Bikes: A way of life.

[Rivnut]

When I was stationed in Germany, I found this to be a common sight at many small towns and villages. Ride your bike to the Bahnhof then ride the train into the larger city to work. Then take the train back to your town and ride your bike home. All of my pictures are prints; not digital so I just found this one on the web, but very representative. Bikes aren't a hobby, theyre a way of life. Part of Germany's culture and how they feel about conservation of natural resources.

 

[Sven]

Wow thats wild. knowing my luck my bike would be the one way,way ,way in the back.
The Netherlands is another prominent bicycle commuting place.
This is crazy...

 

[GTs58]

A three story bike parking structure in Amsterdam. Good golly Miss Molly!

 

[SirMike1983]

In parts of Asia and Africa, for example, bicycles are still the primary vehicle for daily use. They still use rod brake roadster bikes to move people and goods on some very rough roads. You'll see what looks like a 1920s-era English bike hauling stacks of boxes, bundles of crop plants, multiple people, etc. It amazes me that people and 100+ year old bicycle technology are still the primary means of transportation and commerce in these places. They're still producing those old-style bicycles, and for many people, it's an important purchase - like one of us buying a new car here in the US.

This is especially true today in rural parts of places like Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Pakistan. Bicycle use in China, alone, was huge for many years (somewhat less so now that there are more cars and motorcycles, and new infrastructure).

 

[Sven]

In parts of Asia and Africa, for example, bicycles are still the primary vehicle for daily use. They still use rod brake roadster bikes to move people and goods on some very rough roads. You'll see what looks like a 1920s-era English bike hauling stacks of boxes, bundles of crop plants, multiple people, etc. It amazes me that people and 100+ year old bicycle technology are still the primary means of transportation and commerce in these places. They're still producing those old-style bicycles, and for many people, it's an important purchase - like one of us buying a new car here in the US.

This is especially true today in rural parts of places like Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Pakistan. Bicycle use in China, alone, was huge for many years (somewhat less so now that there are more cars and motorcycles, and new infrastructure).

 

[Sven]

 

[Archie Sturmer]

The 1st picture looks more like something else is a way that may be imposed. I guess I could choose to ride a bike with a big lock to the light rail station, then wait for a train to former South Central, and wait (by the deputies) for my bus to get to work; but call me lazy, because I would rather sleep-in, and drive to work in a whole 18 minutes; and I am just as lazy in coming home before dark.
The middle pictures look like a tough way to make a living; and may reflect the U.S. - maybe 100 years ago or so.
The picture of bikes on bike trucks, I am still trying to comprehend; UPS thing looks like a novelty - just for photographs.

 

[Rivnut]

If you can't afford a car, what other options are there? If every person on the planet drove for 18 minutes each day, what do you think the level of greenhouse gasses would be. Thankfully there are enough people still living in underdeveloped third world countries, we can be self centered and continue to contaminate as we please.

 

[Greg Kozak]

UPS is testing the bikes in Seattle and portland.
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a24442179/ups-delivery-program-electric-bikes/

 

[SirMike1983]

In many of these third-world environments, it's exactly a money issue. If you offered the guy with the bicycle loaded with bundles of plants or boxes a truck instead, he'd take the truck without hesitating. If you're trying to do work to make a living, you do that if it's the more efficient way. But it's not an option there, and so the bike becomes primary transportation. It really is a way of life for them.

You'll see a guy will load up his bike (and maybe side car too) with boxes, other people, crops, chickens, etc., and journey to the market or next town over many miles of dirt roads. You'll see women with Raleigh DL-1 style bicycles with their groceries on the rear carrier and two kids on the front carrier. It's basically their stationwagon. And off they go - over 10+ miles of dirt/mud roads, and do this a couple of times per week. On the one hand, they'd all use cars/trucks if they could, but it just isn't something they can afford there. So the bicycle is as integral their way of life as the car or truck is here in the U.S. I admire their adapting to the difficult circumstances.