By Harry Bennett, 350 Madison
I have been convinced for years of the viability of bicycle transportation and its possibilities of being one of the simplest and most elegant strategies to reduce carbon emissions from transportation. In 2008 I started keeping close track of my bicycle riding miles, as opposed to automobile travel, and how many days I could refrain from automobile use. I also keep track of how many days a year I ride a bike.
Until May of 2011, when we moved to Madison, we lived on a farm in rural Kansas. Bicycle use was much more challenging there, since a lot of travel was on unimproved gravel roadways, and there was a complete absence of dedicated bike paths or lanes. The lower automobile miles after moving to Madison is a direct reflection on how an urban environment with a bicycle-friendly slant has made it possible for me to pare down automobile use to mostly long trips out of town. Below is the record so far.
| Year | “No Drive Days” | “Bike Ride Days” | Bike Miles | Car Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 222 | 347 | 5,289.20 | 17,216 |
| 2009 | 216 | 327 | 4,879.07 | 19,238 |
| 2010 | 212 | 350 | 5,977.28 | 18,168 |
| 2011 | 256 | 347 | 6,605.08 | 11,193 |
| 2012 | 267 | 351 | 7,594.72 | 7,761 |
| 2013 | 271 | 352 | 7,199.98 | 10,936 |
| 2014 | 296 | 360 | 7,630.68 | 9,300 |
| 2015 | 255 | 351 | 9,197.80 | 10,505 |
| 2016 | 203 | 366 | 8,228.20 | 9,766 |
| Totals | 2,198 | 3,151 | 62,602.01 | 114,083 |
| 9-Year Average | 244 | 350 | 6,955.78 | 12,676 |