Cycling Manifesto, Part One

I'd like to talk about the benefits of cycling WITHOUT mentioning Global Warming, Exercise, or Oil Wars. The subjects too often consume the spotlight on the myriad of bicycling wonders.
Community, local economy, out-sourcing, world economy:  strip malls and chain stores would be a thing of the past if the majority converted to cycle-commuting.  We'd see a thriving resurgence of local economy.  If folks were cycling, the town center or neighborhood square wouldn't be a ghost town do the difficulty and unpleasantness involved in accessing the far off big box store. Tearing down historic old buildings or large stands of trees for the sake of a strip mall or parking lot? Who would conceive of doing such a thing? And if we weren't CONSUMING (and subsidizing) so much gasoline, it wouldn't be so cheap. If prices were to skyrocket, it would no longer be economically feasible for big box stores to pay slave wages at off-shore sweat shops and ship products from other continents. If they still continued such practices, their inevitable price increases would prevent them from retaining their positions as competion killers, which would even out the playing field and nullify their current political power.   In genereal, if bicycles were the primary mode of transportation, big business could not exist as is, shifting the balance of money and thus political power to local owners who are actually invested in their communities.  It would put the wabash on the World Trade Organization, bring more manufacturing and labor jobs back into this country, and potentially assist in the re-birth of a place for true artisans.

I say all this like it's common sense. Perhaps I should explain in more detail. But the sun is shining, the dog is whining and it's time for a jog in the park. More, much more to say. Someday soon.....

By the way - those with a similar sentiment might want to check out "Car Busters" - a magazine started in Lyon, France in '98, now based in the Czech Republic.  Its brand of activism tends to get a little more radical than I agree with, but to read of cycling promotion and anti-car activities all over the world is fascinating and inspiring!  Though a little dis-heartening that most Americans are still so in the dark.....