To Bike, or not to Bike

Living in the fast paced and stressful world that we live in has taken a toll on us.  The invention of cars have definitely made going from A to B a lot quicker, however it has taken a toll on us physically.  Obesity rates have climbed over the past couple of decades because of bad eating and poor exercise habits.  In short, we have become sedentary and us humans were not built to sit all the time.  This is a problem!

I remember looking at the world through the moist eyes of the young, idealistic young girl I was and telling my dad about how better it would be if everyone used bikes instead of cars.  I would then go on to tell him that everyone would be healthier and global warming would be solved. This coming from a girl who also wanted to be friends with everyone.  I think I was inspired by either a news broadcast or a picture of the crowded streets of China filled with bikes... I think.  Yes, I thought a lot when I was little.  

© CBC.ca

So naturally, when I saw those rental bikes installed in Toronto I immediately thought to what I had said to my dad all those many many years ago.  According to Suemedha Sood, the author of "Travelwise: Bike sharing around the world", bike sharing has become a global phenomenon which is reinventing public transportation as we speak!  I know that this ongoing program warrants an "it's about time" seeing that our environment is slowly choking from pollution, but I can not seem to wrap my head around the idea of paying money for a membership when I can just use my own bike.  Nevertheless, I definitely do not want to be the buzz kill at this party.  It is important to encourage and cultivate this interest in readily available bikes stationed around the city.   Bike sharing programs are available in Paris, Hangzhou (China), Washington DC, Mumbai (India), London, Mexico City, Melbourne (Australia), and Dublin (Ireland). 

© MotorcycleUSA.com
Inventor Grant Ryan riding the YikeBike

Hold on, hold ON!  Where are you going?  There's more!  Have you heard of the "YikeBike"?  I was just recently introduced to this rather cute bike that folds up!  Check it out by clicking here!  Con, it is an electrically powered bike so the exercise component behind biking has been completely cut out.  Pro, pollution through fuel emissions will be non-existent.  It just depends on which one outweighs the other.  I kinda want one... if only it folded up into a fashionable purse!  (Sue me for being a girl!)

I would definitely be willing to rent a bike to travel the streets of Toronto during my next visit or maybe invest in a YikeBike in hopes of doing my part by improving my environmental footprint.   Isn't it nice to have more greener options now?      

   

Sources: 

Sood, S.  BBC.com Travel.  "Travelwise: Bike sharing around the world". © 2011.  <http://bit.ly/piJTd0>