Aside from pre-ambulatory years, there has not been a year of my life when I have not owned a bicycle, though there have been many years when I have not owned a car. Bicycles are awesome -- they are the most energy efficient and dependable form of mechanical transportation I know.

Here are my Top Ten reasons for owning and using a bicycle:

1. Inexpensive to own and maintain (you can even do most repairs yourself)
2. No fossil fuels required!
3. Contributes to increased health.
4. Facilitates a greater knowledge of the world around you - roads, neighborhoods, traffic patterns.
5. Meet people!
6. Find cool stuff on the side of the road (I've found lots of cash, tools & books)
7. Parking is much easier!
8. No Traffic! I still have a local time/distance reality distortion because it is so much quicker to get across San Francisco on bike than by car.
9. Cyclists have sexier legs and backsides. Er, pants. Nicer pants.
10. Rescue stray dogs! I have caught and returned many stray dogs from traffic to their homes while on a bike -- not so easy to do if you are driving past.

Just do me a favor:

1. ALWAYS wear a helmet - even if it is only for a few blocks.
2. Ride with traffic - none of this riding against traffic down a 1-way because you're lazy or getting on a sidewalk for two blocks. You *are* traffic - respect the laws.
3. Use signals.
4. Pay attention - don't count on drivers seeing you or your signals.
5. Wear lights & light clothing at night -- and don't get bent out of shape if people don't see you. It's YOUR job, not theirs.
6. Wear a helmet.
7. Wear a helmet.
8. Wear a helmet.
9. Wear a helmet.
10. Wear a helmet.