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prieten47
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Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
January 15, 2007 - 07:17 PM
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I am amazed at how unwilling Americans/ Europeans/Japanese are to give up their cars. I have a car here in Japan, but have decided to leave it in the garage as much as possible. I now use my bike or walk for commuting to work. I teach English at 35 different schools in my city and must go to a different one often. My longest bicycle ride takes about 40 minutes, my longest walk about the same time. Most schools are closer. In addition to doing something to help the environment, I find the health benefits are wonderful. My weight is down and I feel great, too. My town is very cold in the winter, so ice on the streets makes bicycling dangerous. I had my first bike accident recently when I ran into a curb while looking backwards! No serious injuries though. For walking, I have bought a nice face mask that keeps my head, ears, face and neck warm.
My wife, however, is not so enthusiastic about my carfree lifestyle. She insists trips to the grocery store or the shopping center must be by car. I suggested I could buy a special bicycle with an extra seat for her and room for the groceries, but she says it would be too humiliating to be seen in such a vehicle. I have read with great interest about the "Boda Boda" bicycles in Kenya. That is the bike I need here in Japan!
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Jack
Joined: Dec 29, 2006
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
January 16, 2007 - 02:03 AM
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It's very noble of you to stop using your car. It does seem like a hard thing to do in today's world, but as you said, it can be done. I don''t have car so I walk much of the time also. I like it because it gives me time to think. You are doing a great thing and I hope everyone follows your lead.
This post was edited on: 2007-01-16 at 02:07 AM by: Jack1289
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Owulezi
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
January 16, 2007 - 11:59 AM
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I become dumbfolded in this particular issue, inspite the newly booming of techology - I mean many car companies planning ahead to build more sophsicate models and here folks are prefer going on footh and bicycle instead, I hope it will not stop car companies from manufacturing??
What about some countries that have never enjoy till such extends the pleasure cars offers??
Or do I say that in future auto mobiles will go out of fashion?? then what will become this value of advance techology??
But my question here, is there no way to control the other side effect to climate?
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prieten47
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
January 16, 2007 - 08:46 PM
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plato123 wrote:
I become dumbfolded in this particular issue,* inspite the newly booming of techology - I mean many car companies planning ahead to build more sophsicate models and here folks are prefer going on footh and bicycle instead,* I hope it will not stop car companies from manufacturing??**
What about some countries that have never enjoy till such extends the pleasure cars offers??*
Or do I say that in future auto mobiles will go out of fashion?? then what will become this value of advance techology??*
But my question here, is there no way to control the other side effect to climate?*
Dear plato123,
I guess a car does provide the advantage of mobility plus protection against rain. You are right, cars in their current form do create greenhouse gases. There is some talk of switching to carbon-neutral fuels like biodiesel or alcohol. Hydrogen is very benign in its combustion, but making hydrogen is very energy-intensive, so I think that is not the way to go. Electric cars would be wonderful, but again the electricity will probably come from a coal-fired power plant. Electric cars are also still too heavy and their range is very limited. The new plug-in hybrids (they switch between gasoline and electric motors) show much promise, but still require gasoline.
I think bicycling offers many physical benefits, as well as environmental benefits. There are now electric bicycles available which make riding much more pleasant if you live in a hilly region or are physically-impaired. There is a great deal of innovation taking place in the bicycle world right now.
I can imagine people in the developing world are angry that Americans/Europeans/Japanese have used up all the world's natural resources, have brought the Earth to a very dangerous climate problem, and now preach the simple life to them (people in the DW). I will try my best, here goes:
I am very, very, very, very, very sorry and promise to not make the climate problem any worse. I will ride my bike and walk from now on.
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Earth Saver
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
January 25, 2007 - 03:08 PM
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Since over half the emissions from a car are produced during its production and disposal using more efficient cars and alternative fuels only solves a small part of the problem. We need to stop using cars and use bikes and public transit instead. Sadly we have designed our communities (and our lives) to be dependent on automobiles. One third of our cities are devoted cars in the form of streets and parking lots. however efficient public transit systems and limits on sprawl could reduce our auto dependence.
Some useful resources
planetfriendly.net/carfree.html
worldcarfree.net
sierraclub.org/sprawl
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prieten47
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
January 28, 2007 - 11:44 PM
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Hey, that Ecotopia Bike Tour listed on the Worldcarfree.net homepage sounds fantastic! Young people from all over biking from one ecological project to the next through Spain and Portugal. A great way to meet and brainstorm!
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~ mostafa ~
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
June 8, 2007 - 01:21 AM
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Riding bicycle is very good for your health
Which city/town in Japan do u live?
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Poonam
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 23, 2007 - 10:15 PM
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i think walking and riding a bike are great ideas...thats how i get around to close places around where i live...you can also get excercise while walkin ...me and a couple of my friends usually waalk to the park or school or the library and maybe even to eachothers houe ...its great...
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prieten47
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 23, 2007 - 11:31 PM
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prettypoonam27 wrote:
i think walking and riding a bike are great ideas...thats how i get around to close places around where i live...you can also get excercise while walkin ...me and a couple of my friends usually waalk to the park or school or the library and maybe even to eachothers houe ...its great...
More power to you! I think young people are bombarded with lots of advertising to become big consumers of everything: clothes, food, cars, electronic gadgets, etc. Transportation is a problem in many areas and some immediately think a car is the only solution. Public transportation, walking or biking takes a little longer, but Mother Earth thanks you!!
