Commuters, strap on your helmets, because there's a new way
to beat the traffic. In the D.C. area, the two-wheeled world is exploding.
Elissa Parker straps on her helmet after sliding on her suede shoes and
she's off on her short but sweet morning commute. "I don't have to worry
about parking," she said.
Bikers stacked up three deep in the rain as 62-year-old Parker went from her
home in Mount Pleasant to her downtown office. Parker said the weather in the
district shouldn't be an obstacle to biking to work. "There's no such
thing as bad weather, only bad clothes," she joked.
It looks like Parker isn't the only one who loves her bike. The Washington-area
Bicyclist Association said while it has no hard numbers on a bike boom in the
area, the anecdotal evidence can't be ignored. Cycling shops said once gas
prices starting soaring this year, so did people's interest in bikes.
Bike shop managers said that new bike sales are up big this year. Revolution
Cycles reported a spike in customers either doing complete overhauls or basic
tune ups.
Metro is also seeing a surge in bike commuters, from waiting lists for
bike lockers at multiple stations in the suburbs, to bike racks that
are so packed, commuters have resorted to locking their bikes to trees.
It is fantastic that such a significant growth in bike-riders is occurring. There are several benefits, including health and environmental. If you are unsatisfied with locking your bike to a tree, however, I suggest getting a sturdy bike lock that allows the bicycle movement to proliferate.
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