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Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities
(theconversation.com)
this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2024
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This is a very simplistic solution to a really complicated question. I say this as a cyclist myself.
Cycling is great for short commuter trips. But it doesn't replace long trips at all, not practically anyway.
Cycling, while great for your health, consumes extra calories that you wouldn't otherwise have to expend. That extra food has its own carbon footprint. Depending on your diet and where it comes from, that extra carbon footprint can actually be quite significant.
Cycling reduces congestion. No argument there.
Even if you cycle, you are probably cycling to local stores that have their merchandise driven in on big trucks. It's still probably more efficient this way, but far from net zero. Remember that the environment you live in is still mostly powered by gas guzzling equipment. That equipment will need to be electrified.
And that's my point. Cycling is not a one size fits all solution. It is one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Depends on what "long trip" means. 20km? 50km? 500km?
Sure, a bike isn't ideal for "long trips", but it's easily integrated into other forms of public transportation, which is also better for society than having more EVs.
You nailed it. I'm mostly WFH, but twice a week, I have to go into the office which is ~110km away. Fortunately, there's a train between the two cities and the station is 750m from the office, so it's a nice 10min walk. My home, on the other hand, is 3.5km from the station and that walk takes 45min even if I'm booking it. On a bike, it's a reasonable 12min ride.
Trains cycling and walking can do by far a huge amount of transport needs. Just look at Japan.
No one is saying it will fix 100% of all issues, they are just saying its such a huge part of it even if you took half the funding of cars and put it to bikes it would solve so so much.
Exactly. And if people cycle more regularly, cities will adjust infrastructure to accommodate them. And that includes more than just cycling infrastructure, but trains, buses, etc.
Ideally, we push to get that infrastructure done now to help build that positive feedback loop.
Honestly this, 100%.
My bike can easily get me to & around the nearby city, no problem at all. Bulky shopping? Not an issue, I have pannier bags.
Long distance trips though? Absolutely no chance. They require some planning and pre booking bike spaces on the long distance train, mainly because our public transport has been turning into a mess. It's been on a steady decline with prices on the increase, and its not really an attractive option anymore.
I won't be giving up my bicycle, but I have eaten the forbidden fruit and started learning how to drive, since it's the only alternative to bridge the ~200mi journey between here and the people I care about. I dislike it a lot, and it's actually quite stressful being behind the wheel, compared to just relaxing on a bus or train. Even riding on my bicycle is much less stressful.