We have so much to gain by encouraging the use of bicycles and electric bikes. We have little or nothing to gain by not doing so. Money has already been appropriated for projects exactly like these.
Yeah, I know, probably better than most, that the economy is horrible. Money is just not there. Tax revenues are down, earnings are down and those that do have money are hanging tough, reducing debt, and increasing savings. There simply isn’t much money out there for anything that is viewed as discretionary. However, the key word in the previous sentence is “viewed”.
Discretionary spending is generally viewed as money that can be spent on something in addition to your needs. It’s an extra, a bonus and one of the things that makes life fun. To a government, it is providing services to citizens that enhance the quality of life such as parks and museums. But, is providing new transportation alternatives discretionary or is it a necessity? Is it spending that is not required now, an extra that simply isn’t needed in an austere economy, or is it spending now to enhance and help provide for our future? Billions of dollars have been appropriated to stimulate the economy but where are they? Where are the jobs, the energy self sufficiency, the greener economy?
Building bike lanes into our current road projects, adding bike lanes to existing roads and making our cities bicycle friendly are projects that cost little, add jobs, cut energy consumption and pollution. They also encourage a somewhat slower, pedestrian (or in this case bicyclist) life style that brings life to our towns and cities such as cafes, and small shops. A great many of our cities and towns have spent millions to develop pedestrian malls and encourage an in town lifestyle. A robust night life is proven to be vital in maintaining the livability of our cities and increasing the tax base. Bike lanes and bicycle friendliness can help do this in a very big way, in a very short time frame and without the millions in expenditures.
Bicycles and electric bikes are a huge part of the transportation system in Asia and Europe. They cut congestion and pollution and help make their cities more friendly and livable. Electric bicycles provide more range and speed allowing riders to live somewhat farther out, arrive at work without getting sweaty, and allow older riders to continue to enjoy cycling. Electric tricycles greatly increase mobility for many people with disabilities such as multiple sclerosis allowing them to get out and about and enjoy more personal freedom. However, none of this does any good if our roads are not designed or altered to permit the use of this cheap, non polluting technology.
We have so much to gain by encouraging the use of bicycles and electric bikes. We have little or nothing to gain by not doing so. Money has already been appropriated for projects exactly like these. The fact that bicycling directly addresses so many of our society’s problems from energy dependence to obesity, why such project have not been front and center can only be a mystery. No, they’re not flashy and no one gets a bike path named after them (perhaps we should start?) but they do help solve a number of huge problems and cost very little in the process. The only reason this isn’t happening in a big way is lack or foresight, lack of political will, and lack of effort on the part of the citizens who stand to gain so much.
Yeah, I know, probably better than most, that the economy is horrible. Money is just not there. Tax revenues are down, earnings are down and those that do have money are hanging tough, reducing debt, and increasing savings. There simply isn’t much money out there for anything that is viewed as discretionary. However, the key word in the previous sentence is “viewed”.
Discretionary spending is generally viewed as money that can be spent on something in addition to your needs. It’s an extra, a bonus and one of the things that makes life fun. To a government, it is providing services to citizens that enhance the quality of life such as parks and museums. But, is providing new transportation alternatives discretionary or is it a necessity? Is it spending that is not required now, an extra that simply isn’t needed in an austere economy, or is it spending now to enhance and help provide for our future? Billions of dollars have been appropriated to stimulate the economy but where are they? Where are the jobs, the energy self sufficiency, the greener economy?
Building bike lanes into our current road projects, adding bike lanes to existing roads and making our cities bicycle friendly are projects that cost little, add jobs, cut energy consumption and pollution. They also encourage a somewhat slower, pedestrian (or in this case bicyclist) life style that brings life to our towns and cities such as cafes, and small shops. A great many of our cities and towns have spent millions to develop pedestrian malls and encourage an in town lifestyle. A robust night life is proven to be vital in maintaining the livability of our cities and increasing the tax base. Bike lanes and bicycle friendliness can help do this in a very big way, in a very short time frame and without the millions in expenditures.
Bicycles and electric bikes are a huge part of the transportation system in Asia and Europe. They cut congestion and pollution and help make their cities more friendly and livable. Electric bicycles provide more range and speed allowing riders to live somewhat farther out, arrive at work without getting sweaty, and allow older riders to continue to enjoy cycling. Electric tricycles greatly increase mobility for many people with disabilities such as multiple sclerosis allowing them to get out and about and enjoy more personal freedom. However, none of this does any good if our roads are not designed or altered to permit the use of this cheap, non polluting technology.
We have so much to gain by encouraging the use of bicycles and electric bikes. We have little or nothing to gain by not doing so. Money has already been appropriated for projects exactly like these. The fact that bicycling directly addresses so many of our society’s problems from energy dependence to obesity, why such project have not been front and center can only be a mystery. No, they’re not flashy and no one gets a bike path named after them (perhaps we should start?) but they do help solve a number of huge problems and cost very little in the process. The only reason this isn’t happening in a big way is lack or foresight, lack of political will, and lack of effort on the part of the citizens who stand to gain so much.
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