Pedal Pusher

This spring, as the presidential candidates were busy arguing over the advisability of lifting the gas tax for the summer months, I bought a bike. It was something I had been meaning to do since I first moved from Rhode Island to Washington, D.C., two years ago, when I sold the bumper sticker-clad Ford Escort that had taken me from my junior year of high school through college. I had real affection for that car, but selling it wasn't a difficult decision. Insurance payments would have taken a huge bite out of my entry-level paycheck, and I didn't relish the hassle of on-street parking.