When I gave up my car a few months ago, I didn't expect to run into any serious challenges. Yes, bringing chicks home from the bars was going to be more difficult, because I'm willing to bet 1,000 dollars right now this conversation* has never happened in the history of humanity.
Guy: Wanna come over to my place?
Girl: Sure! Where's your car?
Guy: That's a complicated question. The good news is I think you'll fit on my handlebars.
Girl: It's like I won the Hot Stud lottery!
But other than that, I live right next to the grocery store, have no social life to speak of, and if I'm going out with other people the chances are good THEY'LL have vehicles at least. I figured this car-free lifestyle would be pretty easy.
And really for the most part, it has been. During the week I'm at work and so is everyone I know, so the lack of a car hasn't impinged upon my social life too badly. On the weekends, I can usually sucker someone else into carting my sorry ass around if we're going out to the bars or bowling or whatever.
Sure there's been the occasional hiccup. This last week after work some coworkers spontaneously suggested I go with them to feed and put out their horse. Although horses terrify me (When I was really, really little I saw a horse skull at a farm or something. It had these HUGE teeth and not really knowing what horses looked like, I thought it was a monster. Then when I went to go see the actual horses at the farm one bared its teeth at me and scared me shitless. Ever since then I haven't been a huge fan.) I figured it'd be fun, and without thinking about it too much I agreed to go.
The first problem was they weren't going until two hours after my shift ended. If I'd been driving, I could've driven home, chilled out for an hour and a half, then driven back. Since my commute is more like 45-50 minutes now though, I ended up staying at work. Then we didn't get done until like 1 AM, and by then I was really tired and NOT looking forward to the eventual bike ride home. What we ended up doing is popping off the front tire and throwing the bike in the back, and my coworker gave me a ride home (20 minutes out of her way as well). I felt like a giant tool and a huge hassle for everyone involved. If I'd known beforehand, I could've figured something else out. But with a bike, it's admittedly more difficult to just make spontaneous plans like that.
The hassle is still worth it though, I feel. If I still had my car, instead of having several months of training under my belt, I'd probably STILL be putting it off. Or maybe biking once a week and thinking that'd be sufficient "for now". And when the weather starts heating up, I'd CERTAINLY give it up then, instead of preparing myself for what promises to be a pretty scorching path from San Diego-Tempe in August. Getting rid of the car took my own propensity for laziness out of the picture, which, trust me, is only a good thing.
In closing, check it out, I decided I'm not done posting awkward Sesame Street shit.
Am I the only who finds this to be earth-shatteringly weird? Isn't Sesame Street supposed to be about counting and spelling and how peanut butter is made or something? Honest to God if I'd watched that when I was 3 or 4 I would've thought the mom was trying to smother that kid to death.
*Alternate discussion I considered for this joke:
Me: Hey baby, want to go back to my place and annoy the neighbors?
Girl: Sure! Where's your car?
Me: Funny you should mention that. Are you sober enough to keep your balance on my handlebars?
Girl: Well I'm offering to go home with YOU, aren't I?
Me: Dammit. I'll call a cab.
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I def think that conversation has happened in the history of humanity! You should see how many couples you see riding around on bikes here, the girl is usually riding on the middle bar between the guys legs. I thought it looked all very romantic until I tried it, it is very scary and severely uncomfortable to sit on the middle bar. But couples still look so happy doing it. Come down here with your bike, you would be a gringo god! You should change your plans and bike through Central America, although you would be lucky to make it through Mexico and Guatemala alive these days.
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