The commuting by bike industry is on fire this year. Never before has it been this popular to use your bike as a mode of transportation rather than just pleasure. I think there are several reasons for this phenomenon.
- Gas Prices – In Atlanta we are at $4.00 per gallon (as of 6/10/08) and there is no relief in site. If you already have a bike, there is no startup cost to making your commute gas free!
- More Environmentally Conscience – Environmental issues are starting to come to the forefront of news channels. This didn’t used to be the case. The more educated the public, the more we can conserve where we can.
- Traffic – In highly populated areas, it is sometimes faster to commute by bike than car.
- Health - America is the most overweight country in the world. I think there are many people who want to change their lives for the better, and biking is one of the best exercises for your body.
- Government Programs – State and Federal governments are starting to offer tax breaks for bike commuters much like they did for car poolers years ago.
Example:
H.R.6049- Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008
- Introduced: May 13, 2008
- Status: Voted on by House
- Next step: Voted on by Senate
- Latest action: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 263 – 160 (Roll no. 344).
- Sponsor: Rep. Charles Rangel [D, NY-15]
- See full bill here.
The online community for bike commuters is exploding. Blog sites like commutebybike.com are seeing traffic giant increases as readers want to talk more about the opportunites available to bike commuters. High traffic blog sites like bikesnobnyc.com are regularly covering commuting subjects and getting great responses out of their readership.
Will I commute by bike? Not yet. My office is currently an hour away by highway. Driving from the north side of Atlanta to the south side is just not feasible by pedal power. With the cost of living rising at the rate it is, we are looking at other avenues where bike commuting may be in my future.
Do you see yourself commuting by bike?
If you aren’t now, what is stopping you?
Nice write up, Robb!
I have been commuting by bike since the beginning of the year..mostly for fun, as I usually came to work by bus anyway…but love it…my commute is very short..but it’s still a great way to start the work day..
cheers,
Cris
@crisillo: Thanks Cris! I am officially jealous…I need to get a commute that is only that long.
Been commuting for a couple of years now, racking up 20 miles a day. Great year round training for the weekend off-road rides and just as quick as catching the train but without the stress, overcrowding, delays and cost. Lucky that i can incorporate so much exercise in to my day doing a sport i love. Just have to keep reminding myself to not race the cars though!
Yes.commuting by bike is the best answer for the current situation of the world.We can conserve the environment as well as promoting exercise to our bodies.Plus we can use the money to other important thing in our household instead of using it to buy gas.Truly, biking is great.