Alternate Transportation
I am one of the many people who enjoy a short commute. I travel just over a mile to work, close enough to come home for lunch or the occasional emergency. The trouble with short commutes is that it is very hard on a vehicle.
Driving a car only one mile at a time is more damaging than a long commute. During the drive the car never gets a chance to warm up. The oil never gets up to temperature, grease in the bearing remains cold. After a short time the car will start running poorly.
I tried riding my motorcycle to and from work, but I think it is even worse for the bike engine. Riding short distances does not give the battery a chance to charge and so it will eventually die.
The first thought for most people is, ‘why don’t you ride your bike?’
Well, yea, there is really no good excuse to not ride the bicycle. It would require a bit of a lifestyle change. I probably would not go home for lunch. During the summer it is a little more annoying. As soon as I would get into the nice air-conditioned building I would start sweating. For some jobs this would not be an issue, but having to deal with co-workers and sometimes customers, I don’t want to stink of sweat.
So I would like to have some form of transportation that fits withing the following guidelines:
- Not gasoline based
- Has to be able to travel a minimum of five miles before re-fueling or re-charging
- Has to be able to travel at least 40 MPH
- Can’t be so geeky that I get things thrown at me
- Has to be reasonably priced
This rules out Segways and modified golf carts. I had been searching for this special vehicle for some time before it finally manifested.
What was my solution? Come back tomorrow and I will let you know.
