Posted by Mike Smith :: May 12, 2008 @ 9:42 amWith gas prices soaring, the cost of operating a vehicle continues to climb as well. While there are many other ways to get around, one of the best choices is the bicycle.
I recently heard someone say that cycling is the most efficient form of transportation. That claim is repeated on many of the websites I looked at for verification. Exploratorium states that “cycling can be as much as 5 times more efficient than walking” and “one hundred calories can power a cyclist for three miles, but it would only power a car 280 feet.”
Riding a bike may not help the soccer mom who needs to do grocery shopping, transport children, and run errands, but it can work in a lot of other situations. While the main benefit of riding a bike considered here is the financial savings available, particularly with the high price of gas, there are many other benefits as well. The positive health and environmental benefits are the first to come to mind.
When I lived in Germany, people rode bicycles everywhere. It wasn’t abnormal to see a mother with a basket full of groceries and a few kids in tow, a family out for leisurely ride, or a business man in a three-piece suit on his way to work on a bicycle. I once saw a painter biking to work with all of his supplies, including a step ladder. You realize that you can do a lot more with a bicycle if you simply open your mind to the possibilities. High gas prices are forcing many people to do just that.
So the questions of the day to determine if purchasing a bicycle would return a net savings on your investment: Could a bicycle allow you to get rid of your second car? How much could you save by not burning gas to get everywhere you need to go?
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