After Hours
Ride on
 |
Rules of the road: Nebraska
Engineering web developer
David Sockrider says his
bike commute is less than
10 minutes each way, a ride
that's faster by bike than
by car.
photos by Katie McKinney '09 |
Big Red is going green these days, as UNL encourages energy-saving
practices. David Sockrider, Nebraska Engineering's web developer, found
an eco- and budget-friendly path on two wheels for his daily commute to
work. So far, he has biked more than 200 two-way commutes, amounting
to nearly 500 of his 1,500+ miles traveled in 2008.
Sockrider's 1.6-mile roundtrip ride to work can be more difficult amid
rain or snowstorms, but he gears up and proves that living in Lincoln
without a car is doable. A good tailwind and his favorite
coffee ("Jamaica Me Crazy" blend) waiting at the office
help motivate him on the darker mornings inbound.
Traffic sometimes adds challenges, but he long ago
developed the cyclist's ability to foresee and bypass
what drivers can't.
Sockrider grew up on wheels, with a love of
skateboarding, too. He knows Lincoln about as well as
Google street views shows the city. And, with friends,
he still gets out of town to Red Rocks (Colorado) or
Wakarusa (Kansas) or Omaha for live music events.
"In 2008, I've spent less than $200 on gas," Sockrider
said. For the past six months, his riding stats tracked
an average of 6.8 miles per day: comprised of his
commute, plus occasional errands and riding for fun
(Wilderness Park trails are some of his favorites).
"In January of 2009, it'll be a year that I've biked
here every work day except two, when I bummed
rides from (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering staffer) Trish Fenster," said Sockrider. Cold weather is a disincentive-the chilliest riding temperature
he has endured was -10°F - but drivers using cell phones and not paying
attention to the road create a more dangerous "anytime" hazard, he added.
So this winter as you're out driving and contemplating the
cold, be kind to the bikers. Their tire tracks in the snow are not even as narrow as their carbon footprint.
