Would I ride a bicycle to work?

I have to no official data but I’d assume that 99.99% won’t.

I can write down a gazillion reasons why our people won’t ride bicycles to work and I can write down a few hundred reasons whether would.

The numero uno concern is safety. People would think that our streets are the wild, wild best of Bill Hickok and failure of our authorities to implement the traffic laws of the land is one major reason. Nobody wants t die in traffic. I believe that the solution to our traffic woes is the IMPLEMENTATION of the law. BRT’s, trains, wider roads- they are okay but if the implementation leaves a lot to be desired, then its nothing.

The second concern its health. Bicycling supposed to be a healthy activity but when you do this activity with the dust and the gas fumes, then the car becomes a sweet alternative. I ride to be healthy, not to get lung cancer.

The third concern is hygiene. Unless your line of work is similar to Mike Rowe’s, then who caress about personal hygiene? Unfortunately, some of us need to smell good at the office and with all the dust and the fumes, you’d arrive at the office smelling like a mechanics rag. Who would want to do that?

The fourth concern is the weather. There are two seasons in this country- arid and floody and hardly an in between. Bicycling in the sun is tolerable but riding in inclement weather is not. Its not fun to arriving at work feeling like a wet paper towel. If only companies would provide a shower, lockers and parking areas, and a maybe little incentive from their employers, I’m sure a lot would love to try.

On the other hand, here are a few reasons why we should ride our bicycles to work.

One, bicycles can save the planet.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said that, “There are many mitigating tactics, what the report calls “pathways,” we will all need to take if we want our planet to remain habitable, and among them are walking and cycling more.” ‘Nuff said!

Two, less dependence on foreign oil. Most of the younger generations haven’t experience a gas crisis. I’ve experienced it twice. I remember back in the 70’s when my Dad would hoard gas on Coca-Cola bottles hidden under our kitchen cabinets and the best part was that we started planning our trips.

Three, health. Unlike other sports, bicycling is not only a cardiovascular activity, but it also is a concentric exercise. Cardiovascular means the heart is the one being trained to work less in strenuous situations ergo, it lessens the tender for a stroke, Concnetric exercises are those that you repeat the same motion over and over again, just like running, swimming rowing. Basketball, badminton and football are eccentric exercises, making you more prone to injury that if you run and ride your bicycle.

Fourth, Traffic. “Nuff said!”

So, would I ride my bicycle to work? I tried it a few years ago but I wasn’t consistent. I’d ride if after looking at the weather, it’d say, “sunny”. I am crazy about bicycling but I’m not crazy enough about bicycling to work under the situation.