Comments on: I will never own a car (ask me why!)

By: David Parkinson

David Parkinson — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:10:16 +0000

Thanks, Ryan. I think that things would have worked out differently for me if I had happened to get a car early on. I was just lucky that I could always walk, bike, or use public transit in my teens and twenties. Once I got through that, I was motivated to see whether I could continue to live without a car (so far, so good). And you’re exactly right: parents and society in general should be working to make biking the rational choice for as many young people as possible. There could be programs to make bikes affordable for all, offer free or low-cost workshops on bike repair, educate the general public about respecting the safety of bikers on the roads, etc. Some larger centres have some of this going on, but so far here in Powell River there is no bike advocacy group (that I’m aware of). It’s just a matter of time, though

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:04:06 +0000

Great blog! I just happened to stumble across it when I was looking for something related to Powell River and Texada Island.
Currently I live in southern Ontario, although next year (hopefully) I’ll be heading West, most likely to the Comox Valley, which from what I hear is quite bike-friendly, although I haven’t discounted Powell River.

Anyways, I’m now 23 years old and have never owned a car nor have I even my drivers license. When I was 16 I was just too pre-occupied with other things to bother with getting my license. Then at 17 my Dad suggested I start riding a bike. And ever since then that’s how I’ve been getting around. I do everything via bike. As it stands now, I can’t see myself ever owning a car.

I suppose the easiest way for people to dump the car in the future, is to start at a young age to encourage kids to ride a bike for transportation, NOT recreation.
I don’t really know “what I’m missing” not owning a car.

By: David Parkinson

David Parkinson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:13:46 +0000

Hi Margaret, Thanks for your comment. Nice blog (yours!)... I'll subscribe and stay tuned in to what's going on in your garden. I know a surprising number of people in Wildwood who bike to town and back regularly. I'm a bit of a wimp, so if I have to cycle up there I usually go up the switchback trail. I've never tried going up the road. Often, though, I'll put my bike on a bus to get up there. There are new and better electric-assisted bikes available, and that might be the best solution. I don't know enough about them to have any good advice, but if you email me I'll see what I can dig up from a local expert.

By: margaret

margaret — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:03:13 +0000

I was thinking just last week that I should get a bike..and then I found your blog and now I really have to get a bike, your post is very inspiring.
I live in Wildwood, perfect for biking, but that hill getting up here, how will I manage???

Margaret

By: David Parkinson

David Parkinson — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:43:04 +0000

Hey WCT,

I tried to avoid the preachy self-promoting tone and focus instead on the challenges and some ideas about solutions. Maybe that didn’t come through enough, which is my fault. The last thing I wanted was to lay a guilt trip on my readers.

One thing I’ve noticed (which your comment reinforces) is that we all find it very difficult to talk openly about how we are dealing with the various crises we face. There is always that little voice inside our heads (or in the comments section of the blog) that tries to dissuade us from simply noting where we’re at, how we got there, and what we think other people can do in a similar situation. I think many people feel this way, so we struggle to figure things out on our own, nervous about talking to other people about them in case they think we’re just puffing ourselves up.

I think that this separateness and isolation are real societal problems which are slowing down some of the positive changes that we need to be working on together.

(I feel a post coming on, on that very subject. So thanks.)

I’ll keep writing what I want to write from the perspective I choose to write from. But thanks for taking the time to respond.

By: Wants change too.....

Wants change too..... — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:48:07 +0000

Great new website with Slow Coast and the purpose is what should be, but articles written from this point of view of; look at the sacrifices I made or if I can do it why can’t you do it quilt trips (eg: how many cars does the average Powell Riverite own, and how many V8 engines per person) don’t help much (yes, IMO). What happens is the intended audience that know that changes are going happen and talks more about what they will do than actually change, reads countless articles like this as self promoting, preachy dribble. And of course they don’t measure up, and since they stopped using plastic bags, what more can they do. I write sustainability articles in a Buddhist part of the world, and at the start my work was harshly edited if it was focused on myself, which can be shown here not to be approved by the reading public – unless you’re a celebrity.