17 Reasons Why Bicycles Are the Most Popular Vehicle in the WorldToday

http://ecoworldly.com/2008/06/16/17-...e-world-today/

In article ,
Kyle Petersen writes:
http://ecoworldly.com/2008/06/16/17-...e-world-today/

In my relatively affluent North American experience,
I've noticed a demographic gap in cycling popularity --
I see the little kids tootling around with their training
wheels, and I see younger-to-older adults riding around,
but not so many adolescents -- the kids at the age where
they're eagerly anticipating the acquisition of their
driver's licence & first car, or have just obtained them.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Tom Keats wrote:
:: In my relatively affluent North American experience,
:: I've noticed a demographic gap in cycling popularity --
:: I see the little kids tootling around with their training
:: wheels, and I see younger-to-older adults riding around,
:: but not so many adolescents -- the kids at the age where
:: they're eagerly anticipating the acquisition of their
:: driver's licence & first car, or have just obtained them.

In our family, I rode with my elder son to help him get his merit badge in
cycling. When it was the younger boy's turn, he looked at me and said,
"Didn't you know cars have been invented?"

Plus, it is devilishly hot here in North Texas in the summer time. Who
wouldn't prefer to stay out of the heat? Only us diehards (and mad
Englishmen) or so my grandmother told me a long time ago....

Pat

In article ,
"Pat" writes:
Tom Keats wrote:
:: In my relatively affluent North American experience,
:: I've noticed a demographic gap in cycling popularity --
:: I see the little kids tootling around with their training
:: wheels, and I see younger-to-older adults riding around,
:: but not so many adolescents -- the kids at the age where
:: they're eagerly anticipating the acquisition of their
:: driver's licence & first car, or have just obtained them.

In our family, I rode with my elder son to help him get his merit badge in
cycling. When it was the younger boy's turn, he looked at me and said,
"Didn't you know cars have been invented?"

Plus, it is devilishly hot here in North Texas in the summer time. Who
wouldn't prefer to stay out of the heat? Only us diehards (and mad
Englishmen) or so my grandmother told me a long time ago....

It seems both hot weather and bicycling are not
to everyone's taste. I guess it's unfair to try
to foist either on anyone who doesn't wanna.
As for me, I thrive in the heat; I'm still trying
to warm up from last winter.

It's especially unwise to foist bicycling upon
unwilling Significant Others. Sometimes it's
good to use the bike as an escape pod when
She Who Must Be Obeyed is on the warpath. If
she can't keep up with ya, so much the better.

But I'm wondering if we've imbued bicycling with
a too-wholesome, goodie-two-shoes image -- at least
for the kids who like to play Grand Theft Auto, go
to monster truck rallies, and follow pro wrestling
on TV. Even the mildly "bad boyz/bad grrls" image
of skateboarders & BMXers has faded like a cheap
red T-shirt in the wash.

Maybe all this enviro/green/non-car propaganda is
driving some would-be ridership away? Or maybe
the decision to ride takes some maturity, including
that innate maturity in prepubescent kids. Sometimes
I think maybe people reach their maturity peak at
the age around 9 to 12. Then puberty sets in, and
all heck irrecoverably breaks loose.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

I think just getting on a bike requires a certain amount of imperviousness
to peer pressure. It's not looked upon as "cool" in today's world. To not
care a whit about peer pressure, you have to be mature in your thinking.

Pat in TX

In article ,
"Pat" writes:
I think just getting on a bike requires a certain amount of imperviousness
to peer pressure. It's not looked upon as "cool" in today's world. To not
care a whit about peer pressure, you have to be mature in your thinking.

Ain't it such a wonderment, that so many folks regard
bicycles as toys, and riding as a somewhat childish
pastime, and yet the avocation of riding demands a
mature approach?


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

From: (Tom*Keats)

Maybe all this enviro/green/non-car
propaganda is driving some would-be
ridership away? Or maybe the decision
to ride takes some maturity, including
that innate maturity in prepubescent
kids. Sometimes I think maybe people
reach their maturity peak at the age
around 9 to 12. Then puberty sets in, and
all heck irrecoverably breaks loose.

cheers,
********Tom

Good point. Maybe we should trade in the shiny black lycra for studded
black leather?

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