Dear editor,
Being a new and proud owner of an Bionx electric bike, I have just found some really encouraging information about them.
At 60+ years old, I hope my electric bike is just the assist I need to keep biking full time for the next 10 years.
This data about the world-changing impact of electric bikes from ETRA, which lobbies for European cycling-friendly transport policies is :
• Dutch bike commuters travel an average 6.3 km to work. With an electric bike, that increases to 9.8 km.
• For trips up to four km, half of Dutch people use a bike. With an electric bike, that increases to 6 km.
• 25 per cent of Dutch commuters go to work by bike. Thirty-three per cent of commuters live five to 15 km from their work, so electric bikes could increase bike-commuting.
* A Swiss Ministry of Public Health study found that each electric bike sold saved $2,500 in medical costs due to the health benefits of cycling.
* The German Post Office uses 8,000 electric bikes; Britain’s Royal Mail is buying 14,000. Canada Post…??
So let's get on with planning the cycling-pedestrian bridge across the Courtenay River at Sixth Street, and putting up more bus shelters for those days, and times, when we bicyclists too, have to ride the bus, especially in winter.
Susan Holvenstot,
Courtenay