It is the obligation of every government to protect its populace from everything that may harm them, including themselves. This is one of the fundamental reasons that many governments are showing a bias for the bicycle, as opposed to the car. The fact that the car is more technologically advanced than the bicycle and also seems more comfortable does not mean it is better for the user. Further, humanity is depleting global resources at an exponentially high pace and transport is one of the culprits. It is also a fact that millions of man hours are wasted in traffic snarl-ups, thus stealing valuable labor resources from the economy. Finally, humanity has grown generally lethargic from a perspective of physical activity thus encouraging the proliferation of non-communicable diseases. It is towards the protection of the people, themselves as well as improvement of the community that governments are promoting the use of bicycles as opposed to cars for transport.
Using a bicycle is a form of exercise that helps keep away non-communicable diseases which are debilitative and expensive to treat. Healthcare is as much a national issue as it is an individual issue for the members of any country. Most governments spend a tangible cross-section of the national resource to meet the medical needs of the populace. Further, ill-health drains the labor force of the nation with massive and adverse effects on the economy. Using a bicycle instead of a car on a regular basis with provide time and opportunity for regular exercising in spite of the busy schedules of the modern workplace. This will curb obesity and excess fat, one of the major contributors to the most debilitating and expensive illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
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` The use of cars are among the main consumers of energy in many countries leading to energy deficits and also environmental degradation, hence the need for energy efficient options such as the bicycle. Most nations on earth are net importers of mineral oil, one of the principal propellants for cars. The more vehicles are used, the more the nations will need to import the inordinately expensive mineral oil to the detriment of the economy. Mineral oil is a natural resource which is extremely abundant in the world but only at limited segments thereof. Its high cost is intentionally manipulated to enhance profits for oil producers. Limiting the use of mineral oil limits the monies that any nation will have to pay to these oil producers. Further, limiting the use of mineral oil for personal transport by using bicycles ensures that most of the imported mineral oil is put to more profitable uses such as manufacturing.
Further, the combustion of mineral oil is one of the major causes of environmental degradation. The global climate is gradually changing and becoming more adverse to the human population. The summers are getting hotter, the rains stronger leading to flooding and the winters full of dangerous storms. Researchers believe that the greenhouse gases produced by combustion of mineral oil products have contributed exponentially to the exacerbation of this problem. They have advised the avoidance of the use of mineral oil products as much as is practicable. Among the greatest waste of mineral oil is when a SUV measuring several tones is used to transport one person over a distance of a few kilometers, yet it takes over an hour because of traffic snarl-ups. The energy wasted and greenhouse gases emitted could be avoided totally if the individual had used a bicycle. As an added advantage, this individual would also avoid the stress that comes with being imprisoned in a car in the middle of traffic. This would reduce psychological problems and also make for a more productive day.
Bicycles are also easier to make, cheaper to purchase, easier to manage, store and even park. The easier to make and purchase part contributes exponentially to the issue of saving energy for better uses and also reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. Further, cheaper to purchase means that instead of buying a car, members of the populace may have more money to invest into the economy or even improve their lifestyles. This applies more to families that have felt the need of investing in a second car for use when the other car is also in use. The family can use a small fraction of that money to buy a bicycle then invest the rest or use it for other productive tasks. Finally, urban planning has gotten more complicated because of the high numbers of vehicles. A lot of space within and around buildings had gone to waste because of having to factor where cars would be packed. Yet, the space that is required to pack one car can be used to park many bicycles.
It cannot be said that cars need to be eliminated from any nation’s roads. It is, however, clear from the foregoing that the use of a bicycle instead of a car is exponentially beneficial to all parties involved. Not only does it reduce the cost of transport for the individual but also allows for an opportunity for the rider to exercise, thus keeping many ailments at bay. The government itself benefits greatly when a bicycle is used instead of a car. Energy costs go down, environmental degradation is mitigated, cities are less congested and the populace is more productive. These have prompted many governments to promote the use of bicycles over cars for transport.