“My Next Vehicle Will Be a Bicycle”

Like media outlets everywhere, CNNMoney.com is reporting with greater frequency on rising fuel prices, with headlines like “Six fixes for pricey gasoline” and “Bad news for Detroit: Miles per gallon.” In a recent online poll, the financial website asked a question that is surely on the minds of many Americans: “The next vehicle I buy will be…?” In the non-random sample of 42,275 respondents, more people said they are leaning towards a bike than a truck or SUV.

Sure, this poll is totally un-scientific, its results not a reliable indicator that bike makers should ramp up production. Nevertheless, it is a signpost for everyone wondering whether bicycles are creeping into the mainstream consciousness as a practical solution to rising fuel prices. When a major national news outlet starts including human-powered vehicles in its polls, I think the answer is yes.