large vegetable garden and a few chickens and maybe a goat More like an urban homesteader. There is a family in a LA suburb that intensely uses about a 10th of an acre. They grow some 60% of their own food and even sell to restaurants.

 

[chipmunk]

I walked to work and home when my workplace was closer (just under 4 miles). Had to call DH and have him rescue me a couple of times, though, when the temperature was in the 90's and the humidity about the same.

Now that my workplace is 8 miles away, and I can't arrive all sweaty, I have to drive. Bicycling won't work because folks would just run me over. Could walk a mile to the bus stop, but, due to the crazy routing, it would take an hour and a half to get there (no kidding! and that's AFTER the time spent getting to the bus stop).

We lived in Zagreb, Croatia for a while, and could get anywhere relatively conveniently, given the system of busses, trams, and trains. It's kinda frustrating to think about trying to get around here without a car.

 

[dragonlaurel]

When I lived in a big city, I usually used the busses. Liked them usually and made some friends that way. Used a bike for the closer stuff then.
I walk here plenty but don't have a bike. The hills here would make a bicycle challenging. Thought about getting a small motorcycle but it wouldn't be much help with homesteading/market gardening, etc.
I may end getting a van because you can lock up your cargo, keep it dry, and they are pretty versatile. Wish they were easier on gas.

Ever though about getting a electric hybrid bike. They are less expensive than most people think. Make going up hills easier. iZip is the most well known company. But, I am sure others make them.

Have to admit that most my biking experiences have been on flat land. However, when I took some courses at Berkeley, it seemed like people biked everywhere. Even up monsterous hills. They are just use to it.

I want a small farm/market garden and that would require carrying big loads. I can get by with bus and feet for now but when I find somewhere to grow crops and raise some livestock, the vehicle will be necessary.

 

[Lady Henevere]

I work in downtown L.A., and I used to take the train and the subway to get to work. The train was very nice and the subway was okay. It was nice not to drive, except when I shopped at the downtown farmers' market and I had heavy bags to carry home. Now DD goes to a school that is sort of on the way to work, and I'm the morning carpool for her and the kids from another family, so I drive.

I went to Paris over the summer and they have a great public transport system, as many cities do. But they also have lots of rental bikes at stations all over the city, usually just outside Metro entrances or train stops. You just get off the train, pay to rent a bike, do what you need to do, and later return the bike to any bike station in the city. People use them a lot -- I thought it was a great system.

 

[DianeB]

I work in downtown L.A., and I used to take the train and the subway to get to work. The train was very nice and the subway was okay. It was nice not to drive, except when I shopped at the downtown farmers' market and I had heavy bags to carry home. Now DD goes to a school that is sort of on the way to work, and I'm the morning carpool for her and the kids from another family, so I drive.

I went to Paris over the summer and they have a great public transport system, as many cities do. But they also have lots of rental bikes at stations all over the city, usually just outside Metro entrances or train stops. You just get off the train, pay to rent a bike, do what you need to do, and later return the bike to any bike station in the city. People use them a lot -- I thought it was a great system.

It is nice to not have to drive. I think that Americans don't have the oppurtunity to expereince a good public transportation system. It can be easy, convienent, less stressful and even a more efficient way of getting everyone around. Also, it is much cheaper. Medium and light rail is about 1/10 the cost per mile to construct than freeway or highway. Less accidents and traffic, so can be faster than everyone driving on freeways. I wish that state and federal governments would wake up and start building a good, efficient and convienent rail system.

 

[Lady Henevere]

Some American cities have really good systems. It's pretty easy to get around New York, for example, and my sister in Chicago hasn't owned a car in many years. The BART system in San Francisco is pretty good too (although going under the bay in the tunnel always makes me think, "Please no earthquakes right now, please please please...") L.A. is so spread out that it's hard to make a system that really works well, but it's much better than it has been in the past, and it's still being expanded.

I didn't realize it was so much cheaper to build rail systems than highways. I would have thought that the infrastructure plus the trains, workers, etc. would cost much more.

 

[DianeB]

No, it is much cheaper. I have to find some articles about rail versus highway. The Department of Transportation is doing an ongoing study about the cost of public transit versus highway/freeway systems. If you think about it, it makes sense. Highways require constant patroling, resurfacing - roads deteriate faster than rail -and more space per person. One train car can hold about 20-50 people. Think about how many cars it takes to move that many people. Especially, when they are all single occupancy vehicles. That's why the Bay Area and New York are always quick to make an agreement with BART/subway workers. When they close down, it is chaos.

Rail, buses, good bike routes and sidewalks improves everyones life. It is cheap and healthy. If I had to pay for a car when going to college, I would have never finished my degree.

Forgot to add safety. Rail is the safest way to travel outside of a plane.

 

[DianeB]

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091028/ap_on_re_us/us_bay_bridge_closure This is why we need good public transit. Poor people. It will be a mess "indefinately".