Music as a message: ditch your car and try a bike

[kgrandia]

A friend of mine is a very cool (IMO) artist who has a new song out called "Built to Last" that asks people to ditch their car for their bike for a healthier mind and body and of course a healthier planet.

If only more artists would sing less about menage a trois in Vegas (Katie Perry) and more about these dire issues (like they did in the 60's) I think we would see a lot more concern about these issues in the US.

What do you all think of the song? You can download it free here: www.jeremyfishermusic.com.

Here are the lyrics:

I'm lazy and I don't mean maybe
rather roll in the daisies with my lil lady than
slave away all damn day and all damn night for a maximum wage
no hurries, no worries let my hair grow curly
if i even ate worms i wouldn't get up early
to race the rats, they're just too fast and there's always a catch in the claws of a cat coz

chorus

it's easier to sit on yer ass
ditch the car and save a little cash
if you wanna travel first class then
ride a bike that's built to last

mmm hmm, no sweat
feels good to work less

i got bare feet and enough to eat
apples from a tree, honey from a bee
i get my love from givin, my eggs from a chicken and i call my friends when something needs fixin
mix my time between work and play
sweet and sour makes a good lemonade
i like to get paid, love to trade
i'd rather burn slow than fade away

chorus

the world i've found is big and round
lotsa ocean and a little bit of ground
there's water you drink, water you don't and i'm starting to think that we're gonna need em both
but i guess whatever nothing lasts forever
not the stars in the sky, not you and me together
if you got it good don't knock on wood just live the life that you wish you could

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Bikes are great, IF:

(1) You are physically able to ride one; and
(2) You don't have a 25-mile round trip commute to a workplace that is accessible only by freeway, or you live in a rural area a long distance from stores, businesses, etc., or your life/work requires you to transport a lot of stuff; and
(3) The climate where you live doesn't have deep snow and below-zero temperatures in the winter.

If you live in a city, don't have a long commute or bad knees, biking is great. However, there are a lot of of us for whom biking isn't a practical option. We try to conserve in other ways.

[kgrandia]

2. Totally agree

But when I look at all those folks sitting alone in their car with tens of thousands of others just like them, I think:
1) what a complete waste of time, sitting in your car for an hour
2) so many of those people could use an alternative from of transportation whether that be bus, train, bike or even car pooling.

Selling my car ten years ago was the best thing I ever did. I took a bus for two years to one job I had, picked up Rosetta Stone and learned French!

[wandy]

3. You have a point and it is well taken.....

I'de rather be free of the two of them. Yes two of them.
Ahaaaa. Spring, time to carwell around in the muck and the mire....
Changing oil and 'yuck' coolent.
Ever mindfull that small critters just love antifreese.
It's not good for them so care in disposel is a must.
I'de rather just 'hoof' my way to the local grocery. But.........
What was that you said about bad knees.
Or other aging parts?

[quiglepd]

4. below-zero isn't so bad

Fair points on 1 and 2, and snow makes it tricky, but below-zero is no problem as long as you're prepared. For the past 3 years I've commuted by bike year round. Thankfully, I've got a short ride, but a few simple things are all I needed to get through the cold.
1: face mask (something that covers the nose and cheeks, but doesn't get soggy like a scarf)
2: lobster mittens (like a cross between gloves and mittens - keeps your hands warmer while still giving enough comfort to work the brakes)
And on really cold days, a pair of rain pants to cut chill from the wind.

[kgrandia]

5. On those really cold days

That is awesome and I admire that you can persevere the cold. For me I take the metro on days like that. Luckily DC's metro system has a lot of community built up around stations. In Vancouver, where I used to live the metro, while very pretty (called the "Skytrain&quot , it was built with who the heck knows what in mind as far as station locations.

[frylock]

6. as much as i'd like to, a 4-hour, 40 mile commute RT doesn't appeal to me at all..

i love cycling and have three awesome MTBs that i bomb around the local trails. but in order to commute by bike, i would have to be up at 4:30A, and get home sometime around 7P. no thanks. public transit isn't much better with a nearly 3-hour commute. i'm currently looking at buying a motorcycle that will get me nearly 80mpg.