Bicycles and Velomobiles

The late social critic and thinker Ivan Illich espoused the bicycle as a more efficient means of transportation than the automobile. After all, the bicycle is really the only means of transportation, other than walking, that can provide truly door-to-door conveyance, not to mention the fact that it requires no fossil fuel or electricity.

Moreover, with the intense traffic in many modern cities, a bicycle can often actually get you where you want to go at least as quickly as a car anyway. And all this without spending thousands on the car itself; fuel; tires, oil and maintenance; and vehicle insurance. The only “downsides” are the need to pedal the bike yourself and the fact that you’re out in the weather. But the benefits of exercise are obvious, and riding a bike can be as fun as driving a convertible.

In addition, “mountain bikes” enable one to travel on- or off-road, allowing access to areas that most cars could not reach. If the terrain becomes too rough, the bike can be “walked” or carried. Water, extremely soft ground, and thick vegetation are the only real obstacles to bicycle travel. And extended-wheelbase “sport utility” bicycles are now available with greatly increased cargo capacity compared to regular bikes, so you can use them to pick up a bunch of groceries or a few lengths of plywood.

Also, while bicycle accidents can and do happen, the wearing of helmets has made bicycle travel safer. Yes, riding bicycles in automobile traffic is undeniably risky. But the appalling number of deaths of people riding in automobiles indicates that cars are not necessarily the safest means of transportation either. According to a 2003 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, the leading cause of death for Americans from ages 4 to 34 was motor vehicle traffic crashes.


Extremely streamlined and human-powered, velomobiles are enclosed recumbent bicycles combining speed and futuristic looks. The BlueVelo Versatile, while as expensive as a small automobile (probably due largely to the high-tech lightweight materials used in its manufacture) is a truly beautiful vehicle with eye-catching sports car-like looks. And it uses only the energy provided by the legs of the person inside.

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