THE ISSUE:
Cars drove out the horse and buggy for good reason. They were faster than horses, easier to control and (except for my brother's car) smelled better.
But they haven't beaten the bicycle. Bikes were around long before the Model A ruled the 30's and will be around long after the last 280Z finally succumbs to seagull droppings.
If anything, cars are starting to lose the battle. In 1965, about 20 million cars and 20 million bikes were built around the world. In 2000, car production rose to about 40 million. Bikes? About 100 million.
Time to run out and buy a new bike? Not so fast, Schwinn-boy.
THE GOOD TURN:
The total cost of driving a car is about 54 cents a mile. But at a bicycle co-op, a bike might just cost some volunteer time and a few bills for spare parts.
Bicycle cooperatives are popping up all over the country. Most, like Free Ride in Pittsburgh, won't fix your bike for you, but volunteers will teach you how to fix it yourself - everyone turns a wrench. In return for the help, you can simply swap some volunteer time. You can usually get good used parts on the cheap too. Some co-ops even donate fixed up bikes to help the homeless with job transportation.
It's all about putting bikes - and bikers - back on the streets, building community spirit and doing good for the environment.
Bikes aren't the answer to everything. I should know, with a 50-mile round trip commute. But chances are you have a neglected bike lurking in the shadows of your garage providing aid and comfort to a family of spiders. Or maybe an injured two-wheeler that just needs a little Charlie Brown-style TLC.
Your bike can work again. You can fall in love with fresh air again. And you can do it without tossing the old ball-bearing and chain on the scrap heap and buying a new one.
CLICK HERE TO DO THIS GOOD TURN:
(Do a Google search for "shared bike programs," "free-use bikes" or "bike cooperative")
Find a bike cooperative in your state
Check out the Yellow Bike Project
The true cost of driving, according to AAA
6/16/08
TODAY'S TURN: Put users back on the streets
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1 comment:
Good call, Mike, on FreeRide! By the way, for those who don't want to volunteer or have the time, you can also buy a used bike at Free Ride, (and I imagine this is the case at other coops), basically a bike that volunteers have fixed up and the dough goes to the organization. We got our daughter some sweet new wheels recently (a size upgrade; she won't stop growing though i tell her to stop most every day) for $10 last week, basket and horn and training wheels and all. Costs less, creates less junk for the landfill.
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