CORRESPONDENT OF THE WEEK

By: JournalNow Staff | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: January 22, 2012

Couch potatoes and bicyclists

Hands clenched at 10 and 2, or the rest of me sprawled across my couch, embracing my inner potato, I wonder: Why should I pay for bicycle lanes?

Some of the saddest stories I read in the Journal are about those killed while cycling. With few bike lanes or sidewalks, and drivers who feel that cyclists are a nuisance, death by cycling is unfortunately common in our community.

In a bicycle-friendly community, cycling is one of the healthiest low-impact pleasures a couch potato could ever discover. Lose weight, gain verve, get outside, do a tiny bit to save the planet. It appeals to me. I attended a college where commuting by bike was normal. There were bicycle traffic circles, bicycle overpasses, bicycle freeways. Cycling raised our spirits, our energy, even our intelligence.

Cycling benefits everyone. A couch potato turned cyclist is healthier, works harder, pays more taxes and consumes less health care. According to a story in the Portland Tribune ("Will a bike ride a day keep the doctor away?" March 3, 2011), Portland, Ore., is the most-bicycle friendly city in America, though only 6 percent of Portland commuters ride bikes. Even so, the benefits are large. Because of Portland's public investment in cycling, Portlanders are losing 17 million pounds and $155 million a year in health-care costs — savings that benefit others through lower insurance premiums.

Next time you pass cyclists, thank them for saving you money. Better yet, get on a bike and save me some.

STEVE SCROGGIN

Winston-Salem