Now that you have heard my spiel on the health benefits of cycling, it is time to hold on to your butts for part two!  I’ll begin with a personal experience…

Amsterdam

Back in April, my boys (translated: guy friends) and I spent ten days exploring the western side of Europe.  As expected, the trip was a great time.  I love travelling, particularly because you get to see how people live outside of your bubble.  Whether it is simply getting out of the state, country, or hemisphere, there are always things you can learn from a different culture.

Along with Belgian Beer and English Soccer (or “Proper Football” as they call it), the iconic bicycles of Amsterdam were a notable experience.  Of course, I was aware that the Dutch were fond of the machine, but the approximately 550,000 bikes in the city limits speak volumes of their passion.  Stepping out of the Central Train Station, my buddies and I where a bit overwhelmed.  At first, the melee of cyclists, pedestrians, cars, and trams seems like a no holds barred free-for-all.  But after senses adjust, you realize this is all a well-coordinated dance; a well oiled system of understanding.  The only cause for interruption is a confused tourist (or four in our case).

Far and away, this was the happiest and fittest population I have ever interacted with.  The more sassy of you may be quick to correlate the “coffee shops” and red light district with the abundance of smiles.  While there might be an ounce of merit to that point, I will take the liberty of offering up another explanation.  A brief aside first: You have to understand, I am a bit annoyed by parking lots.  There is no better way to ruin a city block.  Here in the U.S. (an auto-centric society) we have ample parking space.  In fact we have enough to cover the state of Connecticut.  In the city centre of Amsterdam, I saw very few, if any, parking lots.  The numerous canals and social plazas would have to be sacrificed to accommodate an influx of cars.  So, unlike our typical approach in the States, their city government has historically opposed any initiatives that would favor blacktop over bike paths and walking space.  The locals certainly appear to appreciate the lifestyle.

Bicycle Friendly City Planning

Want proof that this will work in our country?  Check out the towns of Davis, California or Portland, Oregon.  These are model examples of how shifting emphasis away from the automobile can have a positive impact on the community.  Believe it or not, increasing interstate accessibility may not always be the best solution.  Even here in Alabama, Auburn University is converting their campus and surrounding areas to be more pedestrian and bike friendly.  In a multi-year phase that is baffling a lot of people, they are actually reducing parking spots and eliminating roads that used to run through the middle of campus.  That deserves a War Eagle!

The Savings

If the decision to ditch the car comes down to dollars and cents, then give this next part some thought.

As someone who has most of the basic necessities (grocery, restaurants, medical, night life) within a five mile radius, I have strongly considered getting rid of one of our two vehicles.  Based on what I spend for gas, maintenance, parking, and insurance, I could save nearly $5,000 a year (not including sale of the car) if I ditched the “MattMobile.”  While the machine and I have had some good times together, this thought is rather tempting.  Obviously, if you switch to a bike, there are costs involved.  However, unless you are a Lance Armstrong wannabe, then a ten-thousand-dollar road bike shouldn’t be necessary.  There are plenty of great bikes out there under a grand.  Maintenance is nominal when compared to that of a car.  If the weather is prohibitive for cycling, then there are plenty of other ways to get around.

With the added exercise, there also may no longer be a need for that gym membership.  Extra-bonus: your local municipality or state govenment may also offer incentives for utilizing alternate modes of transportation.  Check into it, because you could get paid for every day you commute by bike!  Birmingham residents, here is your link for incentives.

Environmental Benefits

Last time I checked, my bike has no tailpipe.  So, other than the times I ride after a visit to Taco Bell, there are zero emissions being produced by rider and machine.  Here’s a real world example: Say you drive 12,000 miles annually in your 2008 Honda Civic (manual transmission).  In this scenario, you would be emitting 7,826 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year.  Simply commuting three times per week by bike (for a round trip of 10 miles) would reduce your CO2 emissions by over 1,500 pounds.  If you drive a less fuel efficient vehicle, the savings would be even higher!  I am certainly not here to debate global warming, but if you prefer car exhaust and smog over clean air then please have your head examined.

One more bike on the road means one less car.  Reduced congestion means people spend less time sitting in traffic burning fossil fuels and smogging up the city.  Not to be cliché, but you can either be part of the solution or part of the problem!

DoGood!

Matt

Feel free to comment below or email me at Matt@DoGoodedness.com!

picture by nakedsky via Flickr