This is a moment of great significance in my life. As such, I'll spend some time writing about it over the coming weeks and months.
To begin, I'll expend a few lines on the energy independence I expect the Quest will facilitate.
The efficient design of the Quest means that I can travel at about1-3% the energy expenditure of a family sedan like the one I commute in today. This means that I'm far more able to power the vehicle with locally obtained power sources, such as potatoes and wheat.
When I do require assistance from lithium batteries, I'll draw the minimum amount required to get me from point A to point B, leaving more lithium available for other important uses.
Another hope of mine is that by commuting in a Quest, I'll raise the awareness of the technology in this part of the world and perhaps encourage a few other people to try it.
While we're on the topic of raising awareness, I'd like to take a moment to recognize those that raised my awareness to this possibility.
My brother, father, uncle and friends who have been commuting by bike for years and demonstrated the reality that it is not only feasible, but leaves you fit and much healthier than I have become while commuting by car.
And to the non-biking contingent of my core readership I also owe thanks, as you all contributed to my world view and have enabled me to pursue this goal, despite the relative eccentricity of it.
I appreciate all of your support.
7 comments :
I look forward to reading more on this subject. Lately I've been wavering, and considering getting a StokeMonkey for my XtraCycle, but your discussion of efficiency turned me back to waiting until I can afford a Quest.
Speaking of electric assistance... have you reviewed the products at EcoSpeed.com?
I wonder if the StokeMonkey has any particular advantages over their products.
Cool Jamey!! I can't wait to hear and see more about it. I love that you are bringing awareness to your particular neck of the woods.
Your Grandma and I remain very concerned about your safety commuting on the highway along which you must go. It's not your dangerous riding that troubles us -- it is the "crazies" who will still be using four-wheeled gas-burners.
There isn't anybody that talks to me more than 15 minutes recently that hasn't heard that my brother is getting a Quest - then they hear about velomobiles. ;)
It will be a thing of beauty and efficiency...but I am being redundant.
I am eager to ride with you through the country roads and when we come to that first little downward slope I'm gonna drop the hammer and get totally SMOKED! Ahhh, I can't wait.
For those who are concerned for cyclist safety on the "road", thanks, I am and we are concerned too. I don't want to get up on a soapbox here in the comments but I have to link you to Issaquah's Kent Peterson, when he recently wrote about a friend's bike/car accident.
I may die on a bike today or tomorrow. I know that's a real risk. I take the precautions that I think are reasonable but I do know that in the end, life'll kill me. But I'm not going to waste the life I have stuck in a box or racing around making a world in which I don't wish to live.
That sounds a little cavalier out of context - the rest of his post makes more sense.
http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2010/10/lifell-kill-ya.html
Oh, and while we are talking safety and rationalizing with statistics, take a look at this bike safety "quiz", to put things in perspective.
http://bicyclinglife.com/SafetySkills/SafetyQuiz.htm
I don't mean to make light of yours and Grandma's concern Grumpy, it is valid and true and clear.
But just like swimming across a lake, hiking in the snow, or flying in a plane over the Amazon - it is life, it is worth living, it is worth living on our terms to the best of our ability - and we do.
Yellow Rockets rule!
Grandpa,
I acknowledge and appreciate your and Grandma's concerns.
Perhaps it will relieve you somewhat to know that I am concerned too.
I have obsessed at length about the relative dangers of biking and driving my commute.
Also I have biked along most of the same highways.
I cannot know how much more or less risky it will be.
However, all the accidents that have happened in this area have been head-on collisions with other cars or trees. That being the case I feel justified in believing that with the narrow profile of the velomobile I will be less likely to hit anything head-on.
I will me more prone to people passing me. However the relative speed of the passer will be a mere 30-40 mph at most. Compared with the likelihood that a head-on collision between two cars will be at a combined speed of about 100 mph, I feel like my risks are within reason and not dramatically more than travel by car.
At any rate, please rest assured that I will continue to think carefully about the risks and will adjust my plans accordingly if I realize that I have missed something important.
Thanks Jame for your reassurance that you will take care.
However, Lief's sage summary, "But just like swimming across a lake, hiking in the snow, or flying in a plane over the Amazon - it is life, it is worth living, it is worth living on our terms to the best of our ability - and we do.", got my attention of what is really important: if you aren't loving living your life, then why worry about prolonging it in relative boredom! [You really got my attention there, Lief, when you mentioned flying an airplane over the Amazon! Touche!!]
Love you both,
GpaZ [with gusto!!]
Post a Comment