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Rajesh
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 24, 2007 - 02:34 PM
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To solve this problem doesn't mean to back into the old age, that not to use vehicle and walk on foot and bicycle. Yes, bicycle definitely have 2 fold benefits, one for environment and another is own health. But in the present day's busy life it is not possible to travel through bike everywhere.
So we have to develop technological efficiency rather than to quit them. Why don't we think about the renewable fuel rather then using fossil fuels. we have to think new technology rather than descard them.
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prieten47
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 24, 2007 - 08:13 PM
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I understand your point. I think there will always be a place for cars in areas with poor access via other transportation. I am thinking farms out in the countryside. But in urban settings, cars present special problems: parking, pollution, congestion, etc. Certainly the pollution problem can be tackled via electric motors, hydrogen fuel and even biofuels (although arguably better for the environment than petroleum based fuels, this would still cause urban air pollution). The backbone of any urban transportation system must be a good bus, tram, subway, express train system. London, England, has experimented with an automated system for charging cars a fee for entering the city. This has improved the congestion problem as people switched to the public transportation system and bikes, both motorized and not.
You live in Freiburg in Baden Wuerttemburg in Germany. Germany is a model when it comes to public transportation. This is very expensive, but the benefits are worth it. How does Freiburg compare to Kathmandu or a large Indian city? Traffic congestion in India is notorious and now the pedal-driven pedicabs are being replaced with gasoline-operated ones.
I am very impressed with the "Brompton" bicycle concept of using a small foldable bicycle to bike from your house to the nearest public transportation station/stop, fold up the bicycle, take it with you; when you arrive at your destination, unfold it again, and bicycle to your final destination.
The final consideration is cost. Owning an automobile is very expensive with costs ranging from buying cost to gasoline, regular maintenance, insurance, parking fees. Is this really why we work so hard, just to support a car? I think our money can be spent on better things. A bicycle is cheaper and healthier for us and the environment.
This post was edited on: 2007-07-24 at 08:15 PM by: Stuart
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Shawn S.
Joined: Jul 9, 2007
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 24, 2007 - 10:07 PM
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I totally agree that the best way to fight the amount of cars is to have a strong public transit system, however do know that North America does not compare in the slightest in terms of their quality of public transportation compared with Europe (I've never been to Asia so I'm not familiar there).
The US and Canada would have to do a lot of work if they want to pursuade people to take public transit over cars. Another problem is that in most of Europe, things are generally closer together compared with American cities.
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Tonya
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 26, 2007 - 11:45 AM
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Even putting all environmental issues aside (not that they should be)... monthly car payments, monthly car insurance payments, weekly gas tank fill-up, 3 month oil changes & other maintenance... or a healthy body, a cleaner environment, and a bike??
I recently spent 4 months in Italy and couldn't tell you how much money I saved and much more traveling I was able to do without car expenses to worry about.
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prieten47
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 28, 2007 - 09:09 AM
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Thank you for your comments.
Well, it has happened to me: my knees are beginning to bother me! Maybe I have been overdoing it a bit with the bicycling. I have tried adjusting my saddle and my riding style (walk the bike up the hills, instead of standing on the pedals and using lower gears, not going so fast). So far, nothing seems to help. While riding the bike, the knees are okay. It's later in the evening, I get a "burning" sensation at the top of both shins. It keeps me up at night.
My 48 year old body is going on strike! Last year I tried doing push-ups for exercise. I got up to 25 and then I damaged the rotator cuff in my left shoulder. Stop the push-ups, my doctor said. I was hoping the bicycling would keep me in shape, but now my knees are beginning to hurt! Time for the rocking chair, I guess...
Fortunately, walking still seems to okay.
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ibrahim
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Re: Let's Walk and Use Bicycles!
July 31, 2007 - 11:25 AM
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This is happening in Uganda, an East African country where the importance of bicycles as a means of transport for small-scale farmers is increasing dramatically. The importance of bicycles to agriculture and rural development is well-known in many Asian countries. Bicycles have long been a familiar part of the landscape, and are the primary means of transport for agricultural inputs and outputs for many small-scale farmers.
Bicycles are also more friendly to the environment than motorized vehicles, a consideration of growing importance. In addition to the fact that fuel is not required, bicycles can operate on small, community- developed roads and paths that are impassable to motorized vehicles. Compared to a road network that would be required for motorized vehicles, the paths used by cyclists are a significant savings in land area.
Of greater concern to the environment are the often-severe erosion problems associated with road construction and maintenance. These can largely be avoided when roads and paths are designed for bicycles. Road maintenance, a serious and increasingly unmanageable problem over much of sub-Saharan Africa, will also be less costly on bicycle pathways.
Cyclists aren't found plying all the major roads into Kampala. The main reason why, according to cyclists, is the traffic congestion caused by the ever-growing number of cars, trucks and buses, which crowd out bicycles. It's unsafe, and often physically impossible for heavily loaded bicycles to enter the city on narrow and heavily congested roads.
In her 1985 book. Cities and the wealth of nations, Canadian economic and social critic Jane Jacobs discussed the small business and manufacturing components that make cities, and the national economies they sustain, successful. She saw the humble bicycle - especially the home-built variety - as playing a key part in the scheme of things.
Thus, bicycles may not be the solution to every transport problem in evry reion of the world, but they can certainly be part of the answer.
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