Why ride a bike?
It's good for your health. It will save you money (no petrol or other car expenses) and time (compared to walking and -arguably- compared to earning the money required to run a car). It is non-polluting (both air and noise). It is the most energy efficient form of transport (you might think it is hard work but the human body makes a very efficient motor). And last but not least, it is fun!
In short the reasons are: Exercise, Economy, Environment, Efficiency and Enjoyment! That's one per finger if you want help remembering them.
While I am on my soapbox, just a few thoughts on a popular alternative: the car. Cars have their uses but I believe people generally use their cars too much. Cars have hidden costs such as: the road toll (over half a million people die on the roads each year worldwide), injuries (20 to 30 times the road toll), property damage from crashes, pollution which causes health problems and contributes to the greenhouse effect, disposal of scrapped vehicles, traffic congestion, urban sprawl, busy roads making barriers in local communities, space devoted to roads and parking, the cost of building and maintaining roads... are cars worth all this?? If you had to pay the full cost of your car you probably wouldn't want one! Try to use it wisely. Where possible, consider other forms of transport and alternative destinations that aren't so distant. Try going by bike instead!
TravelSMART
You should check out TravelSMART, an initiative of the Victorian Government's Department of Infrastructure. The TravelSMART program is "an innovative project aimed at encouraging people to choose sustainable travel alternatives such as cycling, walking or catching public transport, and reducing their dependency on the car". TravelSMART got a positive review in the Feb 2003 issue of RACV's RoyalAuto magazine.
