On Your Bike, Your Wealth May Depend On It

By Author: John Walker
Total Articles: 4
Comment this article

If I asked you what the most used transport in China is you'd be forgiven for answering The Bike. During my adolescence whenever China was mentioned in school we would see multitudes of folk clogging the streets on their bicycle. Just like the food in China is nothing like Chinese food the transport is no longer jammed up with bikes either.

The growth of China's expanding economy is creating huge wealth and the cost of a vehicle is no longer outside the reach of the average city dweller. Their demand for CO2 producing fuel has in a few short months deposed the USA and they are now the largest polluters on the planet.

As Al Gore's Live Earth comes to a close it's obvious that many Americans are ready to shoulder the responsibility for much of the worlds decline and are not only pledging money to the cause and taking steps to reduce their own carbon footprint.

Growing up in the UK it was folklore we used lower carbon based fuel per person than our US counterparts. It was well known that an American would prefer to get in his car than walk the small distance to the nearest shop. To generalise is always ...
... dangerous and I have to confess, at least in the UK, this does appear to have become general practice.

The increasing health situation of the 21st century include obesity and poor health through need for exercise. It's ironic to listen to Al Gore, a good diplomat for the USA, telling us to leave our car in favour of {{{our|a} bicycle. I never imagined I would hear that.

Equally odd is to watch the change in China. As we are generalising; picture the ordinary Chinese person right now, not local Chinese but the people you see on TV who live in China right now. Do you envisage someone unhealthy and fat or someone looking healthy and trim? Chances are the latter. As they throw away their bikes in favour of the family caravan is this likely to change?

For years I avoided using my bicycle. The roads are for cars and it's just too dangerous to ride bikes on them (plus in some parts of Europe bikers do not require insurance, don't pay tax and there's no need to wear any safety gear).

A growing number of special cycling tracks have appeared in cities that lead directly from the out skirts into the heart of town. These can save time and money as well as keep you healthy.

I have a fold up bicycle in my car boot I park outside of town. This not only saves money on parking fees but eliminates the hassle of locating a free parking place or returning to discover a fine or wheel clamp too.

I prefer to find a Park and Rideif the city has one. I take the bicycle in the bus, shoot around the city and then cycle back or if the weathers bad use the bus to return.

This is the only way that cycling is safe and if the UK, USA and hopefully China want to diminish their carbon footprint they're going to have to work hard to assure the non cycling community of the benefits.

America may not be at the forefront the fight against carbon emissions but that doesn't mean they don't care. Twenty years ago I visited Eugene Oregon and the local government had turned it into a cyclist's paradise. The local authority spent money persuading people to leave their cars at home. Cycle ways were built and although cars were not penalized they were obviously discouraged and on a sunny Sunday afternoon there are more people on their bikes than in their motor cars.

If the weather hassles you or you live in a location where you would rather not go out on a bike, get down to your nearest sports shop and try out one of the new work out at home machines. I have a Trojan Stamina in the spare room in view of a TV. 30 minutes each day in the comfort of my own home and it cost less than $200, lower than the cost of an ordinary bicycle.

Whatever your goal, better health, better planet the noble bicycle is a good choice, not just do you improve your health, not only do you reduce your carbon footprint but you get somewhere too.