I no longer have a car of my own! When I hung it up a month ago, I turned in the keys to my "free" company car and walked home. The office is only three blocks away, but it was a one-way strut into retirement from working and having my own set of wheels.
However, I have a couple of sons who have shown me the light of living without owning a carbon dioxide-belching American icon.
My oldest, Kyle, lives in New York City where having a car is more of an inconvienence and expense that he can live without. Besides, the Metro can get you anywhere in about thirty minutes if you don't mind walking a couple of blocks to the station only to descend into a grimy subterranean and somewhat odoriferous underground. But, it works and it's cheaper than a taxi.
My other son, Joel, lives in beautiful and just as pricey San Francisco. You can get around in the Bay Area in a car as long as you do not need to park it. Parking is a sport in San Fran. You must be able to track Google Maps on your iPhone, talk to the old man(that would be me), and drive 80mph without having a high-speed collision in the morning fog. He prefers the Google Shuttle and it's free(that's my boy!)! When he needs a car, he either rents one by the hour or mooches his sweetie's wheels.
So, what am I to do in Indy? We have no subways or shuttles (unless you live in Hamilton County), but we do have IndyGo. It can take you anywhere as long as you are not in a hurry and you need to go to a suburban mall. IndyGo is an incomplete answer to Indy's urban sprawl and low population density, but I am getting off the subject. How do I get around town?
On my bike! Indy is not New York or San Fran, but just about everything you need is within a 10 minute ride on a bicycle. The streets are wide and the sidewalks are plentiful albeit illegal as I found out on a Sunday while cruising around downtown before a Colts game. I almost received two tickets from the police because I wasn't willing to play chicken in the street with a bunch of drunks driving scores of re-cycled school buses painted blue with "Go Colts" painted on the side.
Anyway, it's good exercise and it makes the neighbors giggle when I peddle by. And heaven knows, people need a reason to laugh. It's my new job.
1 comment:
I am patiently waiting for the day I see you peddling downtown as I cruise by. A big honk and crazy wave and you'll now it's me. Just think of all the exercise you getting.. makes me jealous. By the way "your" old car get terrible gas mileage- no wonder you gave it up :)
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