The Car vs. the Bicycle
Living in a prosperous, market economy offers countless benefits. In the U.S., that most certainly includes widespread ownership of automobiles.
Indeed, one of the striking differences I’ve noticed over the years between our nation and many undeveloped, non-market economies is that our roads have lots of cars and trucks, while many of these other countries have lots of bicycles.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against bicycles for competitive, recreational and exercise purposes. However, as a primary mode of transportation, they most certainly leave a lot to be desired. The fact that people in this country can afford to buy cars or SUVs, and don’t have to peddle bicycles to work and the store is a good thing.
However, for more than a quarter century, some in the environmental movement haven’t seen things this way. They hold that the automobile is an evil polluter and consumer of natural resources. These greenies would like to see many more of us riding bicycles around town and to work.
Unfortunately, even when Republicans are in charge of Congress such goof ball ideas receive attention. Consider the energy bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives in April. The legislation includes some positive items, such as opening part of ANWR to exploration, reducing some regulatory obstacles to drilling on certain federal lands, and repealing the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, which had disassembled economical energy operations and hampered future integration. There also are many counterproductive measures, including a boatload of subsidies and mandated expansion of the use of ethanol.
The bill also would establish the “Conserve by Bicycling Program” under the Department of Transportation. This program would set up “10 pilot projects … dispersed geographically throughout the United States” and “designed to conserve energy resources by encouraging the use of bicycles in place of motor vehicles.”
The program would “use education and marketing to convert motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips,” “maximize bicycle facility investments,” and the National Academy of Sciences would conduct “a study on the feasibility of converting motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips.”
The study would evaluate the pilot projects, and “determine the type and duration of motor vehicle trips that people in the United States may feasibly make by bicycle,” of course factoring in issues like weather, land use and traffic patterns, “the carrying capacity of bicycles” and “bicycle infrastructure.” In addition, the report would “determine any energy savings that would result from the conversion of motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips” and perform “a cost-benefit analysis of bicycle infrastructure investments.”
All of this for a mere $6.2 million, at least to start. Who knows how much more will be spent down the road. After all, bicycle infrastructure costs money.
The next time a politician proclaims that government has been cut to the bone, just think of this federal bicycle program, which also would require that state or local governments pick up at least 20% of the cost for each pilot project. I can hear politicians in the states declaring what a bargain this would be as local taxpayers would only have to foot a mere one-fifth of the total cost.
If some people want to peddle a bicycle to their jobs or to go shopping, that’s their business. But no sound reason exists for the government to be using taxpayer dollars to promote bicycles over motor vehicles. Government conservation efforts certainly don’t make any sense, as the market is far better equipped to gauge the proper level of conservation through prices. The environment is not an issue, as automobiles run cleaner than ever before. A program like this is just a wasteful sop to a small number of environmental extremists.
When it comes to modes of personal transportation, it’s better to let consumers decide if they want to drive or peddle to work.
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Raymond J. Keating is chief economist for the Small Business Survival Committee, and co-author of U.S. by the Numbers: Figuring What’s Left, Right, and Wrong with America State by State (Capital Books, 2000).
