The answer to all our country's problems

Ok, maybe not all the problems, but quite a few. And these ideas are not by any means new, so I'm baffled by why more people don't adopt them. I suppose the answer to that is mere laziness. But that is where the problem stems, as well: our collective laziness has caused these problems and stands in the way of their solution. But, aside from implanting the work ethic gene into every newly-conceived child, the solution requires ...continued a change of culture.

I recall hearing a while back, and pardon me if I get the details wrong, that a certain school district in Washington implemented a "Human-Powered Bus." The gist is that, rather than have kids wait at a bus stop, a few parents from each neighborhood would walk with a small group of elementary students each morning, alternating with other parents on a day-to-day basis. This simple plan is great for the following reasons:

1. It gives kids and parents another opportunity for "quality time," which seems to be ever-rarer in today's households.
2. It promotes physical activity among children, combating the "fattening of America" from an early age.
3. It reduces, however slightly, the dependence on fuel to run school buses.
4. It cuts costs to the school district of providing the buses. (What about the bus drivers' jobs? Well, maybe they'll be among those who "drive" the "Human-Powered Bus.")
5. It reduces emissions from buses or automobiles that would otherwise bring the kids to school.

Similarly, working adults can commute to work under human power. Granted, I wouldn't expect people who live in suburbs and work downtown to do so, but there are plenty of folks who live within a few miles of their workplaces. Particularly in regions where weather is reasonable year-round, there is really no excuse for driving a short distance to work.

I live about 1 mile from Wash U's Hilltop Campus, where I am a student and an employee. Recently I also have obligations at the Medical School Campus, which is a bit further from my apartment. However, I am generally a bicycle commuter. Even on evenings and weekends, when I go around other places in St. Louis, I try to bike or walk unless I know I will be carrying a lot (for example, to go grocery shopping) or if the weather is really bad (heavy rain or snow).

This is where a change in culture must come. In addition to laziness, people seem reluctant to walk or bike because of weather (ok, I'm guilty of this sometimes) or other social pressures. Motorists are, on the whole, clueless about how to treat cyclists. Let me make this clear: everywhere except interstates or where otherwise indicated, cyclists have all the rights and responsibilities of motorists! Bikers, this means that we, too, must stop at stop signs. But it also affords us a whole lane to ourselves where feasible, so drivers need to stop trying to squeeze past us on the left if you can change lanes to get around us.

Another shift that must happen before bicycle commuting can really take off deals with business attire. I don't ride when I need to wear a suit, but I'll still ride in slacks and a shirt. We need clothing designers to make a line of clothing specifically for the bicycle commuter. These clothes would look like regular business clothes (business-casual is probably the easiest) and would feature stain-repellent fabrics to ward off the mud spots kicked up from wet ground, breathable but windproof materials to provide comfort in warm and cold weather, mechanisms to hold pant ankles out of the chain, and perhaps removable crotch padding for longer or bumpy commutes.

Office buildings need to have fewer parking spaces and more bike racks. There ought to be showers, or at least cool towels, to allow bikers to freshen up when they arrive. Backpacks and messenger bags already exist that can secure a laptop and plenty more while riding.

If more people commuted to work or school on bicycle or under other human power (hell, or even battery power like the Segway!) we would see many improvements in our nation.

• Lower dependence on oil
• Lower occurrence of obesity and other weight- or activity-related disease
• Cleaner air from reduced emissions
• Less traffic
• Fewer cases of road rage and auto accidents

Further, people would be happier, since the act of exercise releases endorphins that affect mood. People would be more sociable, since seeing another person on a bike has a more "human" element than seeing another person sitting in a car or truck. People would also save money, since bicycle maintenance costs less than car maintenance (I'm not saying that people will get rid of their cars, just that a car driven less, particularly in less city traffic, will need maintenance less often) and leg power costs less than gasoline.

With that, I will rest my case. I'd love to get some tips from other folks who bike to work regularly, so leave comments here if you've got them!

This post was inspired by my trip (on bicycle) earlier today to the public library, during which I had a little girl wave happily at me, a few other cyclists nod at me, a young woman in a car smile at me, and three SUVs and two sedans nearly hit me.