EcoWorldly

Note: this article is part of this week’s EcoWorldly cycling series: Cycling and its importance in countries around the world.

What does it cost you to get to get around these days? How much was your fuel spend in May in the wake of the sky-high gas prices?

With global crude oil prices anywhere between US$ 120 and US$ 140 on an average week these days, it is highly likely that you are grimacing or gnashing your teeth each time you get to fill your tank at the pump.

But that is not all the gas costs you. It also depends with your choice. As more and more motorists around the world find ways to beat the high gas prices, quite a number are turning to ingenuity of the cheap, just to remain afloat in the bubbling sea of high oil prices.

In America, for instance, a friend tells me that a new craze (or is it culture) is slowly catching on - pedal power. The popularity of bicycles as gasoline prices hit the roof is on a remarkable rise in many US cities. Big automobile makers like General Motors seem to be seeing the light early enough and have announced plans to close several plants for manufacturing of their gluttony SUV models that still remain the darling of most Americans.

• » Read more on Africa

At an average of US$4 per gallon or US$1.06 per liter, it even makes more sense for most people to ride to work. The good thing is that this cuts down on traffic (read pollution) and saves the bucks for other things.

Which is why bicycle lanes in major cities are now teeming with riders in sexy or trendy pedal machines. From Philadelphia to Seattle, Boston to Chicago, Washington to San Francisco, it is increasingly fashionable to be atop a machine that helps you keep fit and gets you places at almost zero cost at the same time.

City authorities are now investing on more bicycle lanes, bike-friendly transit systems and bike-parking lots than ever before. Group rides are even more in vogue.

Bike vendors like Mike’s Bikes in the Bay Area are organizing events where enthusiasts get to enjoy a ride in the company of others. But this may not be a preserve of enthusiasts only in the near future, if the gas prices continue to rise.

But how much does it cost to ride around these days? The answer is zero, as it has always been. In comparison, during the week of 3 June to 9 June, in San Fransisco, the price for a gallon of regular is now US$ 4.73, in Washington, DC it is US$ 4.21 while in Wilmington it is US$ 4.40.

In Nairobi, Kenya where I live, 1 liter of regular goes for KSh 105 or US$ 1.45 in the leafy Western suburbs, but the sames goes for an average of KSh 92 or US$ 1.20 in the poorer Eastlands sections. Not many of those who drive here can switch to bicycles, because bikes are regarded as “lowly” and a preserve of poorly paid factory or casual office workers who cannot afford the Ksh 100 or US$ 1.00 daily bus fare commuting to and from work.

Urban culture here has it that if it comes to the worst, you’d rather be seen inside a dingy public commuter bus, known here as matatu, but not among the bicycle riders mingling with the walking masses.

That is why if I had one, my bicycle would still win no matter what.

Other Articles in Ecoworldly’s Bicycling Series

• Forget Sky-high Gas Prices, Biking Beats Them All! by Sam Aola Ooko
• UK: Bike Week 2008 by Pem Charnley
• Bicycle powered water pumps and filtration systems by Nayelli Gonzalez
• Italy’s Two-Wheeled Cities Speed Up Your Life Quality by Eva Pratesi
• In Chiang Mai, Social Attitudes Crush Bicycling Prospects by Masimba Biriwasha
• Google’s Sexy Bicycle Giveaways and Africa’s Versatile Bike Trucks by Sam Aola Ooko
• South Korean Bicycle Ninjas Do Battle Against Asthma by Gavin Hudson
• Of Course Cycling in Australia is Healthy, But What To Do With the Cars? by Ross Kendall
• Cheer up! Bicycling in Italy is a Daily Adventure by Eva Pratesi
• If You Want a Blissful Sex Life, Don’t Ride a Bike! by Sam Aola Ooko
• Bicycling in Peru: An Art of Adaptation by Levi Novey

Images Courtesy: Mike’s Bikes and Cyfer13 at Flickr under a Creative Commons license

You might also like:

The Bias and Logical Fallacies of Christopher Booker’s ‘Freezing Heat’

51 Countries to Form International Agency Promoting Renewable Energy

Reports Show Less Water Used In Organic Farming

Happy Harvest from EcoWorldly!