Bike Viking Research Paper

Once again Dad and I were stuck in a traffic jam. The trip from our house to the library usually takes five minutes, but this time we found ourselves sitting in the midst of a river of cars that crawled ahead a few feet at a time. Up ahead, we saw that three lanes were merging into one. Two cars had collided in a fender-bender, and not only that, but they had done so in a work zone where one lane was already closed. As I watched pedestrians on the sidewalk leave us behind, I complained, “I could almost have walked to the library faster than this. I certainly could have biked there much faster.” That was when it occurred to me: If more people rode bicycles instead of driving cars, they would save money, be healthier, and contribute to cleaner air.

In the United States, many people ride bicycles as recreation. On any weekend, the country roads outside my town are dappled with helmeted riders in yellow and blue and green jerseys. However, only 2 percent of Americans commute by bike, and that figure includes students. In contrast, almost 20 percent of Japanese students and almost 10
Our main streets have wide bike lanes, and many of our public buildings, malls, and parks have bike racks. In my opinion, people don’t bike more because they don’t seriously consider it as an alternative to driving. They don’t seriously consider it because they don’t see many people doing it. This situation is a vicious cycle: Not many people do it because not many people do it. As a neighbor of mine, Joe McManus, told me when I interviewed him recently, “People in my position drive to work, and that’s all. If I rode my bike there, I’d feel like people were staring at me.” People like me, who want to see more bikes on the streets, need to work to change that attitude, and the best way to change it could be just to get out there and ride. So, come on, everyone. Get on your bikes and ride toward a healthier future for yourself and the