Quote:
Originally Posted by anordinaryman  |
There are generally 2 classes of cyclist, those that:
1) Can afford car, 2) cannot afford car.
'anordinaryman', since I presume that U can afford car, dun be so nasty to those who cannot afford even a m'cycle.
The gist of my essay shall deal with those who 'can afford' the car/ m'cycle but choose to cycle.
Think of it this way, that person might very well own a car but CHOOSE to cycle for green/ health reasons; I consider such a person 'enlightened' and find his/ her act noble and praise worthy.
Firstly, ROAD TAX IS already PAID upfront- 6 - 12 monthly; just that BY CHOICE, the owner/ family member- has just decided to use cycling as a mode of transport/ exercise instead of the motorized vehicle- there is thus no 'lack' of taxes paid- if you can understand me here.
Various considerations were made in choosing the bicycle as the choice mode of transport- these include 'the fight against global warming' as well as a 'means for personal exercise' generally for this category of cyclist.
Global warming is an acute challenge for the world today. It is the result of which that we experience extremes in weather patterns: droughts, storms, floods, the consequence of which being obvious human hardship, death and disease.
Much of global warming is perpetuated by human concepts of profit and convenience: city folk whose only solution to hot weather is the power guzzling air-con, politicians who believe that the path to 'GDP growth' is the indiscriminate national subsidy of diesel and petrol, and the neglected rural folk who ceaselessly overcrowd cities in their escape from hunger and hardship.
Now the question of whose to pay 'road taxes'.
Is it not the same ceaseless drive for comfort and profit, that has resulted in much of the worlds tropical rain forest being burned/ logged, the direct result of such being the further compromised clearance of CO2 (already aggravated from indiscriminate fossil fuel use); not to mention the floods, land slides, soil degradation- desertifications that are oft the result of such indiscriminate practices?- where indigenous people are starved on their own soils then chased away to make way forlogging/ 'commercial farming'.
The eroded soils are swept into the seas and sea levels rise. The CO2 caused global warming melts polar ice caps and sea levels rise. There is no ground cover to trap rain water and ground water levels fall. After a short flood, the rivers soon run dry. Natural disasters, when they do occur, will kill many gathered in impoverished cities- where poor housing and disrupted sanitation compound human suffering.
What roads would you be talking about then?
GM crops have failed, the single mutation, so glorious declared to share holders and a means of profit, has met its match in terms of drought and disease, the ground is now barren, a nation diminished.
The monies saved by the said cyclist might have been put into promoting sustainable organic farming practices (via his/ her 'responsible' purchase of organic foods/ contributions to charity)- protecting the livelihoods of rural folk, providing for their education and development, not to mention a supply of clean air and healty food to the city folk. Better education means wiser and happier rural folk and less overcrowding of cities- less pollution, less congestion.
For us all, the better health of the cyclist would reduce his/ her burden placed upon the national healthcare system- meaning lower government taxes for you and me in the long term and for the short term: less parking woes for you.
Dun be so calculative and uptight lah, its a privilege to be able to drive and likewise to cycle; dun quibble so much, sit down and think about it, and most likely, you'll discover what a beautiful person inside you indeed really are; you have a part to play in making this world a better place for all of us.
Best wishes and have a nice day.
B.C.
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9April2010 (Get cyclists off the footpaths: Pedestrians)
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9April2010 (Get cyclists off the footpaths: Pedestrians )
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