People in our modern, fast-paced world often seek instant gratification. The boom in bike commuting in Australia is a prime example. Of course, getting regular exercise staves off diabetes and coronary diseases, and keeps you trim and happy. These weren’t the factors that pushed the latest cycling boom in Brisbane, however: it was the godawful traffic.
According to the Courier Mail:
The [Brisbane] Inner City Bypass is quickly turning into the inner-city car park after traffic grew by almost 25 per cent in the past year, according to a survey by Rivercity Motorway, builders of Brisbane’s North South Bypass Tunnel.
Between construction and a rise in population using area roads, driving a car in Brisbane can now add "slower than a bike" to its list of perks – expensive, stressful, polluting, etc. The average bike commuters now regularly beat their car-crammed competitors to work. They’re also integrating exercise into their commute. When you factor in the hour-or-so of cardiovascular activity the car drivers would need to match the cyclists’ roundtrip workouts (or the time their lives are shortened by not exercising), then the difference starts to look really significant.
Once commuters are lured by the time savings of cycling, they start to feel healthier and realize some of the other benefits. People in Brisbane are now turning to bicycles for more of their transportation and recreation needs. The Courier Mail referred to one popular route as a "lycra convention on weekend mornings," and pre- and post-ride coffee stops have had a noticeable impact on area businesses.
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