But would I lose my status as “Warner Robins’ coolest pastor” if I rode one?

If a motorcycle is out of the question, have you considered a scooter? When we were still in St. Louis, I got a Kymco scooter that was great. We didn’t really NEED two vehicles, so being a “1½ vehicle” family was plenty. My scooter was affordable (we bought it for $3000 new, but you can find good used ones for less than $2000), was dirt-cheap to insure, and fun to ride. It also got 65 miles to the gallon, which saved us over $1000 in the first four months I drove it.

On top of that: I’ve ridden bikes all my life (the pedal kind), and often in heavy traffic– so I’m very familiar with the dangers of being on two wheels and sharing the road with SUVs. One of the biggest dangers of a standard bike is the absence of speed: you can’t get out of the way fast enough, in some cases. A scooter handles that ably, while also governing how fast you actually can go (which is my biggest fear of me on a motorcycle: I’d love the speed too much). Mine topped out at around 60mph, which was plenty for everywhere but the interstate (which I never tried) but reasonably safe as well.

It’s a great option for those who will give it a go– and in Georgia, the weather would serve it well.