On Monday, August 22, 2011 1:20:59 PM UTC-4, Conscience wrote:
On 2011-08-22 16:55:02 +0000, "Jeff Strickland" said:

As a matter of public policy, taking the car keys from seniors and
giving them a bike is probably not a good idea on several different
levels.

Having them ride a bike assumes they can keep their balance. Many
cannot. They use a cane or a walker, that they easliy can stow in the
back seat while driving.

It also assumes they can tolerate the physical exertion needed to
propel the bike. Many cannot. They use a cane or a walker, that they
easliy can stow in the back seat while driving.

It also assumes they only travel a few blocks, and never need to carry a load.

I believe that most seniors who don't ride, or haven't been riding,
would be a danger to themselves. It's not something they should take
up when they turn 65; you need to have been doing it for a while, and
in distances that are meaningful. A short ride for me is 15-20 miles,
depending on weather temps, and I ride at least 75 miles per week.

Yoga is also a good thing PROVIDED they have enough flexibility and
balance to get started. Both will improve with time, but only to a
certain degree. Again it comes down to how active the person has been
in their early years. I prefer Tai Chi.

Moral: Get, and stay, active in your early years. It's far easier to
keep what you have then try to gain what you don't when you're in your
sixties.

Or you'll end up a pencil-necked bass player.

Even if you start 10 years before actual retirement it should give a smooth transition. Bicycling can be hard or soft. Some elderly people I know ride trikes --where space is available. Currently most simply don't have an option.

They probably feel like vegetables unless they get moving. They will also be part of the solution --helping the planet-- not the problem. It would suck to be just another driver adding to the congestion and polluting.