What if, instead of being frustrated with traffic, after each trip you felt refreshed and alive? What if your mode of transportation costs almost nothing to use, and it gets you there on most trips in minutes? What if it actually made you healthier, and you felt good about its impact on our climate? What if it costs far less to purchase than your current mode?
Yes, I’m talking about bicycling.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 51% of trips by the average American are less than three miles. If, instead of using a car for those short trips, you used a bicycle, it would be five to 20 minutes of exercise and fun.
Rather than drive a motor vehicle to a health club for exercise, get your workout more enjoyably using a bike for short trips.
How will bicycling benefit you? Using bicycles for local transportation will save you on the operation and maintenance of your mode of transportation it will improve your physical health by working your circulation without pounding your feet and knees, and your mental state by avoiding congestion and serving you enjoyment. And, if everyone used bicycles, we’d all benefit from cleaner air.
As a lifelong bicycle commuter, I know the obstacles to the daily use of bicycles for transportation. Surveys show that 50% of people would ride their bikes more if it felt safer to do so. Bicyclists are more exposed to heat cold, and rain than those riding in enclosed motor vehicles. Bicycles are more prone to flat tires than motor vehicles. Bicycles can’t carry as large a load.
But there are ways to overcome those obstacles.
Marked bike lanes help, but lanes protected by a physical barrier offer far more safety. But they require dedicated space. One study of 2,283 residents in five cities by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities found that 56% of local residents said protected bike lanes made their streets work better for all involved, and 43% said they made their neighborhood more desirable to live in (14% said less desirable).
We can thank Bike Tri-Cities for working on getting wider designated bike lanes for users of all ages and abilities as a standard on Tri-Cities streets. But many neighborhoods and schools still lack access to safe bike lanes. Our cities can do more.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads Program has billions of dollars for road safety improvements. Spokane recently received a $9.6 million Safe Streets grant.
If you don’t want to arrive at work a hot mess, you live on a hill, or your legs aren’t as strong as they used to be, consider an electric bike, which makes even ascending steep hills effortless.
For those with a compromised sense of balance, electric trikes can provide the same mobility.
In the winter, just bundle up for the cold. If your body is working hard to power your bike, it takes less clothing than you might expect. You can keep your hands warm with good ski gloves, or “pogies” for the coldest days.
Flat tires need not feel intimidating to the novice. Wheelhouse Community Bike Shop offers bicycle maintenance training and access to tools. One can always take a bike to a bike shop, but the ability to repair a flat on the road can be liberating. If you don’t own a bike, you can even earn a bike by helping repair other bikes.
Bicycles can carry much more than you might think. Bike trailers or cargo bikes can easily carry two small children or groceries for a week. Baskets, crates and paniers add carrying capacity. The internet has images of people pulling a refrigerator behind a bicycle.
Finally, your personal safety can be substantially enhanced by wearing a helmet and using bright lights during the dark hours.
But calling for a safer and complete cycling network improves the safety of everyone.
Retired climate scientist Steve Ghan leads the Tri-Cities Washington Chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, builds homes for Habitat for Humanity, leads crews that remove logs from the Pacific Crest Trail, and serves as Treasurer for the Three Rivers Folklife Society.
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