Comments on: Give it Up: An open letter to my local and state representatives http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/2009/07/29/give-it-up/ LIVING BY FOOT, BIKE and TRANSIT Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:33:30 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jeffrey Belt http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/2009/07/29/give-it-up/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Jeffrey Belt Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:18:28 +0000 http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/?p=83#comment-17 I commuted in Bellevue (Crossroads) for more than a decade without a car, either bicycling or taking the bus to work. Access to frequent bus service was second criteria when picking our home (the first being walking distance to everyday stores). For a couple of years, I also took our first son to school in the bicycle seat or trailer. My wife had the car though, and Willie's right that it's easy to fall back on it for some trips. When our son was four, the choice of school made it necessary to drive 20 minutes, rather than take three buses for almost two hours. Since then, we moved to Switzerland. We intended to buy a car after the first few months. It's been a year and we're not considering it anymore. To give a striking example, our son, now five, and all of his classmates, walk to school every day. By themselves. This speaks volumes on the urban design and social mindset of the entire city. I wanted to comment on the turkey. We shop often and sometimes lug heavy stuff home. We invested early in a cart on wheels, similar to <a href="http://www.packeasy.ch/default.asp?navig=55" title="" rel="nofollow">this one</a>. The bag is removable so the frame can be used to wheel other things, like our loaded cat carrier. Some of these even can be used as bicycle trailers. We didn't have one in Seattle because we didn't know to look for one. I commuted in Bellevue (Crossroads) for more than a decade without a car, either bicycling or taking the bus to work. Access to frequent bus service was second criteria when picking our home (the first being walking distance to everyday stores). For a couple of years, I also took our first son to school in the bicycle seat or trailer.

My wife had the car though, and Willie’s right that it’s easy to fall back on it for some trips. When our son was four, the choice of school made it necessary to drive 20 minutes, rather than take three buses for almost two hours.

Since then, we moved to Switzerland. We intended to buy a car after the first few months. It’s been a year and we’re not considering it anymore. To give a striking example, our son, now five, and all of his classmates, walk to school every day. By themselves. This speaks volumes on the urban design and social mindset of the entire city.

I wanted to comment on the turkey. We shop often and sometimes lug heavy stuff home. We invested early in a cart on wheels, similar to this one. The bag is removable so the frame can be used to wheel other things, like our loaded cat carrier. Some of these even can be used as bicycle trailers. We didn’t have one in Seattle because we didn’t know to look for one.

]]> By: Camping Advice http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/2009/07/29/give-it-up/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Camping Advice Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:13:51 +0000 http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/?p=83#comment-16 Very nice information. Thanks for this. Very nice information. Thanks for this.

]]> By: Noni Young http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/2009/07/29/give-it-up/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Noni Young Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:20:23 +0000 http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/?p=83#comment-14 I was impressed with everything you said and the way you presented it. Good thinking, good challenges...well put. Hope it inspires your representatives AND their constituents. I was impressed with everything you said and the way you presented it. Good thinking, good challenges…well put. Hope it inspires your representatives AND their constituents.

]]> By: Dan Davis http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/2009/07/29/give-it-up/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Dan Davis Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:48:19 +0000 http://www.yellowtentadventures.com/?p=83#comment-13 Very much liked your letter. I hope you really did send personal copies to each of your representatives. I would be interested in their respective responses. Just prier I read about your initial trip with Kat, and enjoyed and was moved by it. I so much appreciate how much you do as a cyclist, and FOR the cycling community (and for the world). Dan Very much liked your letter. I hope you really did send personal copies to each of your representatives. I would be interested in their respective responses.

Just prier I read about your initial trip with Kat, and enjoyed and was moved by it.

I so much appreciate how much you do as a cyclist, and FOR the cycling community (and for the world).

Dan

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