I used to ride 50-100 miles a week on my bike, commuting to work and living mostly without a car for three years after I moved to the Seattle area. Once I hurt my back at work though, I ended up buying a small car, since there were some days it wasn't safe or feasible to get to work by bike, and for a couple years, I could not walk the couple miles to and from the bus stop because of the pain and numbness in my legs. Although it took a couple years, I eventually got well enough to resume the walk to the bus stop or the trip to work via bike. I could have done this, but part of me was afraid of taking the chance of getting hit on my bike during my commute. I'd nearly had my clock cleaned a few times in the past despite the fact that I am a very careful cyclist, who respects the laws of the road. Since I did not want another back injury, instead of taking up my bike again, I continued driving my very economical 1995 Honda Civic, which I've mentioned before in a blog at this site. I'm still driving this amazing car.
My car gets nearly 50 mpg on the highway and 34 or 35 mpg in town, but that isn't in the same league at all with the vehicle mentioned in a recent newsletter from the Environmental News Network. Below is a link to a new version of the electric bicycle. Part scooter, part bicycle, this vehicle is both economical to own and environmentally friendly. Although I don't really have need of this bike at present, and it certainly wouldn't preclude car drivers hitting a cyclist, it does make the bicycle commuter in me sit up and take notice.
http://www.optibike.com/
Editor of AGNADL
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