Greentext

Don’t forget that maintenance is super cheap AND most people, with only the most basic tools, can do the work in their living room or even just on a sidewalk. And if I don’t get it right and the brakes don’t work perfectly I probably won’t fuckin’ die.

Hi, car owner here. I do all the work myself and it requires a fair bit of knowledge, expensive tools, space, and a childhood where I was never told I couldn’t do that work if I was thoughtful about it. That’s a high fuckin’ bar and requires a whole lot of privilege-oh there it is, too many people with privilege like to shit on those without and most of North America has dogshit for public transit or bike infrastructure and the “freedom of movement” with a car is all there but heavily artificial. Thanks auto industry and their lobbyists.

Bikes were and still are a revolutionary technology. There's a reason suffragettes were often associated with bicycles.

Nothing feels more like freedom than being stuck in a traffic jam.

Cop pulls you over on a bicycle:

"Drivers License and registration please"

"I don't need those, I'm not driving this bicycle, I'm travelling on it officer. Private conveyance. I don't contract with DMV."

"Right you are sir, have a nice day!"

Why haven't the sovcits cottoned on to this loophole?!

The auto industry will fight tooth and nail to avoid anything that impacts their revenue generation.

I'm disabled in a way that means I can't use one, but can use a car, which kinda sucks.

Fortunately bike infrastructure usually helps me in my chair, so I'm all in favor of wider bike adoption.

Cars are the ultimate symbol of freedom because you just get in and go wherever to do whatever.

Pick nanna up? sure. Go buy her groceries? Sure. In the pouring rain? Ok. Pick up her dog from the vet? Yep. Drop by the garden store and grab 50kg of fertilizer? You bet.

You can do all of those things with out any planning or notice. You just get in and go wherever the day takes you.

I'm a bit bonkers about bikes. I have a cargo e-bike. It absolutely could do all of these things in separate trips. Doing all of them together would be a challenge but I am 100% here for that so long as nanna is. The main difference is planning. You need different gear, like a bike trailer for example. You're also probably going to pick the right time of day, like early before it gets too hot or too windy, provided that it's not raining.

Because showing up to a client meeting dripping in sweat on a 103 degree day is considered to be poor form. Because I got a new job and don’t have an extra two hours in my day to ride a bike back and forth, and moving isn’t in the cards. Because I have to carry a couple kids and all the crap the goes along with them.

inexpensive

lol, most bikes nowadays cost $1000. Also stolen every time so you have to call Uber. Also can't get groceries or take the highway.

less likely to kill

More likely to be killed.

Where are you all buying bike that don't hurt your wallet to replace? I guess there are Walmart bikes but I've literally had a huffy fall apart while in motion.

Cuz putting on a raincoat or some warm clothes is too much for these weak ass people.