Bicycling brings mobility to the remotest villages in developing countries, where people pedal two- and three-wheelers piled high with goods. And bike are a practical supplement to automobiles in industrial cities, where cycling couriers zip through traffic jams. But a boom in automobile use has nearly obscured the utility and ubiquity of the bicycle. Even many developing countries skew their transport decisions toward motorized vehicles, although fewer than 1 percent of the Third World population can afford an automobile. Meanwhile, a steady rise in driving in the world's major urban areas is pushing traffic congestion and air pollution to intolerable levels. The plan needs an alternative to the automobile. Mass transit is one answer, but it is not enough. World governments cannot afford adequate mass transit, and residents in industrial countries often reject it because they are accustomed to individual transport. The article brings forward arguments for making bicycle the preferred vehicle to take on a much greater share of the transport burden. (A)
Abstract