Each day on the way to and home from work I see a man, probably in his early 50’s trotting down the street with his lunch box. In the rain he wears a rain jacket and a hat. Sometimes he wears shorts in the summer and a heavy parka in the winter. He walks to and from work. And he smiles and waves to folks that pass him by. The gas prices could shoot up to 10. per gallon and he would still be strolling along, covered in his big canvas hat. Hopefully he’s using lots of sunscreen.
While I live in the small village of Middleport where everything is convenient to me , I do have a drive to work. It’s a distance that I can’t walk without arriving the next day and missing a whole day of work.
So as I am passing people walking along the side of the road, I wonder where they are going. Did they get disgusted filling up their tanks and decide to walk instead.? Did they run out of gas somewhere and have to trot their way home?
I’ve tried to make a plan for myself to save gas. I have started walking to the store by my house as much as I can. It’s also a great way not to overspend because then I have to carry everything back home with me.
I think maybe the guy who is walking will become the Grand Marshall of the gasless people parade. Since it doesn’t look like things will get better for us anytime soon.
The other day I was filling up at Drummies and saw a sticker for Sunoco gas. You put the sticker on the car and if Sunoco spotter sees you , you’ll get free gas. I told my daughter Juliana about it. She was horrified that I had a sticker that said official fuel of nascar on my back window . When I told her that she could win free gas she asked if I could get her one too. No one is proud with these gas prices.
The line about “the gasless people parade” conjured up images of droves of people trekking down the side of the road, lunch pail in hand, to get to work. The idea is not far-fetched these days. There are certainly more bikes on the road these days, but most of us would never leave home if we had to peddle our way everywhere! Move over, Fido and Fluffy! The new family pet may just be a horse!!
Yes, I have seen my walking guy each day on the way to work and home again. I think it’s great for people to save gas everywhere that they can.
Riding a horse to work? Hey, you never say never ….I never thought of getting horse transportation, but in my house my little Peke likes being the only family pooch, along with the rabbit.
I find this post kind of rediculus.
Why can’t walking to work (or anywhere) be a prefered choice? Growing up on the east side of Buffalo in the 80’s a lot of my friends still had fathers that worked in factories in the neighborhood and would walk. We would even walk/bike over to the factories at lunch during the summer to say hi to them and see what they were up too.
For some reason we have decided to zone and build a society where walking anywhere pretty much had become not an option. Industry on one side of town, buisnesses on another, homes in yet another. And then we whine about gas prices and no time. We are the the ones who developed everything around necessitating the use of a limited resource (oil). Alll while letting our original walkable communities slide into decay and disinvestment.
When I was young I could walk/bike to parks, the corner store, library, sport practice, firend’s houses, church, etc. My youth was limitiless opportunity to explore and be entertained with friends. Fast forward a decade later to where my much younger sisters were raised in some subdivision where they couldn’t do anything without asking for a ride to some other part of town. And then having parents who then complained about having to drive them everywhere. What kind of life is it being “trapped” in some subdivision/etc with everyone hiding in their attached garages and stockade fenced back yards? We are social animals yet design everything anti-social.
The reason I moved into the city of Lockport is that it affords me/kids/etc the ability to do what I was able to do 20 years ago while growing up on the east side of Buffalo. If only my job was in the city too, I’d be walking/biking it regardless of gas prices. Saying hi to whomever I encountered and taking the time to enjoy the environment that is all around me.
The fact that he is waving and smiling to everyone may go to show how happy life can be with some simple pleasures in life. Taking time to interact with your surroundings, neighbors, etc. instead of living in a secluded house in a secluded development, driving in a secluded cage to a secluded office, etc.
Maybe he is not saving gas, but actually enjoying life while he “commutes” the old fashioned way”…..
End of my rant
I was sorry to hear that you think my post is ridiculous. However, thanks for reading my blog and writing in with your comment.
I think it’s a great idea that the person I spoke about gets to walk to work each day, and I hope that folks that have that option enjoy it just as much. I don’t know this guy personally it seems like he is happy with his stroll to work. He seems to be enjoying life, and getting exercise, which is a terrfic way to live. By the way ,I like your statement about how he “commutes” the old fashion way.
I’ve started Walking more and I agree it’s a great way to interact with others and enjoy scenery. But for work I need to commute for my job and use the car. It’s one place that I cannot walk.
I have mentioned saving gas and the prices rising a few times on the blog and I’ll probably continue to mention it since it seems like a problem for everyone.