I’m Not Making This Up

I started riding again because I realised that doing the same thing, but expecting different results is a pretty workable definition of insanity.

It suddenly struck me about four years ago that sitting inside a tin box going no-where fast, and expecting everyone else to get out of my way wasn’t working. And that expecting more roads to be built to ease conjestion wasn’t going to work either. And the global warming stuff that I’d started to read was also scaring the sh*t out of me.

I had to start moving from being part of the problem to being part of the solution. That might sound a bit Us (good) & Them (bad), and maybe it is. I do still drive, but only now on longer journeys - most of those trips to clients and for errands within about 10-15 miles of home are now by bike.

I’ve found that I actually enjoy those trips that I used to drive. At the same time, I’ve lost what was the beginning of my middle-age spread, and can fit into jeans that I used to wear when I was 20. I’ve also seen via the wonders of the Internet that there are places where most people ride rather than drive. These places look like nothing short of the Promised Land, though as I said, I’ve only seen them on the Internet. It could all just be an elaborate hoax.

OK, so here’s another one of those challenges for you. Get some friends who don’t cycle (you DO know at least one person who doesn’t ride a bike, don’t you?) to watch these two videos.

Ask them which presents the more realistic way forward:

That’s “Mat’s Commute” by Mat Barlow at Bikes Belong.

That’s Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry auditioning for Saturday Night Live. I’m reminded of something my mother used to say when we were kids - “If you have nothing good to say, then say nothing”.

Riding a bike to work, the shop, with your kids to school, or even (without the kids) the pub. Trust me, it’s better than driving. And I’m not making this up.

=

Thanks to Alan at EcoVelo for the pointer on the Bikes Belong film, and thanks to Carlton Reid via Twitter (@carltonreid) for digging out the link to the Congressman’s video and its transcript on Bike Portland.

Filed under: 'A'-List Blogs, Bike Culture, Bike to Work, Business, Climate Change, Environment, Family, Friends, No More Excuses, Politics, Ranting, Silly Stuff, Video

8 Responses to “ I’m Not Making This Up ”

  1. town mouse on March 11, 2009 at 10:36 pm

    eek

    I don’t quite know where to begin with that speech in congress. Err, maybe I’ve been reading too much copenhagenize but I just failed to see how riding a bike as a response to high energy prices was quite so self-evidently foolish as Mr McHenry seemed to think it was. It sounded quite sensible to me…

    And I thought our lot were bad

  2. Brad Hefta-Gaub on March 11, 2009 at 11:43 pm

    Sad… so sad indeed.

    Anyone who is interested in contacting this clearly out of touch politician can reach him at the following contact points:

    http://mchenry.house.gov/Contact/

    Washington, D.C. Office
    224 Cannon House Office Building
    Washington, D.C. 20515
    Telephone: 202.225.2576
    Fax: 202.225.0316

    Hickory District Office
    87 4th St. NW, Suite A
    P.O. Box 1830
    Hickory, NC 28603
    Telephone: 828.327.6100
    Toll-Free in North Carolina: 800.477.2576
    Fax: 828.327.8311

    Shelby Regional Office
    311 East Marion Street, Suite 119
    P.O. Box 732
    Shelby, NC 28051
    Telephone: 704.481.0578
    Fax: 704.481.0757

    Spruce Pine Regional Office
    Spruce Pine Town Hall
    P.O. Box 715
    Spruce Pine, NC 28777
    Telephone: 828.765.2729
    Fax: 828.765.2701

  3. Brad Hefta-Gaub on March 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm

    Oh and by the way… he’s not actually interested in hearing from you….

    Thank you for contacting me about the issues that matter to you. Due to the large volume of U.S. mail, email and faxes I receive, I am only able to accept messages from residents of the Tenth Congressional District of North Carolina. If you are a resident of another district, I encourage you to contact your Representative in Congress by clicking on the following link to the Write Your Representative Service.

  4. 2whls3spds on March 12, 2009 at 12:44 am

    I will leave my foul and abusive opinion of Representative McHenry for other venues. He is a complete idiot and has no clue. Unfortunately NC politics seems to have a penchant for voting in the same type of idiots every time around. I know we can’t be the only state that does it, but regardless, we get the same results every time around. We have the best politicians that money can buy…interested in a purchase?

    Aaron

  5. Warren Alexander on March 12, 2009 at 10:00 am

    The Senator’s point of view is repellant and he’s clearly a moron…but the thing that bothers me is why doesn’t Mat have any brakes on his bike?

  6. WestfieldWanderer on March 12, 2009 at 6:51 pm

    Absolutely astounding.
    You don’t need to be a loud mouthed prat to be a politician, but it sure does help.

  7. Do The Right Thing » Friday Photo Caption Competition » Sweat365 » Fitness Community on March 13, 2009 at 9:46 am

    [...] that Nice Congressman Patrick McHenry?  The one who’s such a hoot at parties, with his instantly recognised catchphrase, [...]

  8. efranlje on March 13, 2009 at 4:23 pm

    I think we can pull a nice soundbite from this - “want to save money at the pumps; ride a bike.” “want to reduce emissions; ride a bike.” Yes Congressman! Yes, that’s exactly what we’re saying! The truly sad thing is that his attitude permeates Washington policy makers and drives our energy policy.