Our View: Bicycles are going mainstream

via DelmarvaNow.Com

...
Each bicycle trip that serves a useful purpose translates to one less motor vehicle on the road. Cumulatively, this correlates to less wear and tear on roads and other infrastructure, less traffic congestion on some roads, less gasoline consumed and lower levels of emissions in the air. Over time, individuals using bicycles on a fairly regular basis to go places to which they otherwise would have driven a motor vehicle become more physically fit and healthier, which could lead to a reduced need for medical interventions and medications. That means whatever money the individuals might have spent on health care services remains available for discretionary spending. That can be thousands of dollars a year per household, enough to make an impact that's sustainable as long as the activity level is maintained.
...

The benefits of accommodating bicyclists are clear: Healthier people, lower emissions, fewer motor vehicles using the road, less wear and tear on both roads and motor vehicles, and more money in people's pockets. If there is a downside, it's not immediately obvious.

This increasing use of bicycles is a movement we'd like to see gain momentum.

<a href="http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120727/OPINION01/207270318/Our-View-Bicycles-going-mainstream">http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120727/OPINION01/207270318/Our-View-Bicycles-going-mainstream</a>;