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Originally Posted by barrowaj
Encouraging cycling though is a great way of reducing obesity and CO2 emissions at the same time. I'm not sure exactly how you would do this, perhaps a tax deduction for owning a bicycle? Extra taxes on gasoline? Educational programs?
These are all things that the US could benefit from as well. We have a huge problem with both obesity and CO2 emissions.
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I can attest to the benefits of riding a bicycle. During the Spring, Summer, and Fall, I ride 11 miles to my work (round trip of 22 miles). I make this journey 5 or 6 days a week. The benefits for my health are tremendous, and the ride along the Delaware River is beautiful.
Besides physical health, I have saved at least $1000 over the years of not driving to work. I have also not polluted at all.
Biking is not a practical solution for everybody. Often it is not practical because there are no good trail systems in place, or the place of work is too far from home. I'm sure you can all think of other obstructions to biking.
However, I urge all people that can bike to work or school (or any other reasonably close periodic event) to do so. It is exhilirating and it saves money.
In England, there is a series of trails called the Greenway. These trails connect the major cities and towns, allowing for a large volume of non-automobile traffic between the cities of England. The United States would be well advised to duplicate this system, for the purposes of attracting tourists and allowing bike or foot travel between important places.