A Bygone Era?

Having taking up cycling again at the age of 50 I've been thinking about cars versus bikes.

My late mother was a very keen cyclist when she was young, back in the 1930's and 1940's. That was in an era when bikes ruled the road.

Mum and her friends thought nothing of cycling from Aberdeen (Scotland) out to Ballater some 40 miles away, having a picnic then cycling back to Aberdeen. She belonged to a cycling club. It wasn't until I was about 16 that she told me this (makes why banning me from riding a bike after a minor accident when I was 6 years old all the more confusing). She said she loved her bike. She was the only female in the club who had a man's bike - a Sun Racer. I asked her why she gave it up since she loved it so much. She just said there were too many cars on the road (in the 1940's?) and the outbreak of WWII in 1939.

Now, of course, we have so-called global warming. Our government is taxing car owners to death. Our roads are overcrowded with cars, lorries and buses. Fossil fuel is running out. People are leading more sedentary lifestyles which has the knock-on effect of causing health problems coupled with the fact that many people eat "junk" food. Not a good combination.

Over here in the UK, some councils are trying to promote the use of bikes more. In our town, we have many cycle paths. New housing estates are not given planning permission unless they include cycle paths in their plans which has given rise to some really nice cycle runs in the evening when I finish work.

I am going to be writing to our Council this week to ask when they are going to install a dedicated cycle path direct from the north end of town into the centre of town. At the moment the bus lanes allow cyclists on them but not cars. Unfortunately, some cars are using the bus lanes now. Buses and bikes (both pushbike and motorbike) are allowed to use the bus lanes between the hours of 7am and 7pm. After that, cars are allowed to use them too. Unfortunately so car drivers think they can use them all the time so I think we really need more dedicated cycle paths. Later on today son and I are going to cycle from our house to where I work and back to see how long it takes. Bet it's much quicker than going by car. Basically, I'm doing a trial run. Tomorrow I hope to take my bike to work.

Since going back on a bike (and really enjoying it), I've thought of my late Mum a lot. I wonder what she would say now to see that bikes are making a comeback. I believe that bikes, certainly in towns, will once more become king of the road within the next 10 to 20 years. What do you think?

Aye, I think there will be a considerable increase in the number of people riding a cycle of some sort in the next twenty years. I was just reading an article which stated that China, even as recently as 1994, was a net exporter of oil. Not any more. Something's got to give, and that will be gas/petrol prices. The UK already does not subsidise petrol prices. The US still does. If Americans paid the true price for that fuel, there would be a huge increase in the number of smaller vehicles certainly, and most likely many more motorcycles/scooters and pushbikes.

East Hill

Even with the susidies applied here in the US, the oil price is still climbing, along with prices on goods and services that require processing and transport through oil based vehicles (and the increase in global temps). If this is the future trend, I wouldn't be surprised to see more people take to the road via bicycle and other cost-effecient, enviro-friendly means. I've been riding to work for quite a while now and have noticed on my daily route more and more cyclists commuting. It gives me a little warmth to know that people are changing their lifestyle to contribute to a better way of living (granted I still see a ton of SUVs:( , but more cyclists, pedestrians, and smaller vehicles than before). I still have an optimistic view that people are starting to see the problem if things don't change and trying to make changes. And besides, riding is so much fun, why not ride any and everyday that you can;)

I always get a little warm spot in my heart when I remember reading (somewhere) that the US highway system was originally designed for bicycles. (not cars, BIKES)

Gas prices went up here for the start of the warmer weather, and my LBS says their commuter bikes and used bikes are selling like wildfire.

In my area commuting by bike saves me gas money the price of my commuter bike in about a month and a half.

Last summer when the warm weather gas prices hit, one of the shops was advertising their bikes in "tanks of gas" equivalents. (like, "this comfortable commuter costs 5 tanks of gas")

My car's been off the road due to lack of insurance (very expensive here for 4x4s) due to my husband's job not paying a lot initially. His income is much higher now and I've got a nice little part time job which I enjoy (hence being able to put a deposit on a new bike). We were going to reinsure my car tomorrow and probably still will. I can't sell it until the end of May as I will be having some long-distance journeys to the airport and the renal unit with my son and brother (hopefully my brother will be a suitable match, so fingers crossed on that one). After that, I will probably sell the car and get a smaller one.

I've either been taking taxis home from work, or if my hubby is between jobs, he'll run me home. Taxis are expensive. I reckon by taking the bike I can save myself over £30 a week, which, of course will go towards the new bike.

I do wonder though, what my late Mum would say if she could see today's bikes.