XogGyux wrote:While biking is not my thing, I switched to walking to work everyday back and forth (4 miles each way) during wintertime in chicago. There is something peaceful about just forgetting about everything, covering every inch of your body with 2" worth of insolation, putting some music and just walk for hours.
Losing 40 pounds in 3 months was a plus as well =)
Excellent! Not only did I also get into much better shape when I replaced mass transit with cycling, but I also rediscovered my city and the people who live in it. Riding around in cars and trains, you get a very impersonal and constrained view of everything and everyone.
Why do you hate your life so much!
This makes no sense, especially in light of what you just wrote about your mid-life discovery of walking.
No wonder you think cycling in cuba is safer
It's safer than anywhere I've ever cycled, except the bike paths of Amsterdam. This is because cars are strictly regulated because... um... they're extremely dangerous to everyone who isn't in one. In Amsterdam, like in Cuba, people walking, cycling (or riding a horse, in Cuba) are in the vast majority.
Joke aside be careful. I have seen of plenty of pedestrian vs car accidents and usually, the pedestrian is at a disadvantage. Safety first.
Plowing into people with metal boxes isn't my idea of safety. But it certainly is the definition of safety that car companies would like us all to have.
By the way, the constant flat tires problem I mentionned earlier has been resolved. In order to bike on mixed icy conditions with ice pot-holes, and in order to bike on developing countries roads that are full of pot-holes and equally mixed conditions, you need to have a very strong rear rim on your bike, like the kind of rear-rim that electric bikes or motorbikes have. That's all. The rest of the bike can be discount crap, but you need a really good back rim.
On icy conditions, you also NEED a front studded tire.
Strong rear rim, studded front tire, and winter biking is as fun and carefree as skiiing.... IF your government actually cares about anything other than receiving bribes (campaign contributions, funding, etc) from the car and oil industry, that is.
"Their economy produces things cheaper than ours, so we need to send them some manufactured viruses to level the playing field." - Freedom and Democracy Inc.