Ride Your Bike To Work! (Or not)

-


To be healthy and look fit, you need to be physically active. Physical activity on a regular basis can help protect you from diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Most people choose to ride their bike to work, school, or just for pure leisure. But, even though riding your bike has it's advantages, it also comes with some dangerous disadvantages. So today, let's look at the pros and cons of riding your bike to work everyday. 

PRO'S
1. Cycling is low impact. Meaning that it causes less injuries than other forms of exercise.

2. It's Easy. Unlike other sports, it doesn't require high levels of physical skill (Obviously! Even a three year old can ride a bike.)

3. It's a fun way to get fit. Cycling can be done anywhere. Along a beach, through the woods, or in a big city. The sites and scenery ca make your ride enjoyable. Not to mention you could ride with family members or friends.

4. It comes with a lot of health benefits. As I stated earlier, cycling comes with many health benefits including:
- Increased cardiovascular fitness
- Increased mobility
- Decreased body fat levels


CON'S
As we all know, every advantage has a disadvantage. Since we've looked at some of the benefits of cycling to work everyday, let's turn around and look at some of the disadvantages. 
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), Chicago bicycle crashes jumped from 1,236 in 2005 to 1,566 in 2010. NHTSA accident reports show that over 1,000 cyclists died and over 500,000 were injured on it's busy streets. This might be the effects of dense traffic and busy intersections; as well as drivers who don't pay attention to the road.
So what are the disadvantages of riding your bike to work everyday?

1. Exposure. Unlike in a car, you don't have much protecting you when your on a bike. Especially in the rain or cold.

2. Dangerous drivers. As a cyclist, even if you ride safely and obey all the rules, there's not much you can do to stop drivers from being under the influence while driving, being distracted, or even running a red light.

3. Lack of cycling lanes or trails. Driving a bicycle on an open road with cars and big trucks can be very dangerous. The drivers might see you as an irritation, and may not have the patience to wait for you to pass them. Which of course can lead to problems

4. Theft. Now, you normally don't hear on the news that somebody's bike got stolen, but it does happen. Even with a chain and lock bikes can still be taken from their owners. And it can be very hard to get it back (unless you have some kind of tracker on it). 

COMMENT BELOW: Do you ride your bike to work everyday? What are your fears when your on the road?

DISCLAIMER: The information from this post can be found at the sites below
https://skyaboveus.com/cycling/10-Disadvantages-of-Cycling

https://dzinjurylawyers.com/cyclists-dangerous-roads/

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/cycling-health-benefits











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular

Advice from a Military Brat

-
Image
The picture above means way more to some people then what most might perceive. To anyone in the armed forces, it may mean they have a duty to serve, protect, and fight for the people of the United States of America. And it comes with a value that's much bigger than the individual. Yes it's true, members of the armed forces make a lot of sacrifices everyday to ensure the safety and prosperity of the American people. But let's not forget what's backing them up, family. Military families offer just as much sacrifice as the soldiers do (probably even more, but you didn't hear that from me.) I myself am the daughter of an Army Officer, so I know what it means to make sacrifices. I think one of the biggest (and most stressful) things military children pass through is having to be the new kid, and adapting to new environments and communities. But I'm here to tell you it's not as bad as it seems. Okay, maybe it is a bit challenging; and I'll use myself as an exa...
Read more

My Guide For Health Workers

-
Image
In my lifetime, I’ve worked in two separate job organizations geared towards the health and well being of elderly people. In other words, I was a caretaker. My major responsibilities were cleaning, cooking, and making sure the clients were comfortable and happy with their environment. I enjoyed talking with them and listening to stories they had to share. But inasmuch as I so enjoyed the jobs, there are many health risks associated with working with elderly people. One of the major health risks of the job is that it can sometimes be stressful. Many caretakers are providing services almost all day and even into the night. Meaning there is little time for work, friends, or other  family members. During my first year as a caregiver, I took care of my grandmother. For me, it wasn’t actually as stressful as most make it seem because I was around family 24/7; tied with the fact that I only worked on weekends and specific weekdays so I still went to school and made friends. But for people...
Read more