Two-wheeling a joy for many commuters

From the Lexington Herald-Leader (KY), 05.26.08:

Two-wheeling a joy for many commuters
Saves gas and the environment
Dan Dickinson lives a little over 3 miles from his job...Since last fall, the 28-year-old electrical engineer has been riding his bicycle to work in good weather and bad. "I really got hooked," Dickinson said last week. "It's a ton of fun...It's great. You get to exercise and feel good."

He is also saving money on gasoline and helping the environment, but those are just bonuses to Dickinson. "You look forward to your commute on a bike," he said. "It's great to be outside. You see so much more. You can say 'Hi' to people you pass. It's just a lot of fun."

Dickinson is not alone in his love of the two-wheeler. "There are a lot of bike commuters in Lexington," said Kenzie Gleason, the city's bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. "I think sometimes they are a little invisible to the driving public...but there's a lot of people out there who bike to work, especially in the downtown area."

The biggest payoff is less traffic congestion, Gleason said. Other programs that encourage walking and using buses also help reduce congestion. "I think the more bike-able, walkable, transit-oriented a community is going to be, the less likely people are going to be to drive," she said.

Fewer motorists and less congestion makes cities "more economically viable," Gleason continued. "If you look around the country at the greatest walkable, bike-able cities, they are also some of the most livable cities...and they attract and retain young professionals and businesses." (Read more.)

Yes! A really great story on bike commuting, for two reasons:
- Number 1: It emphasizes the fun of bike commuting, not just the fuel savings, eco-benefits, health enhancement. These days, we need more fun, clearly. And also more social interaction, engagement, connection, understanding--which commuting on a bicycle facilitates.
- Number 2: Bike-friendly communities are more economically competitive, attracting creative individuals and firms.

This article also includes an interesting video featuring engineer Dan Dickinson, who is an outstanding spokesperson for bicycle commuting, suggesting how addictive bike commuting is, how cars become constrictive, how great the benefits are.

Image: Lexington Herald-Leader. Dan Dickinson on his morning commute to work. He rides rain or shine for the joy of it.
Visit: Bike rack instructional video brings the groove (Louisville), Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: National magazine cites Louisville for bicycling, Bicycling
Visit: Americans learn bikes cut costs and improve fitness, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site
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