NParker - how about supporting cycling infrastructure because bikes are the most efficient form of mass human transportation in existence? Yep, more efficient than walking. And powered by renewable energy (food). In today's energy-hungry world, when most vehicles are simply used for carrying around (usually) one person, surely that argument must have merit?
http://www.explorato...umanpower1.html
Cycling, being exercise, also has positive externalities - improved health and decreased pollution, resulting in reduced mortality and health care expenses.
Many of these folks probably could do their trips by bike. Hence the push for more bicycle trips.
Cycling "more efficient" than walking? "improved health"??
I've read where walking burns five times the energy that cycling does to travel the same distance. To me, this means cylists are losing 80% of their exercise potential per mile by lazily cycling around instead of walking.
And, let's not forget all those cyclists who are badly injured or killed by road traffic (far more than pedestrians, per mile travelled, I'm confident, though I wasn't sure where to look for those stats).
Bicyclists get no sympathy from me -- I've observed barely 1 in 100 stopping at stop signs (instead, they just breeze through, though some do slow down a bit), and really, no day passes without seeing bicyclists zipping along on sidewalks. Sigh! And then there are the ones that refrain from wearing helmets (cycling should require a license that includes passing a minimal intelligence test, hmm?).
jbw