Bisikleta ang kailangan

ABS-CBN News reports that my preferred gas company has jacked up the gas prices by 50 centavos this morning. That means my usual Unleaded fuel is now about P44.47 even if the Peso-Dollar exchange rate is reaching the P41:$1 mark. Definitely not a good sign. I'm seeing protests from transportation groups asking for an increase in fares. When that happens, everything else follows.

With these things happening, all the more we should start looking for alternate means of transportation, and nothing is as efficient and as simple as a bicycle.

Check out the new Trek Lime, part of Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2007, and you'll see that bike companies are finally getting it. Slowly they're realizing that it's not the hydraulic disc brakes nor the whopping 27-speed spread that make the common tao ride but it's the sheer joy of being free, riding with the wind on their faces without thinking about the gizmos and contraptions that are making it happen.

Now if companies you work for would give good incentives to employees who bike to work, that would make things pretty interesting - things like shower and locker facilities along with a safe, guarded areas to leave your bike.

With enough power, maybe this would force the government to assign bike lanes and paths to bike commuters and start protecting them. Maybe.

But think about it - cleaner air, better health AND bigger savings on gas.

The manongs and construction workers who commute daily on their bikes got this right. Maybe it's time we join them on the road.

Comments

Anonymous said…
hmmm.....you're still paying for cheaper gas...