Well, I am about to be carfree in a few more days and I am feeling a little nervous about what that will be like - especially when I look at the thermometer this morning - it says -25c, and that doesn't include the windchill! Even without that horrendous temperature reading, I think living carfree is going to prove challenging for a little while.
I live in a city that is (in)famous for the highest per capita car ownership rate in Canada - 3.2 cars per family - the car is definitely king around here. Drivers are (in)famously clueless to the rights that bicycles have to the roadways and in winter, motorists feel that bikes should be banished from the roads - full stop. Riding here during the other 3 seasons is a breeze - winter, well, this could be interesting.
Thankfully my new bike shop is only 2 kms away from where I live so getting there will be a snap - I guess where my nervousness is coming from is simply the unknown. How do I get to my girlfriends house in winter? What about visiting friends? Shopping is no problem as we have everything we need within 5 blocks of our home - but the rest of it? What then? As an example, I need to get some snowpants for my son and the store is 5kms away. Normally that ride is no problem, however, it is so cold and the roads incredibly snowy and trecherous I don't want to ride over there with my son. Planning is suddenly becoming my new hobby!
I have had a vehicle of one sort or another for the last 12 years so I guess that some nervousness about being carfree is normal but I feel I need to "walk the walk" - or "bike the bike" - to show my friends and customers that indeed, using your bike for transport year round is a normal thing to do.
Leading by example. Here we go.
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