There have been many studies demonstrating that trips in the range of 5-8km (3-5 miles) are more efficiently accomplished {in general} by bicycle or on foot. Unfortunately there is another pile of studies demonstrating that North Americans are only willing to walk 30-50% of the distance {Canada: 500m; USA: 300m} of people in Asia or Europe {1+km} … even to catch public transport.

Leaving the SUV in the garage a little more often would not just benefit the environment, but it might have an amazing impact on health care and our individual quality of life.

I’ve done a fair few articles on Quickrelease.tv on ‘isocrones’, the tech name for drawing distance circles on a map. It’s an idea being extensively trialled in London, with signage of walking distances to visibly demonstrate to people how long it will take to walk to destinations (ie not as long as they might think).

I agree completely with Andy’s ’shower?’ comments and normal bikes in normal clothes. This is majored on in the new Bike to Work Book, a 50 page extract of which is here:

http://issuu.com/carltonreid/docs/bike_to_work_book_50_page_sampler

I also wrote an article for the British Guardian newspaper questioning the sense of those bicycle advocates who place the requirement for workplace showers above all other cyclist-friendly measures.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jun/26/healthandwellbeing.fitness

http://www.2milechallenge.com

the end thought, of course, is getting more people on the bikes. so right on to all of yous.