According to the article “Over three million commuters start cycling to keep costs down” there has been a considerable shift in people’s attitudes to work travel because of the credit crunch. In an effort to save money over twelve per cent of the working public are travelling to their place of employment by bicycle.
The reason the option of cycling to work is so appealing is because it saves approximately £34 a week. There are other benefits too of course, such as improved physical fitness as a result and the fact that we are contributing to a cleaner environment. In this case, what is good for our pockets is also good for our planet’s ecology.
Research is revealing that men are the frontrunners in this new dynamic. While fifteen per cent of the male employment market are cycling to work, only eight per cent of women are commuting on two wheels.
As with most stories of optimism and glad tidings, there is a downside to all this effort of getting down to the basics, saving the planet and avoiding financial hardships, the burglars! In the UK, thousands of bikes are stolen. What with so many of us taking out bicycles and parking them up, our bicycles are at serious risk of being stolen too. Insuring our bicycles so that we are covered if the worst was to happen is a start. In addition, there are one or two particular security considerations to bear in mind when parking up away from home. Buy a recommended padlock and secure your bicycle to a fixed object in a decently lit area. Also, photograph and register your bicycle for returning procedures should it go missing and very visibly mark two places on the bike with your mark or a tag.
If you are cycling to work instead of taking the car, well done! Don’t let the killjoys spoil it for you! As the article states, it would be a shame to let your good intentions of saving money become a false economy thanks to less than effective security measures.