The Biking Revolution
The Biking Revolution refers to the choice to use a bicycle for transportation rather than relying on cars and other fossil fuel-burning personal vehicles. The Biking Revolution is happening all over the planet, as millions of people choose to ride bikes instead of getting in cars. Events such as Critical Mass, World Naked Bike Ride, and World Car Free Day draw attention to this growing trend. These events continue to gain more attention and to become more popular and well-known.
Contents
Background and Historical Context
Since its invention in the 19th century, the bicycle has been used as a form of transportation. In many parts of the world, the bicycle continues to be the primary means of transportation of both people and goods. However, in the industrialized world, the bicycle, while still popular, is most often used for exercise or recreation.
Worldwide, bicycle commuting is second only to walking as the most common way of getting to work. But in the industrialized world, especially in the United States, driving to work is much more common than biking to work.
Commuting by bike has never entirely disappeared from US culture. Recently, though, biking as transportation has increased dramatically, as many people have recognized the advantages of riding a bike. Among those advantages are:
Better health from exercise
Less time spent in traffic jams
Less money spent on gasoline and automobile maintenance
Enjoyment of the outdoors while commuting
Many people have individually made the choice to increase their use of bicycles and decrease their use of cars. All of these people can be said to be part of the Biking Revolution. The goal of the Biking Revolution is to support people who have already made the choice to drive less and bike more and to encourage others to do the same.
Symbol and Bracelet
The Symbol is a graphical representation of the Biking Revolution Bracelet, a piece of used bike inner tube tied around the wrist, being worn by someone on a bike who is passing out flowers.
Uses
Biking Revolution Bracelets can be passed out by people brandishing flowers (or other fun things) at Critical Mass rides, bike workshops, and other biking related events to create a public symbol that people can wear to show that they are part of The Biking Revolution.
The Biking Revolution Symbol can also be included in promotional materials for any biking related events and activities, which again helps to create greater awareness of the spread of The Biking Revolution.
Goals
The goal behind the Symbol and Bracelet is to raise awareness of the many virtues of cycling. World Naked Bike Ride, Critical Mass, and other similar events are popping up everywhere, and yet it seems that it is mostly cyclists that are aware of this phenomenon. The intention is to spread The Symbol of the Biking Revolution and get people to wear the Biking Revolution Bracelets to generate much broader recognition for cycling and its benefits.
In addition, the flower contained within the Symbol is intended to inspire people who are part of The Biking Revolution to use creative non-violence in the Biking Revolution activities in which they participate. Passing out flowers is a very effective way to generate good will toward cyclists and can help alleviate the tension and animosity that can form between cyclists and motorists as they try to figure out how to share the road.
Origins
College students at Truman State, along with people from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and The Sanctuary passed out Biking Revolution Bracelets, and promotional materials with The Biking Revolution Symbol on them, to help organize a very successful Critical Mass ride in Kirksville, MO, in which cyclists and motorist generally get along well and flowers are regularly passed out to motorists and other onlookers. In addition the Bracelets, Symbol and students wearing flowers were used to help promote a bike concert and to help get Truman State to agree to provide funding and a space for a student organized bike co-op.
