Public perception?

[Happy Valley]

Are or could MBs be seen as a viable means of transportation?
What would be the obstacles to the public perceiving MBs as a 'green' alternative?

[ibdennyak]

That's it exactly. I think they could. Bicycles already are in China and when I was in Europe, I was surprised at the amount of bicycles on the roads.

The obstacles to me are weather, distance, and probably laziness or habit bred by knowing there is another way.

Riding a bike loses some of its fun in the rain or snow, especially for longer distances. Also, some areas of the US are sparsely populated, and the distances to be travelled limit the day to day usefulness. They still are practical in the more urban areas. Do you really need a two ton car to travel a couple miles to pick up a gallon of milk?

A couple ideas to promote MBs would be fun and cost. Riding a bike can be more fun than driving a car, very much like riding a motorcycle. As fuel costs continue to rise, a bike becomes more attractive. The cost to drive a mile would also include insurance, licensing, and associated fees.

Then there is the actual *green* aspect ie. actually wanting to reduce pollution and congestion, and the various problems caused by the fact that the automobile exists.

Congestion, both traffic and parking are a positive reinforcement for bikes. From personal experience, if I have to go to the city offices for business, it is more attractive to take a bike. I have spent nearly an hour trying to find a place to park, and still have to walk 10 blocks. With a bike, it is a matter of the nearest bike rack.

I don't see the MB as the primary transportation for the masses, but it is practical to replace the 2nd or 3rd car. This is for the average person of course. Some of us just like to ride our bikes.

[Mike Hunt]

i rode my bicycle year round for the past five years and i plan to continue doing so on my motorized bike. if i have to go far i take transit. the biggest obstacles truly are laziness and habit, i have several friends that i work with that live closer to our workplace yet they still drive while i ride my bike.

[Happy Valley]

Excellent post above denny and numerous important points well made. Your reply is very much in keeping with the spirit with which I ask the question.

This is for the average person of course. Some of us just like to ride our bikes.

Certainly and nothing wrong with that fun some of us have riding our bikes but in my mind if MBs are reduced to just a toy for joy riding they can fall into the ranks with ATVs and snowmobiles. I'm trying to look and see if there can be something beyond that as serious Alt. Trans.

[Happy Valley]

i rode my bicycle year round for the past five years and i plan to continue doing so on my motorized bike. if i have to go far i take transit. the biggest obstacles truly are laziness and habit, i have several friends that i work with that live closer to our workplace yet they still drive while i ride my bike.

Good for you Mike! My wife and I live car-free......by choice. I now work from home but she commutes to work year-round, missed only a couple of days last winter in minus-O temps.

Laziness and habit can change but probably will require the incentive of $4-5 gal. gas, then it'll be easier to ride a bike than the extra work needed to pay for it.

[ibdennyak]

yep, money, or lack of it always makes a great incentive. next might be the inconvenience of trying to find a space to park the Hummer, not to mention cost. Economics is always a great motivator.

The minus I see to that kind of motivation is that people tend to resist or resent doing something that has become a *duty* rather than a want. Maybe that is the biggest roadblock to acceptance......human nature.

[AussieJester]

Then there is the actual *green* aspect ie. actually wanting to reduce pollution and congestion, and the various problems caused by the fact that the automobile exists.

Ironically the latest HT Engines can't pass the U.S EPA emissions test so the 'green argument' isn't the best one to be using ATM me thinks LoL...

To the O/P China has banned all ICE motored Bikes from capital cities to help cut down pollution. Yes they are still riding bikes but not ICE powered...electric...22million of them apparently.

KiM

[ibdennyak]

Ironically the latest HT Engines can't pass the U.S EPA emissions test so the 'green argument' isn't the best one to be using ATM me thinks LoL...

To the O/P China has banned all ICE motored Bikes from capital cities to help cut down pollution. Yes they are still riding bikes but not ICE powered...electric...22million of them apparently.

KiM

Good Point there Kim. I run mostly 4 strokes and a couple tecumseh two strokes. They all have something that indicates they meet all applicable standards yada yada yada. I understand that this is for utility engines. A question for anyone who has the info.......what does all this mean? What is the difference between vehicle engine, and utility engine etc etc. Would be nice to actually visualize what all this means in the real world.

22 million of them......wish I had the battery concessions on that market.

[Mike Hunt]

i don't understand how my 50cc happy time that burns a liter of gas for every 50km pullutes more than a 2.5liter (50x the displacement) car that probably burns the same amount while parallel parking, can someone explain?

also 22million people riding ebikes means about the same number of batteries (realistically 3 or 4 batteries per person, maybe more), because they wear out every couple years and you gotta have the spares for a long trip, etc), consider how much pollution is created when making these batteries, creating the electricity to charge them, and then disposing of them when they wear out...

[Happy Valley]

Ironically the latest HT Engines can't pass the U.S EPA emissions test so the 'green argument' isn't the best one to be using ATM me thinks LoL...

To the O/P China has banned all ICE motored Bikes from capital cities to help cut down pollution. Yes they are still riding bikes but not ICE powered...electric...22million of them apparently.
KiM

Yep, I know KiM. I think you'll see your referencing my mentioning that in the other 'HT engine going extinct' thread.

For that reason I skipped the HT phase of MB building and for time time being anyway, currently run the R/S EPA/CARBII compliant 4 strokes.