N
Noel
Guest
Just came across this. Last paragraph gets it right I think:
http://bicycling.about.com/b/2008/01/13/more-bikes-than-cars-sold-in-
australia-in-2007.htm
More Bikes Than Cars Sold in Australia in 2007
Australia's Cycling Promotion Fund released a report this week showing
bicycles outsold automobiles down under by nearly 50% in 2007, with 1.47
million bikes sold vs. 1.05 million cars. It's the seventh straight year
that bikes have surpassed autos in sales in Australia.
“Soaring petrol prices, concern over climate change, crippling traffic
congestion and the desire to lead healthier lifestyles all contributed to
the record breaking year†said Elliot Fishman, Policy Advisor at the
Cycling Promotion Fund.
The increase in bike sales is accompanied by increased ridership as well.
The number of Australian adults who ride bikes is up 17% from 2001, and
bike commuting is growing at an average rate of 22% across Australia's
capital cities, with Melbourne in particular experiencing a 42% percent
increase in bike commuter trips.
This is great news, obviously, and the type of growth that would be great
to replicate in other places around the world. Just for comparision's
sake, in the U.S., there were 18.2 million bikes of all types sold in
2006, compared with 16.5 million cars. That's good news and the past
couple of years really represent the biggest jump in bike sales since the
1970s in the U.S.
However, this number does include tiny tot bikes, etc., and if you
whittle it down a bit, you get around 12.7 million "real" bikes with
wheels greater than 20" (and please pardon me if I offended any tots with
that distinction). I wish the numbers were higher, but they're still
impressive all the same.
Conventional wisdom says credit for this surge goes to higher fuel
prices, desire for improved physical fitness, concern for the environment
and the so-called Lance effect. Personally, I think the trickle-down
effect from Tour de France type racing to the average Joe getting on a
bike is pretty minimal. A big part of it, I believe, is people just
getting fed up with riding in the car all the time and finally starting
to realize that riding around on a bike is many times just as convenient
and a whole lot more fun.
Cheers
Noel
http://bicycling.about.com/b/2008/01/13/more-bikes-than-cars-sold-in-
australia-in-2007.htm
More Bikes Than Cars Sold in Australia in 2007
Australia's Cycling Promotion Fund released a report this week showing
bicycles outsold automobiles down under by nearly 50% in 2007, with 1.47
million bikes sold vs. 1.05 million cars. It's the seventh straight year
that bikes have surpassed autos in sales in Australia.
“Soaring petrol prices, concern over climate change, crippling traffic
congestion and the desire to lead healthier lifestyles all contributed to
the record breaking year†said Elliot Fishman, Policy Advisor at the
Cycling Promotion Fund.
The increase in bike sales is accompanied by increased ridership as well.
The number of Australian adults who ride bikes is up 17% from 2001, and
bike commuting is growing at an average rate of 22% across Australia's
capital cities, with Melbourne in particular experiencing a 42% percent
increase in bike commuter trips.
This is great news, obviously, and the type of growth that would be great
to replicate in other places around the world. Just for comparision's
sake, in the U.S., there were 18.2 million bikes of all types sold in
2006, compared with 16.5 million cars. That's good news and the past
couple of years really represent the biggest jump in bike sales since the
1970s in the U.S.
However, this number does include tiny tot bikes, etc., and if you
whittle it down a bit, you get around 12.7 million "real" bikes with
wheels greater than 20" (and please pardon me if I offended any tots with
that distinction). I wish the numbers were higher, but they're still
impressive all the same.
Conventional wisdom says credit for this surge goes to higher fuel
prices, desire for improved physical fitness, concern for the environment
and the so-called Lance effect. Personally, I think the trickle-down
effect from Tour de France type racing to the average Joe getting on a
bike is pretty minimal. A big part of it, I believe, is people just
getting fed up with riding in the car all the time and finally starting
to realize that riding around on a bike is many times just as convenient
and a whole lot more fun.
Cheers
Noel