So last Tuesday hit me like a ton of bricks. Rush hour bus jammed tighter than a tin of sardines, guy sneezing practically down my neck, and that bus fare? Daylight robbery for what felt like punishment. Nope. No more. Decided right then and there to actually try this eco-travel thing myself. Headed straight home and hatched a plan.
Stage 1: The Great Escape (From People)
First things first, I needed to get out without fighting crowds. Grabbed my dusty old commuter bike from the shed – gotta be honest, tires were flatter than a pancake. Pumped them up, oiled the chain (sounded like a dying robot before), and strapped my backpack on tight. Phone GPS was my co-pilot. Goal? Reach Greenfield Park avoiding Main Street chaos.
Pedaled off feeling kinda smug. Instantly felt the difference. No stop-and-go traffic, just smooth sailing down Pine Street. Passed rows of cars just sitting there, fumes swirling. Took that shortcut behind the old library, found a tiny path completely empty – bonus! Legs started screaming around the halfway mark, sure, but the air? Clean. The space? All mine. Reached the park gates feeling knackered but weirdly powerful. Total time? Less than the bus on a bad day.
Stage 2: The Electric Experiment (Saving Those Coins)
Rest of the plan needed more juice. Friend offered to lend me her electric scooter – the plug-in one, not those dodgy rental things. Okay, challenge accepted. Next morning, bypassed the bus stop entirely. Walked five minutes to her place instead. Scooter was charged and ready to roll.
Hopped on. Felt awkward, then… whoosh! This thing zipped. Used it for the whole downtown loop – groceries, post office, even grabbed lunch. Kept checking the battery like a hawk, but it held strong. The killer part? Running the numbers later.
Here’s the ugly truth vs. what I usually do:
- Bus Pass: That monthly thing? $60 bucks, gone. Felt like paying to be packed like cattle.
- Parking Downtown: Robbery. $15 just to leave my car somewhere for a few hours. Nonsense.
- Gas (Even for my little car): Maybe $10-$15 bucks for that day’s errands, easy.
The Bike/Scooter Combo?
- Bike: A bit of elbow grease and free air from my pump. Cost? Zero.
- E-Scooter Charge: Friend reckons plugging it in overnight costs like… 30 cents? Maybe 50? Insane difference.
Seriously. Pocketed money I would’ve burned just getting around. Felt like winning a tiny lottery.
The Verdict: Sticking With It
Was it perfect? Nah. Legs were jelly after biking that first stretch. Felt like a doofus learning the scooter tilt. And yeah, planning the routes took an extra five minutes. But here’s the big stuff:
- Space: Didn’t breathe anyone else’s air all day. Glorious.
- Peace: No traffic noise yelling, just wheels humming.
- Wallet: Actually heavier at the end of the day instead of lighter.
- Surprises: Found streets and corners I never noticed in the car or bus.
Bottom line? Ditching the crowded, expensive grind actually worked. Not preaching, just saying. Threw the old bike back in the shed ready for next time. Might even start charging my buddy rent for that scooter at 50 cents a pop. Cheap thrills? You bet.
