Part 2/8:
At the heart of this discussion lies the significant financial difference between owning a car and cycling. The initial premise is simple: bikes are cheaper than cars. In many urban areas, parking costs for cars can be exorbitant, whereas cyclists easily find places to secure their bikes, often at no cost. Biking also eliminates fuel expenditures, tolls, and maintenance costs associated with vehicle ownership.
An illustrative example shows that Americans can expect to spend about $30,000 on a car, which typically lasts around seven years. Over a lifetime, this could mean spending a quarter million dollars on cars alone. Shifting from car dependency to cycling could potentially save individuals up to $172,000, leading to substantial economic benefits if adopted broadly across the population.