What would the world be like if

[Riverman]

everyone rode bikes and no-one drove cars?

I imagine carbon fiber might be a lot cheaper and more abundant. That is as long as productivity didn't suffer too much.

All the cities would be designed for bikes rather than cars, which would look weird. however there would be a lot less asthma, diabetes, heart disease and cancer etc. as there would be alot less pollution and obesity.

People would live closer to their place of work. A lot more people would work from home. Anthropogenic climate change would be minimal.

I've never ridden a carbon fiber bike myself. What's it like? What's it like riding a really light, high spec bike and being uber fit? How much easier is it to do a commute?

The above might be difficult in winter climates, thus colder climates may require more public tranportation. Who knows we might even avoid living in wintery climes altogether.

For people with disabilities, the government could develop and provide high spec electric bikes also.

 

[summerdays]

Well it has been interesting to see the affect of the snow - where the number of cars on the road is significantly down. In some ways it shows you that a lot of journeys are unnecessary but you also don't know how many have become house-bound as a result.

Although there have been fewer bikes than normal, I would say that the numbers have been less affected by the snow than the cars. I've just sent off for my studded tyres (so you can assume that the snow will magically disappear before they arrive), which I have decided might be useful to keep going in the snow.

 

[vernon]

An on the towpaths there would be carnage with folk unable to decide which side of the path to ride on.

The RNLI would have to exapnd its inshore fleet and operate at record distances from the cost rescuing stricken barely bouyant cyclist from the waterways.

Lots of organisations would be brought to their knees because their workforce would be unwilling/unable to commute.

For those willing to commute and work close to their homes house prices would go through the roof as inner city and urban living spaces command prmium prices. Rural economies collapse due to the exodus of 'incomers' unable to access public transport to get to their far flung places of work.

Cycling forums become even more obsessed with compulsory cycle training, registration and insurance not to mention the compusory castration of bike thieves when owners of carbon framed objects of desire have their pride and joys written off by collisions with reckless and furious pedallers jumping red lights or failed attempts at theiving.

Bike rage becomes the norm when frustrated road warriors get fed up with the never ending conflict with the pootlers who frustrate their god given right to go as fast as they like.

I'm happy with the status quo.

 

[XmisterIS]

I think your idea of a bike-only Britain is fantastic, but I wouldn't want to completely get rid of my car. I think a better option would be to tax people for the mileage that they actually drive - I find it unfair that a taxi driver who can clock up 100,000 miles per year pays precisely the same VED as me, who clocks up about 5,000 miles per year - incidentally, my car mileage has halved since I started riding bikes again and I feel that a VED proportionate to the number of miles driven would be a HUGE incentive to get the flabby masses onto bicycles!

I've never ridden a carbon fiber bike myself. What's it like? What's it like riding a really light, high spec bike and being uber fit? How much easier is it to do a commute?

It's very stiff under gradual load; i.e. when you sit on it, it doesn't sag or bend and when you put down a lot of power on the pedals, you can feel how stiff the frame is, but it takes all the sting out of potholes and the like.

And yes, it is incredibly light and very very fast - I average 20mph on the flat; when I push it I can keep up with cars without too much hassle. That is 50% me and 50% the bike!

Needless to say I would never ever chain my carbon-fibre bike up anywhere in a town, not even for five minutes! For riding to town and back, I have a 30-year-old steel-frame sturmey-archer thing with mudguards and panniers. The purposes of the two bikes are totally different - I ride the CF bike for fitness and speed, I ride the steel clunker for getting to the shops and the gym - fast it definitely ain't!

 

[al78]

I think a better option would be to tax people for the mileage that they actually drive ...

Fuel Tax?

 

[XmisterIS]

Fuel Tax?

Yes, but that's only half the answer - doesn't take emissions in to account!

You are right though ... and it would make it much fairer to scrap VED completely and put all the tax on fuel.

 

[Night Train]

I would imagine that shopping would be very different. Almost no imported goods, most things would be made or grown locally. Food shopping would be done daily for fresh produce as it wouldn't be worth cycle delivering any quantity of frozen foods to the shops.

Builders merchants would have huge teams of cyclists delivering sand and bricks.

Heavy horses will become common place again.

 

[gaz]

however there would be a lot less asthma, diabetes, heart disease and cancer etc. as there would be alot less pollution and obesity.

Any proof that half of these are caused by a lack of fitness and/or exercise?

 

[BigonaBianchi]

i think it would be like china on a busy day

 

[yenrod]

everyone rode bikes and no-one drove cars?

I imagine carbon fiber might be a lot cheaper and more abundant. That is as long as productivity didn't suffer too much.

All the cities would be designed for bikes rather than cars, which would look weird. however there would be a lot less asthma, diabetes, heart disease and cancer etc. as there would be alot less pollution and obesity.

People would live closer to their place of work. A lot more people would work from home. Anthropogenic climate change would be minimal.

I've never ridden a carbon fiber bike myself. What's it like? What's it like riding a really light, high spec bike and being uber fit? How much easier is it to do a commute?

The above might be difficult in winter climates, thus colder climates may require more public tranportation. Who knows we might even avoid living in wintery climes altogether.

For people with disabilities, the government could develop and provide high spec electric bikes also.

You mean that plastic material !

 

[Davidc]

Any proof that half of these are caused by a lack of fitness and/or exercise?

asthma: Plenty of evidence that some (not all) is related to particulate pollution - most of which is from motor vehicle exhaust.

cancer: Particulates and hydrocarbons are carcinogenic. Plenty of evidence that fitness helps the body prevent it.

diabetes (type 2) and heart disease, loads of evidence that they can be caused by lack of fitness, obesity, etc. Take a look at the Diabetes UK and BHF web sites.

 

[Muddyfox]

Visit Sark they only have Bicycles as their mode of transport

The only motorised vehicle on the island is a tractor

simon

 

[al78]

Yes, but that's only half the answer - doesn't take emissions in to account!

You are right though ... and it would make it much fairer to scrap VED completely and put all the tax on fuel.

I thought the same, although it would unfairly penalise those in rural areas who have to travel further as a rule, despite the bulk of the congestion problems occurring in dense urban areas.

 

[Muddyfox]

Yes, but that's only half the answer - doesn't take emissions in to account!

You are right though ... and it would make it much fairer to scrap VED completely and put all the tax on fuel.

Would It ?

If VED is scrapped and more duty is loaded onto fuel then Everyone will pay even those that dont have a vehicle ... pretty much everything that we buy in the shops arrives by truck and at an avarage of 6/8 MPG for a 44 tonne Artic then your shopping bill has just got a whole lot bigger

Simon

 

[al78]

Would It ?

If VED is scrapped and more duty is loaded onto fuel then Everyone will pay even those that dont have a vehicle ... pretty much everything that we buy in the shops arrives by truck and at an avarage of 6/8 MPG for a 44 tonne Artic then your shopping bill has just got a whole lot bigger

Simon

Or maybe it will discourage the current practice of sending food on a 600 mile round trip only to be sold in a shop two miles from the farm it was originally produced.