every bike is 1 less car

You can file this one under "Cycling is Good for ALL of us!"

Cycling at a reasonable clip on Brant Street, I was startled by the loud, long blast of a car horn.  Couldn't hear the driver, his windows were closed and I didn't catch his wild gestures.  Next time you get irritated by the person on his bike going 12 kph in your lane, or heaven forbid a bike lane, this article is for you!

I ride my bike to the library, to the grocery store, to the mall and even to visit my friends at city hall.  Studies show the quickest way to make a short journey of 3 km. is NOT by car, but by bike.  As you can tell from the pictures below, a number of other people do this as well

Bikes @Brant No Frills = more freed parking

Who bikes to Walmart?
Full bike rack @ Walmart!

Every bike you see, really means less congestion - extra parking spots and less vehicle traffic to deal with on the roads.


 
Of course there are other benefits few people consider: less wear and tear on the roads, bikes don't emit hydro carbons and cyclists will be less of a drain on our limited health care resources.  We also help our economy because we spend less on transportation costs leaving us more for other purchases.  


Maybe that's one of the reasons why cyclists are happier people!

Cycling for Your Life

I came across this post several years ago.  It still applies today.

The Benefits of Cycling:

http://www.rocklin.ca/biketrip/benefits.htm

1. reduces the cholesterol levels in the blood
2. increases the high density lipo-protein/cholesterol ratio in the blood as well
3. reduces the chances of strokes and heart attacks caused by clotting
4. reduces the chances of illnesses caused by high blood pressure
5. reduces high blood pressure
6. helps reduce the chances of diabetes
7. offers more energy
8. better sleep
9. strengthens bones
10. reduces the risk of cancer
11. lowers resting heart rate
12. reduces body fat
13. reduces stress
14. increases mental well being
15. lengthens your life span
16. if done regularly - will get you down to your ideal body weight

If you could buy a pill to get all of the above benefits, it would probably be called Cyclotrose.

Bicycling has several advantages over other exercises:

1. Cycling exercises the heart better than walking without the pounding of jogging.
2. One can ride a bicycle almost anywhere, at any time of the year, and at low cost.
3. Little or no time has to be lost, as bike travel can be used to get to work, perform errands, or enjoy the outdoors.
4. Commuting by bike reduces pollution that causes asthma and bronchitis. A commuting cyclist is also less exposed to air pollution than a commuting motorist.

And, let's not forget about saving you money,  $$$$ and being FUN!