Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Bikes make thrifty comeback in PTCBy MONROE ROARK The signs at the gas pumps touting $3 per gallon havent fazed Dick Allis. The rising prices dont pack quite the wallop since he and his wife drive a total of about 12,000 or so miles a year in two automobiles. Since the couple lives in Peachtree City, one might expect that they use the golf cart paths almost exclusively. Not so, he said. He finds the paths a bit bumpy for his preferred mode of travel: bicycle. You can ride a bike anywhere you can drive a car, said Dick, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot. Whenever I go somewhere, I stop and ask myself if I can walk there or ride my bike there. Its a mindset. He discussed his commuting philosophy just after a 10-mile trek on his bike that included a stop at a shop to pick up a part for his golf cart. He shakes his head at how so many people are seemingly chained to their cars and trucks these days. Im just aghast at how people run their kids around, he said. Ride a bike or use a golf cart. Allis has looked at cycling for many years with regard not only to the recreational benefits, but also the functionality in everyday life. His bike has a basket on it that he got from an old refrigerator, proving that anyone who really wants to make their bicycles work for them can do so. This gives him space to put groceries or other items he can take home from the store. With the current sticker shock at the pump, he is not alone in his thinking. According to Holly Anderson of Bicycles Unlimited in Peachtree City, business has picked up considerably in recent months, especially in the area of bicycle accessories. Think of bags that can be attached to the bike for carrying extra items, such as a change of clothes if one is commuting to work. The situation is increasingly similar to the 1970s gas crunch, which was the best time the bicycle industry has ever seen, she said. As one might expect, Holly and her husband Mark, who own the business just two miles from their home, get along better without their cars than most. Holly drives more right now because their 4-month-old is not big enough yet to ride along on a two-wheeler, but Mark rarely cranks his car, she said. Peachtree Citys perfect for that, with the paths, she added. I grew up here and rode my bike all over this town. Dick Allis prefers to do his pedaling on the streets, when they have enough room. He feels that more of Fayette County could take advantage of the benefits of bicycling if more roads had shoulders, which could easily be done every time a road is repaved, he said. As part of a group called Biking for Life, Allis submitted a proposal to county government officials several years ago, but it has not been acted upon as far as he knows. There are a couple of things bicyclists need to know when on the roads, he said. For example, riders must wear helmets, and their bikes must have mirrors, which are helpful for seeing what is coming up from behind. Allis said he goes a bit on the slow side most of the time to help keep motorists from coming past him at excessive speeds. Although many drivers get frustrated by bicycles and think that the road is solely for automobiles, Allis said that while he has been driven into the ditch a few times, he hasnt had as much trouble as one might expect. Of course, he had to drive to work during his Delta days, but even back then he rode his bike as much as possible, and he has participated in BRAG (Bike Ride Across Georgia) on more than one occasion. He has also been a member of a local running club and now he does as much walking as possible. When picking up broken bicycles, which he repairs so they can be given to children who do not have them, he will often walk to get the bike and then walk it back home. When he does climb into his station wagon, its usually for Clothes Less Traveled, of which he is a board member. He picks up the numerous electronic items that are donated to the thrift store, from computers to radios, and takes them back home so he can fix them before they are resold. He estimates that he puts about 5,000 miles a year on the station wagon. His wifes 1997 Buick has 45,000 miles on it. We dont drive unless we really have to, he said, and the odometer readings seem to back him up. Aside from the energy and cost considerations, Allis is a big believer in the health benefits of riding and walking, saying that both have been regular stress relievers for him for years. There are also social benefits, he said. Youd be amazed at the people you meet on these trails. Allis has seen places in Europe with this kind of mindset, motivated in part by gasoline prices that are much higher than in the United States. Others in this area have adopted that thinking, as Holly Anderson noted that about half of her 15 or so coworkers ride their bikes to work and around town. If gas prices keep going up, that number could grow sooner rather than later. |
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