Discussions
Cyclists actually cause pollution
Posted by wandadog13 • 8/22/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: cycling, environment, rush hour
It's true! I witnessed it myself driving home last night.
Two separate groups of cyclists were in 'bunches' peddling down the road - ignoring the useful cycle lane and three abreast on the main road.
So all the rush hour traffic, instead of making a nice smooth journey was having to change gears, slow, shuffle and speed past at the first gap - twice!
This is not fuel efficient for vehicles - particularly buses which spewed out great volumes of black smoke from their exhausts during the overtaking.
I rest my case and no I'm not anti-cycle - i enjoy cycling as much as anyone, but it isn't that green a form of transport - when carried out in rush-hour traffic.
User Comments
-
Hey who am I to argue with logic
We get huge groups traveling the Trans Canada Highway and it is the same. With all the transport trucks on the road and them it makes it difficult at best. -
Nope, your car is what causes the pollution.
The cyclists could ride like that till they fall down and not cause an ounce of pollution until you involve your car
-
let me re-phrase - the cyclists are causing more pollution by their presence than would normally be caused, therefore they are causing more pollution.
If they'd rode single file in the provided cycle lane, then the happy eco balance would have been restored and I wouldn't have taken 45 mins to do a 8 mile journey - i might have done it in 42 mins therefore spending less time on the road, polluting less...... -
Or, something else would come along and cause you to drive the same way. Unless you are saying that you follow cyclists doing this all day, everyday - something I highly doubt.
Nope, it's still the car causing the pollution
-
-
Well - extrapolate that a second.
If we removed all the cars, it wouldn't matter if the bikes where going on the main road at all. The pollution would be the same with or without bikes.
Thus it must be cars which are the problem because the other variables are constant
I just shot down your theory. I win the internet -
Sometimes when I ride my bicycle I fart. Is that pollution? I enjoy taking my bicycle to the grocery store.
Here is one of me riding home from the store and taking a picture of myself with my cell phone on a major road. I later emailed it to my zannel account all while riding my bike. Motorists must hate me. Sorry
www.zannel.com/dannyhack-
Nice photo -- I have to commend you for riding your bike. I wish I lived close enough to the stores & my work so I could ride or walk. -
Anyplace not close enough for me to ride my bike I usually ride my scooter. I spend $5 a week on gas and I work 13 miles away from my house (one way).
-
-
I see that the particular situation you described led to more pollution, but are you really saying cyclists cause more pollution just because of one incident that you described?
Or were you just trying to get people to pay attention to your discussion thread by writing a provocative title? It grabbed my attention. -
You can say bicyclists are arrogant for not getting out of the way and I would tell you I have seen that and agree some are. Three abreast on a road when a car is coming is rediculous and I have seen that also. I live in Austin, home of Lance Armstrong. This place is kind of a cycling mecca.
But blaming them for pollution is a futile attempt to demonize them. -
You should run them over when they do that. But then the ambulances would have to come and shut down the road and that would create more traffic problems. Maybe just get out and beat the crap out of the cyclists. -
And you would waste valuable water resources having to wash your car. Also don't forget to wash your car with environmentally friend detergents.
-
-
Extra bicycles might get in your way, but the presence of more cyclists means fewer cars. In other words, if these offending cyclists weren't on the road, it might not have even entered your head that you could have moved faster, because you would have perhaps been in a traffic jam.
-
I fart when I cycle too.
Cycling cartoon:
pastexpiry.blogspot.com/2009/08/cartoon-tour-de-france.html -
I think we should discuss the real problem...cyclists who fart while cycling, "particularly cyclists who spew out great volumes of black smoke from their "exhausts" during the overtaking."
Who wants to breath that pollution??? Not I-
thats why I sit cocooned inside my nice car... air con on recycle takes care of nasty niffs..
In answer to earlier posts - I was having a bad day and needed to rant - it's OK to want to do that sometimes isn't it? -
This is actually one of my favorite discussions! I refer back to it when I'm having a bad day and need a little chuckle to keep me going.
Too bad my chuckle is the result of your bad day.
But then again, your bad day WAS a year ago! I didn't even notice that till I posted my first comment, LoL.
-
-
Ok.. let us all use cars then.. the pollution will be reduced.. how does that sound -
Yup. When you congest traffic, all the cars on the road put out so much more that you would have to MASSIVELY reduce the number of cars on the road to reduce pollution. Of course, the obvious solution is bike lanes/wide multi-use sidewalks. -
I get your line of thinking, though technically the cyclists themselves cause no pollution.
It's like when I'm hypermiling (and yes, until last year I was a lead-foot speed freak, but am now converted).
If my main reason for hypermiling is to conserve fossil fuel, not just for the sake of my wallet but for the sake of the planet, then it's often wise not to force a speed demon riding my tail to have to pass me.
Why?
Because they'll actually waste more fuel in passing me than it would take for me to pull over, let them pass, and then restart. -
wow-
going for another reply record today, are we?
-
Hmmmmmmm
-
Add Your Comment
Login to leave a message.
