Wednesday, October 28, 2009

How to bike smarter. Small but great ideas.

The danes got it right when claiming ownership to the slow bike movement. The Slow bicycle movement asked their peers for a manifesto, and the results are truly inspirational for enjoying life to the full from the bike seat.

Here are a few quotes from their manifesto:

Please ride the bike you have, in the clothes you like, at the speed you enjoy.
If you see something interesting, stop to look at it.
Take spontaneous detours.
Notice something new about your neighbourhood each day.
Ride calm, composed and courteous.
Refrain from road rage. When faced with road rage from others, please wave and smile.
Name your bicycle.

How can you not agree with this? Your biking will become safer, your life more relaxed and your surroundings will most likely envy you for taking a danish approach to biking.

On another note regarding safety and biking. Here is an invention I found at first look to be smart but in afterthought are not sure if it will do good or not. The idea deserves attention anyhow.
As Lightlane themselves puts it:
"Bike lanes are an effective means of improving safety for motorists and cyclists. However, due to the high cost of installation, bike lanes are not widely available. Instead of forcing cyclists to adapt their behavior to the existing infrastructure, the bike lane should adapt to the cyclist."

So how did this work you say? Ah, let the this instructional film explain the genious contraption.



With or without bikelanes. Use your bike, get rid of some stones, kilos or pounds. Fat as a blunt person would say. But do it with a smile. Biking that is. Not for getting rid of something but for getting a richer more fulfilling life.