Bicycles - the slow death of our planet

[Vetplant]

Got this on LinkedIn, had to share (Yes it's clickbaity, but it is so good):

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6809021194256306176/

The bicycle is the slow death of our planet

The CEO of Euro-Exim Bank Ltd. got economists thinking when he said:

"A cyclist is a disaster for the country's economy: he doesn't buy cars and doesn't borrow money to buy it. He does not pay insurance policies. Does not buy fuel, no costs related to maintenance and repair. He does not use paid parking. The cyclist does not cause serious accidents. No multi-lane highways required. They don't get fat."

"Healthy people are neither necessary nor useful to the economy. They do not buy medicines. They do not go to hospitals or doctors. They add nothing to the country's GDP."

On the contrary, each new McDonald outlet creates at least 30 jobs, since they work 10 cardiologists, 10 dentists, 10 dietitians and nutritionists, and of course the people who work in the store".

Choose carefully: cycling or Mc Donald? It's worth thinking about.

PS: Walking is even worse. Pedestrians don't even buy a bike

 

[Super Sywurm]

????

[Ispeed_V]

????

[The Ouzo]

I'm to lazy to type a full response, but he is clearly anti cyclist and hasnt given this much thought.

[MORNE]

obviously written and meant to be read as satire. 

lol

 

ps...this falls squarely in the "when your sarcasm is so advanced...people think you are stupid" box

Edited June 17, 2021 by MORNE

[Alouette3]

He obviously doesn't cycle.... does he know what a bike cost, and then the maintenance! A bicycle tire costs more then my car tire.

[Vetplant]

For those wondering: yes, it is satire.

[Mark James]

Well then as a cyclist I am delighted to be contributing to the "slow death of out planet"!!! lol ????

[Eddy Gordo]

hahaha,

"A cyclist is a disaster for the country's economy: he doesn't buy cars and doesn't borrow money to buy it. He does not pay insurance policies - most cyclist have insurance, life bike etc.. Does not buy fuel, no costs related to maintenance and repair - maintenance on bicycles, well we all know how costly this can be. He does not use paid parking - make secure lockup facilities around malls, office blocks etc and people will pay to store their bikes. The cyclist does not cause serious accidents - No Comment. No multi-lane highways required - I would say this is a win, more space for nature, and some countries have some awesome cycle lanes

Edited June 17, 2021 by Eddy Gordo

[NickGM]

43 minutes ago, MORNE said:

obviously written and meant to be read as satire. 

lol

 

ps...this falls squarely in the "when your sarcasm is so advanced...people think you are stupid" box

Many have fallen already.

[The Ouzo]

11 minutes ago, NickGM said:

Many have fallen already.

well without knowing the author and the context of the extract, as well as knowing the general publics hatred for cyclists, it was very easy to fall in.

 

The next problem with this extract is that  I've seen it on multiple social media platforms with no context, people are then very quick to pick up on this and use it as an argument against cycling.

[Mark James]

15 minutes ago, ouzo said:

well without knowing the author and the context of the extract, as well as knowing the general publics hatred for cyclists, it was very easy to fall in.

 

The next problem with this extract is that  I've seen it on multiple social media platforms with no context, people are then very quick to pick up on this and use it as an argument against cycling.

I don't think there is a general public hatred towards cyclists, maybe only frustrated motorists trying to overtake 2 or 3 cyclists riding abreast... But then again, even as a cyclist, that annoys my too

I think most countries (South Africa included) have an overall normal level of respect for all road users, cyclists included, even if we like to think otherwise... 

And I think most people who read the article would have seen the humour in it, so I think you can feel safe during your next ride that this article hasn't changed public opinion about you or your bike, lol  

[I FLY]

This year will be the 1st time in 5 years that the servicing of my cars will cost more than that of my bicycles. It's because two of my cars will have major 180 000 km services instead of the normal routine ones and not because my bike services have reduced

 

At my current rate of driving my cars will never need another major service. Bikes on the other hand ????

 

[The Ouzo]

2 minutes ago, I FLY said:

This year will be the 1st time in 5 years that the servicing of my cars will cost more than that of my bicycles. It's because two of my cars will have major 180 000 km services instead of the normal routine ones and not because my bike services have reduced

 

At my current rate of driving my cars will never need another major service. Bikes on the other hand ????

 

just remember services on cars are time or mileage based, so even if you're not doing the mileage, things like rubbers and fluids degrade over time. so if your car has a timing belt rather than a chain that could perish with time (although the fact that you're doing a major service at 180k km make me think your car will have a chain, but other rubber bits also degrade)

[Shebeen]

that's not satire.

it's a trojan horse, designed to pull in bike hating car drivers, who want to read about these stupid lycra w@nkers who don't stop at red lights. when they are 3/4 through they realise they have just been fed 10 facts about why bikes are good for the planet.

[I FLY]

14 minutes ago, ouzo said:

just remember services on cars are time or mileage based, so even if you're not doing the mileage, things like rubbers and fluids degrade over time. so if your car has a timing belt rather than a chain that could perish with time (although the fact that you're doing a major service at 180k km make me think your car will have a chain, but other rubber bits also degrade)

My cars have cambelts and were changed at 120 000kms. My cars are serviced every year regards less of kms travelled. I have worked in preventative maintenance environments my whole adult life and adopt the same approach to my private belongings  - Maintain/Replace before broken.

I was also a driver on the Angolan border for 18 months so preventative maintenance became 2nd nature. Rather get dirty and greasy in camp  than stuck in the middle of the bush waiting for a recovery vehicle.