Jane Powerson cycling
The bicycle is one of the most efficient forms of transport. A hundred calories of energy can propel a cyclist nearly five kilometres, whereas the same amount of energy used in an average car will move it around 85 metres. Those cycling calories are burned in the human body, giving its owner an aerobic workout, a fitter figure, a grand sense of well-being - and full marks for being green. The driving calories, supplied by fossil fuel exploded in the cylinders of the car, aren't providing any physical benefits to the user, and they have a negative effect on the planet - contributing emissions, a drain on resources, wear and tear on roads, traffic congestion, noise pollution and various hazards to human health.
I'm not suggesting that we all stop driving, but when you weigh a bicycle's attributes against those of a car you'd think our towns and cities would be full of happy cyclists. (And speaking of weight: 95 per cent of the energy used by a car goes into moving the metal, rather than the occupants.) But despite the inarguable advantages of the bicycle, in the greater Dublin area, only four per cent of morning trips are made by push bike, while 50 per cent are made by automobile.
Nonetheless, four per cent is a lot of road users. The percentage would be far more, no doubt, if cyclists weren't treated as invisible people by some drivers, road planners and those in charge of traffic. Dr Mike McKillen, chairman of the Dublin Cycling campaign (www.dublincycling.org) says: "The city's traffic management is to suit cars, not cyclists or pedestrians."
So, on behalf of the cycling community, let's remember that although bike paths are often squeezed into vehicle lanes, the minimum safe separation distance between cyclists and other road users is 1.5 metres. Pinch points and build-outs (traffic-calming features on urban roads), roundabouts and many junctions are not cyclist-friendly - so give your fellow travellers room to manoeuvre in that crucial space (you can always overtake them safely in a minute or two). Bicycle riders don't have the benefit of being encased in a metal shell or being protected by air bags and crumple zones. Their safety relies on the protection and goodwill of the motorist.
And, here's a thought to close with: the driver of today is likely to be the cyclist of tomorrow. In Dublin, for instance, traffic has such an adverse effect on air quality that it's unlikely we'll meet EU standards without taking some cars off the road - and replacing them with bicycles.