With the onset of record-high fuel prices, people are looking at alternative
means of transportation. For many people, bike commuting is a reasonable
alternative to driving. Here then, are some resources for you, the bike
commuter, and you, the person who is considering bike commuting.
Here are some commuting tips.
On Thursday, May 18th, the Fairbanks Borough Assembly adopted a resolution
recognizing May 22-26th as "Bike to Work Week" in the Fairbanks North Star
Borough. The club sponsored an end-of-week party for anyone who biked to
work during the week. The resolution is short and worth a quick read.
Here's something that might be of interest to people considering cycle
commuting and wondering about the safety aspects:
"The biggest downside of cycling is wrecks, particularly with cars. Per
kilometer traveled, a cyclist in America is 12 times likelier than a car
occupant to be killed, according to a 2003 American Journal of Public Health
article.
"Yet the number of cyclists killed in America fell nearly 10% to 724 during
the decade that ended in 2004, according to federal statistics. And studies
show that as the number of cyclists increase, collisions with automobiles
decline because motorists become more alert to bikers' presence. As cycling
in London increased 100% from 2000 to 2005, the accident rate for cyclists
fell 40%, according to Transport for London.
"The danger of cycling is far outweighed by the benefits, says Rutgers
University's John Pucher, a professor of urban planning specializing in
cycling issues. Cycling builds muscle, deepens lung capacity, lowers heart
rate and burns calories. ``The health benefits of cycling outweigh the health
risks by two to one, if not something like five to one,'' says Dr. Pucher,
whose voice mail describes him as ``car-free John.'' "
