The commuting by bike industry is on fire this year. Never before has it been this popular to use your bike as a mode of transportation rather than just pleasure. I think there are several reasons for this phenomenon.
- Gas Prices – In Atlanta we are at $4.00 per gallon (as of 6/10/08) and there is no relief in site. If you already have a bike, there is no startup cost to making your commute gas free!
- More Environmentally Conscience – Environmental issues are starting to come to the forefront of news channels. This didn’t used to be the case. The more educated the public, the more we can conserve where we can.
- Traffic – In highly populated areas, it is sometimes faster to commute by bike than car.
- Health – America is the most overweight country in the world. I think there are many people who want to change their lives for the better, and biking is one of the best exercises for your body.
- Government Programs – State and Federal governments are starting to offer tax breaks for bike commuters much like they did for car poolers years ago.
Example:
H.R.6049- Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008
- Introduced: May 13, 2008
- Status: Voted on by House
- Next step: Voted on by Senate
- Latest action: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 263 – 160 (Roll no. 344).
- Sponsor: Rep. Charles Rangel [D, NY-15]
- See full bill here.
The online community for bike commuters is exploding. Blog sites like commutebybike.com are seeing traffic giant increases as readers want to talk more about the opportunites available to bike commuters. High traffic blog sites like bikesnobnyc.com are regularly covering commuting subjects and getting great responses out of their readership.
Will I commute by bike? Not yet. My office is currently an hour away by highway. Driving from the north side of Atlanta to the south side is just not feasible by pedal power. With the cost of living rising at the rate it is, we are looking at other avenues where bike commuting may be in my future.
Do you see yourself commuting by bike?
If you aren’t now, what is stopping you?