“I want to ride my
Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike”
Although none of us will come close to creating the legendary impact Queen did on the rock world, many commuters can make a significant impact on the environment and economy by riding bicycles to work. Biking to work provides a plethora of benefits, but there are a variety of reasons riding your bicycle may not be as glamorous as it seems. Read along and listen to songs by Queen that musically prove why you should or should not switch your four tires to two.
Biking Positively Affects the Environment - "The Prophet's Song"
“Oh, oh, people of the earth!
Listen to the warning, the prophet he said
For soon the cold of night will fall
Summoned by your own hand”
A main argument for the biking movement is to improve air quality. There is only one earth, and it is our responsibility to take care of it. Biking to work is a great way to reduce CO2 emissions. If your commute is too far, try biking to places less than one mile away from your house. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, biking short distances would reduce “about 2 million metric tons of CO2 emission per year” and reduce the total amount of miles driven by cars in the US “up to about 10 billion miles per year . . . That’s like the entire population of Chicago driving to Las Vegas and back”. Let’s take a cue from Queen by listening to our environmentalist prophets and bike to work.
Biking increases the Commute - "Time"
“Time waits for nobody Time waits for nobody We all must plan our hopes together Or we'll have no more future at all Time waits for nobody”
Even Queen knows what the rare resource time is. The amount of minutes driving across the freeway to get to work dramatically increases when cruising on a bike across back roads going 20 miles an hour. Unless you drive in heavy traffic, riding a bike will always be slower than taking the car. If you’re in a crunch, riding your bike to work may not be your best option because "Time waits for nobody".
Bikes Keep us in Shape- "Keep Yourself Alive"
“Keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
All you people
Keep yourself alive”
Biking is a great way to lose weight, increase your cardiovascular endurance and build muscle. A healthy body will also increase your lifespan. This calculator determines how long you will live if you choose to bike instead of drive. And who wouldn’t want those amazing calves from pedaling all day? I know Freddie Mercury would.
Bikes are Impractical - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality"
It's time to face reality- most roads are not biker friendly, bike racks can be rare and sharing sidewalks with pedestrians is be a clumsy feat. According to Akin Law, “2001-2009 showed an uptick in walking and biking . . . during that same period of time there was a decrease in fatalities. . . However, that downward trend has seen a steady increase in both pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities” so if you want to stay safe, it may be better to buckle up in your car. Yet, Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" seemed like an impractical rock operatic feat doomed to be a flop that turned into a success, so biking could beat the odds as well.
Bikes are Easily Stolen - "Love of my Life"
“Love of my life, you've hurt me
You've broken my heart and now you leave me
Love of my life, can't you see?
Bring it back, bring it back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know
What it means to me”
Bikes get stolen. It takes a lot less effort to cut a bike chain and run off than hot-wire a car. If you have an expensive bike, you may want to invest in bike insurance just in case the worst happens.
Biking can be Fatal - "Another One Bites the Dust"
"And another one gone,
and another one gone Another one bites the dust"
Riding around with a helmet is not enough protection while biking on uneven roads with reckless drivers. An article published by The Journal of Trauma cites a study conducted that evaluated information on bike related injury incidence on 962 bicyclists (52% men, 48% women) in the Portland, Oregon area for one year. Within that time, 164 (18%) of riders reported biking related traumatic events and 49 (5%) reported serious traumatic events- traumatic event being defined as “an event if medical attention was sought”. The study found that “age, gender, safety practices, and experience levels between commuters” does not determine what makes someone more likely for a biking traumatic event.
Biking makes us Happier - "Don't Stop me Now"
“I'm a shooting star, leaping through the sky
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity
I'm a racing car, passing by like Lady Godiva
I'm gonna go, go, go
There's no stopping me”
These lyrics are exactly how you are going to feel while riding your bike to work. Bicycling makes you feel free with the wind blowing in your hair and the sunshine on your face. Exercising releases endorphins which reduces your perception of pain in the body, producing a happy feeling in the body. Who doesn’t want to feel happier? Did I also mention that in some states you get a tax deduction for riding your bike? Sounds like a good time!
It's pretty evident what Queen wants us to do:
