Every bicycle on the road equals one less car

Each and every bicycle on the road equals one less car. Save the Planet, one bicycle at a time

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Each and every bicycle on our roads means one less car, or part of one, as a family would use three or four bicycles to replace the saloon car. And the more of us who replace the car with a bicycle, especially for the shorter journeys and the school runs – those journeys that really do most of the polluting and cause most of the other emissions – the better it will be.

Aside from the fact that the air will be a great deal cleaner and less CO2 and other greenhouse gases will be emitted we all will end up a lot healthier. Especially so if we also eat a proper diet and not one full of ping meals, take out and Mucky D's.

It would appear that, slowly but surely, people are rediscovering the humble bicycle as means of (personal) transportation, even in the London region of Britain, which is well-served by buses and trains, for short journeys, and even for commuting.

I see new faces on a daily basis going through the Park where I live and work on their bikes on their way to work, to the shops or taking kids to school. School kids too are going to school again by bike a lot more than they used to a few month to a year or so ago. A good sign, methinks. With fuel costing around US$ 8 per US gallon this is also not surprising.

But too many still don't get it and many just carry on motoring and rather cut down on other things, it would appear. Then again, if one lives fifty or more miles away from work commuting by bicycle is not an option, though there are still many that will go to the shop around the corner using the car. Stupid, I know, but such are many.

However, many commuting journeys can be accomplished quite easily on a bicycle and more often than not faster than by using a car. At times the average speed of a car in the London area is less than 10mph and a bike sure beats that. In addition to that with a bike you can use many a shortcut that you can't with a car.

Kids' school travel should definitely be by bicycle or even on foot wherever and whenever possible and not by car.

There are serious side effects, however, to cycling and walking for the children. It will keep them fit and active and healthy and might combat obesity even. Even the older ones of us can be affected by those selfsame side effects and we might all end up healthier in the end.

So, let's hear it for the humble bicycle...

© 2012