Bike Commuting to Work

I have been asked and even joked a lot by my office mates that the reason I bike to office is so that to get thin and fit.

Truth of the matter is, I don't have enough money to keep up with my rising fuel costs. LOL! Not only are fuel prices high, I am conscious of my carbon footprint. Makes sense? 

Yeah, the real reason I bike to work is: I just love cycling. I love to bike and I enjoy so much being on a bicycle. 

Getting fit and saving money while biking to work is just a plus. It is not even the real intention, well trying to save some money, yes? 

What's interesting with bike commuting is, you get to see the city on a different perspective. You can cruise down the busy street without getting stuck in heavy traffic. Of course you have to catch in your face all the fumes and dust and other weird particles coming in your way.

People nowadays, complain on a lot of things regarding daily commute. There's heavy traffic, smelly fumes and pollution at the top of it. Then there's the flooded streets when it rains and the undisciplined motorists.  If you are one of those who commutes by public transport, then you'll likely experience heavy traffic, undisciplined driving, not to mention inhaling all those foul air. If you drive a car, then you'll probably got stuck in heavy traffic and complained about the rude public drivers, creating more chaos on the unruly roads. Either way, you are contributing more to the foul air, heavy congestion and flooding. We all contribute to it one way or another.

Global warming. 

1. You drive your own car, you burn fuel and release more toxins in the air, regardless if your driving a gasoline engine or diesel engine. You are burning fuel and releasing carbon monoxide.

2. The more yuppies buying their own car, the more and more toxins released to the atmosphere.

3. Public transport are mostly unmaintained vehicles that are heavy smoke belching machines. The more you ride in them the more you contribute to global warming, accessory to the crime.

4. Motorcycles. More and more are plying the roads, not only are they a menace (total disregard for road courtesy and traffic rules) on the streets, the more people buy them, the more toxins released in the air as more people burn their own fuel.  You think by buying a motorcycle and moped you save yourself from traffic woes? Well, you just made the streets more unruly and congested.

5. Citizens becoming more hot headed and hot tempered due to above - this is real global warming.

And so, I try to contribute to society by trying not to contribute to any of the traffic woes.

Bike commuting:

1. No fuel cost or daily fare.

2. No smoke emission - pure green pedal power.

3. Burns calories, free aerobic exercise.

4. Less road congestion. Compare driving a car as to pedaling your way to work.

5. Zero Carbon Footprint.

And while most yuppies fancy their shiny new cars, I fancy my two wheels. Consider this: public transport and private vehicles are increasing in numbers on the road. It only means more engines are burning fuel and releasing carbon monoxide. Those who once travel by public transport are now driving their own cars. The prize of urbanization, the prize of better living standards. As more yuppies buy their own cars, public transport continue to ply the streets daily. We have increased our carbon footprint and increased road congestion effectively.

And yet we complain a lot about the increasing traffic congestion, and the seemingly becoming normal flooding every time it pours from the heavens.

Had there been lesser cars on the road, it would have been a lighter traffic, yes? No. Increasingly a lot of new car owners does not know basic traffic rules and road courtesy. Not to mention a lot of the public utility drivers are rude and lacks courtesy. As a result, still heavy traffic. Traffic flow is not fluid.

So going back to my point, bicycle commuting is the way of the future. It is the key for a more sustainable and livable city. One less car is always better. One less car on the road means more road space and lesser carbon footprint. The lesser internal combustion engines on the road, the lesser berating drivers. Imagine if all car owners would together leave their cars at home, and they would commute to work via public transport and by bicycle. Let us just assume that for one day this will happen. Free flowing traffic, no congestion and lesser air pollution. While I mentioned that public transports are heavy smoke belching machines, still if those who drive to work would leave their cars, overall it would still decrease air pollutants.

Bike commuting, the way to go.