daphne's bicycle season part two: advocacy

Now that I have garnered a bit of ego strength for my cycling habit, I find myself entering the part of the season where the advocate in me swells.  This is the part of the season where want to shout:

People!

Even if you cannot get your skinny rubber tires on the road, supporting non-motorists on the road has many benefits to offer you!

{yes, you, the motorist}

For instance, non-motorized travel has a positive impact on the environment, reduces traffic congestion {yep, even if someone is cycling below the speed limit in your lane},

lowers our collective dependence on non-renewable energy sources such as oil, reduces individual transportation costs, and has a positive impact on one's health and wellness.

Did you know that nearly 40% of all motorized trips are "short" trips that are bike-able or walk-able?

Even before the cost of gas rose so high, AAA estimated the average cost of operating one's car for a year to be approximately $9,600 {consuming about 20% of an average household's income}. 

In contrast, the annual cost of owning and operating a bicycle is $120.

Walking is free.

In 2009, AAA calculates total vehicle operation costs at $54 per 100 miles.  So anytime you are able to replace a short trip (4 miles, round trip) with cycling or waling, you are essentially saving $2.16.

That can add up.

{just sayin'}

How about the benefits for Mother Earth?

Replacing the same short, 4-mile round trip commute with a non-motorized option saves 15 pounds of emissions pollutants from the air we breathe.

In Washtenaw county {where I live}, 

the American Community Survey reports 164,127 employees commute to work. 

74% of those commuters drive alone.

12% car-pooled or utilized public transportation {not taxi}.

Almost 9% utilzed non-motorized modes of transportation.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that the 14,260 non-motorized commuters each travel 4 miles, round trip, per day.  Calculations would suggest that they alone save

213,900 pounds of pollutants

from entering the air each day.

{that is one county, in one day}

And if the same group of commuters is choosing a non-motorized mode Monday through Friday, that is a savings of over one million pounds of pollutants from entering the air we breathe...
each week!

{that's a lot of pounds of pollution}

So every cycling season I start getting all sorts of riled up about non-motorized transportation.

And despite the complexity of advocacy, the things that get me the most riled up are:

cyclists not cycling safely, pedestrians not walking safely, and motorists not regarding the safety of non-motorists as they drive.

Here's the thing:

We know the benefits but we just need to make the decision to get out there.

And part of getting out there is educating one another on how to get out there safely.

Because a person considering using non-motorized modes of transportation feels the threat to their safety {here comes that cyclist-inferiority complex again}, which often acts as a primary deterrent -
despite what one knows about the obvious health, economic, and environmental benefits.

Yo.

I know many of our circumstances preclude the choice to utilize non-motorized modes of travel -
even the occasional choice.

However, we can all choose to learn about and educate one another about how to safely share the road.

And to use what we know.

Respectfully.

{It's a win-win}
and p.s. Don't forget your helmet.