50 Ways to leave your car

May in National Bike Day in the US of A. So, get out there, and do your share for the environment, and at the same time make your corner of the world a little more livable. Ride a bike.

Many people think bike commuting is for the dedicated few. Maybe you don't want to commit to that type of lifestyle. First of all, biking doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. You can use your bike when convenient, and still use the car when you really need it. Second, in Chicago, with gas prices reaching four bucks, and transit cuts always looming on the horizon,  biking may soon become THE preferred alternative to easing traffic congestion.

So, I've compiled 50 ways you can incorporate biking into your life, even if it is car centered. Try one, try them all:

1. Ride anywhere within 2 miles: grocery, post office, library, coffee shop, friend's house (click here for more)
2. Take you child to school (check out some options)
3. Ride to work
4. Ride to the train if your commute is long
5. Ride to work on casual Friday
6. Pick one car-free day a month, and have your whole household use bikes instead
7. Teach your kids the rules of the road by bike
8. Work at home? Spend your lunch hour riding a bike
9. Run your weekend errands by bike
10. Recycle by bike
11. Ride to your kids' games by bike
12. Take the kids to the park by bike
13. Bike to your workout
14. Skip your workout and ride your bike instead
15. Ride a bike on a date with your spouse or significant other; the further the restaurant, the more you can eat!
16. Bike to the movies
17. Bike to get bagels for your Sunday brunch
18. Visiting open houses? Ride a bike
19. Ride a bike to garage sales
20. Ride a bike to the farmers market
21. New mom? Get a baby seat and ride off the baby weight (baby has to be able to sit unassisted)
22. Traffic averse? Figure out places you can ride without going on a major thoroughfare
23. Ride to you hair appointment (caution: avoid updo's since they won't fit under a helmet)
24. Use your bike to get home after you've dropped your car off for maintenance
25. Ride to the Lake (there are many ways to do this while avoiding major streets; visit the Chicago bike map)
26. Out of cream for the morning coffee? Take a quick ride to the store
27. Bike to street and arts festivals
28. Explore some of Chicagoland's bike paths and trails (click here)
29. Ride the lakefront path on cool spring day (you'll have little competition)
30. Try a social ride to meet new people (click here)
31. Pick a day of the week to substitute biking for driving
32. Pick an errand you usually do by car, and switch to biking
33. Commit to a number of miles to ride each week or month
34. Show your kids it's possible to get places without a car
35. Ride to a natural area, then relax and enjoy your surroundings
36. Park you car along the bike path, and ride bikes to Navy Pier, museums and other downtown attractions
37. Park you car along the bike path, and ride to the Botanic Garden
38. Ride your bike to an evening class or workshop
39. If you participate in community gardening, ride your bike there
40. Never learned to bike? Consider an adult tricycle
41. Looking for a new home? Get a friend, and explore new neighborhoods by bike
42. Ride a bike to get ice cream or other indulgences
43. Combine biking and walking: bike to a shopping area or other attractions, lock you bike, and continue on foot
44. Keep your bike accessible, so you can get on at a moment's notice
45. Keep a pump handy, in case your tires get a little soft
46. Keep all your bike gear in one place to avoid running around at the last minute
47. Carry a backpack in case you find anything you want t carry home with you
48. Stash a packable windbreaker in case the weather turns cool
49. Carry a little cash for emergencies
50. Learn some basic things about your bike, so you don't have to depend on others: how to lock up, how to fill the tires, how to remove front wheel.

Comments

[Bike Jax]

Excellent post. Thanks.

[Jacob]

So, this absolutely fantastic...any one of these reasons is reason enough to sell your car.

So the question I have is...with the emergence of the fashionably fixed hype...I don't really see messenger bikes as "hardcore" anymore. Wo what is "Hardcore" now?

[Jennifer]

Does it matter?