Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6 kilometres each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, the study suggests, annual global carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
As an American, the closest I’ve come up death, by far, is on bicycles. I’m also a motorcyclist, but my closest calls have been on bicycles.
I’ve also had bicycles stolen. Per mile traveled, it’s amazing how often they’re stolen.
Bicycling in America is a great way to put your life at risk and have to take a taxi home because someone stole your vehicle. If you try to improve it with things like “15 minute city” initiatives, right-wingers freak out about a conspiracy to control them. It sucks.
Fuck trains, too, at least in America. The other day, I had to wait almost half an hour while a cargo and lumber train blocked my path, switching cars on and off of a branch line. There were probably 50+ cars, idling in the heat for half an hour, all so that some train company can make a few bucks by abusing its employees, inconveniencing the public, and skip infrastructure maintenance on land that was granted to them generations ago.
Yeah, America is fucked.
I feel like we’re kinda derailing the discussion if our point of reference is North America. You guys have spent generations building a car-centric society. The same is not true for most countries. You can fix it but your solution will probably involve a lot more public transit rather than bicycles.