Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 Page 7 - -« f Hello, my name is: Debbie Johnson, ' fourth-year public relations student Josh Cole FOR THE GAMECOCK WHAT’S THE BEST PICK-UP LINE YOU’VE EVER HEARD? ‘“What happens when a polar bear walks on ice? I don’t know, but it’s a hell of an ice-breaker!”’ WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE OUTFIT TO WEAR? |j‘Just a T-shirt and jeans.” /HAT SONG IS THE MOST ROMANTIC TO YOU? “Eric Clapton’s ‘Wonderful Tonight.’” WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE “AFTER-CLASS" ACTIVITY? “Drinking.” WHERE ARE YOU FROM? “Appleton, Wis.” WERE YOU BORN THERE? “Yes.” WHY DID YOU COME TO USC? “I transferred here from the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley for the public relations program.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SHAKESPEARE PLAY? “‘The Merchant ofVenice. ” WHAT’S THE NEXT BOOK YOU’RE GOING TO READ? “‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.’” WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST? ■Toast and coffee.” //HO’S YOUR DADDY, AND WHAT DOES HE DO? “His name is Stan, and he’s a retired airline pilot.” Plastic ^CASH Is it possible to live without credit cards in what’s fast becoming a swipe-and-go world? Lauren Smiley KKT CAMPUS By now you’ve probably heard the warnings about credit-card debt a bazillion times — if you’re not already drowning in it. A recent spike in financial and identity thefts has prompted new caveats about plunking down the credit card. With all the hype, who wouldn’t be worried about opening next month’s credit card statement to find a charge for a stuffed tiger purchased in Tunisia? Some consumers axe trying to move toward a credit-free existence. Many have canceled all but one credit card in an effort to minimize the risk of identity theft. Others say they keep one on hand only for identification or booking cruises and hotels. But can you take it a step further? In an era of online commerce and a potentially cashless society where you can buy even a Big Mac with plastic, can you simply live without a credit card? “It’s possible, but it’s difficult,” says Terri Rimmer of Fort Worth, Texas, who has lived without a credit card since running into credit woes 16 years ago. She adds, “People look at you funny. Now it’s like an oddity if you don’t have one.” Despite the doubtful looks, some people have declared themselves credit-card rebels in a plastic world (though a few admit they’ve had to use a friend’s in a pinch). But they definitely run into challenges. Some say they’ve encountered “cash discrimination” — lack of change in doctor’s offices or restaurants, companies requiring a credit card to guarantee a service, or the inability to take last-minute trips or buy large items on a whim. It takes more driving, more planning and perhaps more headaches, but here are things that you can do without reaching for the plastic. RENT A MINIVAN At many companies you can rent a car without a credit card, with varying amounts of ease. It’s fairly painless at Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Just bring a utility bill that proves your residence, answer a few questions, pay a deposit, and you’re off, says company representative Lee Broughton. At Avis Rent A Car System Inc., it’s a bit more complicated. You must complete an application with a $15 processing fee, allow four to six weeks to get approved, and then put down at least a $300 rental charge (you’ll be refunded any overpayment upon returning the car), says Avis spokeswoman Alice Pereira. Many Alamo Rent A Car locations do not allow you to CREDIT • 8 Weary drivers turn to bikes Rather than paying at pump, motorists hop on 2 wheels Raquel Rutledge KRT CAMPUS ^ MILWAUKEE — Jacob Tomko grew tired of sinking $80 a week into gas for his Chevy van that carried him just 12 miles for every gallon it drank. On Aug. 2, he decided he wouldn’t do it anymore. Tomko parked the van, pulled out his credit card and bought a Honda moped. His new weekly gas bill: $7.68. He now travels more than 100 miles on each gallon of gas and figures he’ll offset the $2,200 cost in about 14 months. Steve Rohde took that idea Jpne step further. Why not .ravel for free, using human energy to propel himself seven miles from Milwaukee to the bookstore in Brookfield, Wis. where he works? On a recent Sunday, Rohde walked into Allis Bike & Fitness in West Allis, Wis. and bought a hybrid bicycle — a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike — and vowed to ride it to work three to four days a week. “I figured I could buy a $200 bike or buy $200 worth of gas that would get used up anyway. I would rather go with the bike,” Rohde said. As gas prices hover near or above $3 per gallon, motorists are parking their thirsty four wheel vehicles and converging on bike and motorcycle stores in search of two-wheel transportation options. “(Labor Day) weekend was absolutely crazy,” said David Mokros, owner of Mokros Cycle in the City of Pewaukee, Wis. “You’d think it was the first warm day in spring. I have never had Labor Day weekend business like this before.” Ditto at Crank Daddy’s Bicycle Works on the east side of Milwaukee, where manager Andrew Temperly said the shop was considering hiring additional workers to keep up with the hectic pace of repairing and selling bicycles. “I’m finding myself caught with my pants down, so to speak,” Temperly said. “I have seen a pretty dramatic spike since the hurricane. People are showing concern.” Even if gas prices drop, Temperly expects interest in bikes to remain steady. Recently passed transportation and energy bills i contain more than $3 billion in bicycle- and pedestrian-related projects. Sheboygan County, Wis., is one of four counties in the nation to receive $23 million to create a non motorized transportation model. And 10 communities will be selected to receive $6.2$ million to promote bicycling as an energy-use-reduction strategy, said Elizabeth Preston, spokeswoman for the League of American Bicyclists, which represents about 300,000 cyclists and affiliated groups. “We are really pleased with the transportation bill,” Preston said. Preston said people have increasingly been turning to bicycles as an alternative method of transportation, but interest has soared since Hurricane Katrina. “It’s happening so quickly we don’t have statistics on it yet, but we’re getting a lot of phone calls,” she said. “It usually takes some sort of impetus to get someone to (bike to work). The gas prices are doing that.” Sales at Wheel & Sprocket in Fox Point jumped 20 percent in August compared with the same month last year, manager Jim Saber said. Jim Morateck, owner of Allis Bike & Fitness, said sales the www. dailygc< first few days of September surpassed even the busiest days of spring and amounted to more than the’ entire month of September last year. People brought in newer bikes for tune-ups or repairs as well as bikes that hadn’t been ridden in 30 years. “This is just unheard of,” Morateck said. “Six months ago nobody was talking about commuters on bikes. We’ve probably talked to 150 separate people in the last three to four weeks. “Bikes have always been something people wanted. Now people are starting to need them.” Sportland 2, an Oak Creek motorcycle shop, i^ selling out of mopeds and scooters before the models even make it to the store, saleswoman Moira Glavan said. The store sold out of Hondas and added a new manufacturer to keep up with demand. “All of our bike inventory is sitting in our showroom,” she said. “We can’t keep bikes in stock.” Mopeds, defined as vehicles having engines with 50 or fewer cubic centimeters of piston displacement, typically go up to BIKE • 9 mecock.com Special fo THE UAMECOCK Tired of paying big bucks for gas, motorists are taking to roads on motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles with greater frequency.