Two wheels a winner

With a population of around one and a half million, Perth isn’t really a large city, but it’s big enough to experience a certain level of peak hour road congestion. As our city continues its rapid growth, the problems on our roads will only get worse.

With that in mind it was great to see an article in today’s edition of The West Australian about cycling versus driving a car to work.

A couple of journalists from Western Australia’s daily newspaper left the intersection of South Street and the Kwinana Freeway, about 13 km from the city centre, at five past eight on a weekday morning to head into the city. One travelled in a car, the other by bike.

The motorist endured a stop start commute in a line of cars on the freeway while the cyclist travelled tree lined cycleways and along the beautiful Swan River foreshore.

The cyclist got into the city 6 minutes before the motorist. Of course the cyclist wouldn’t have had to pay ever increasing prices for fuel or big dollars for city parking. On top of that they got a work out without having to find extra time for the gym.

I don’t have to travel into the city each day but there are still so many good reasons to cycle to work. I get the feeling that there’ll be a lot more people on bikes within the next couple of years.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He has worked in radio at Perth's media ministry Sonshine for over 25 years and has previously worked at ministries such as Compassion Australia and Bible Society.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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6 Comments

  • cycling is GREAT indeed.
    I’m 65 years old and I still bike 20 miles a day.
    when I worked I ALWAYS biked when I went to my employer, and I live in a major metropolitan city. it NEVER was a problem .
    not only does it keep your body in good shape it pays off in the long run. the health benefits REALLY outweigh the excuses people come up with not to bike .
    I can out run out hike and out do a few ?other things ?that people cant even do half my age.
    And that ALL has to do with cycling thanks for sharing your post

  • When I started this job of mine I´ve been told I´m gonna work here (40km off my company´s domicile) for six months only and then come back to the company. That´s been 5 years ago. I hate going to work by car but I have no choice… It costs a lot of money, it´s dangerous on the highway and it costs lots of time…

    The gym I go to is only 500 metres from my company´s domicile and I go there two to three times a week by push-bike…

  • I could have told you that! Although personally I feel safer riding in the traffic than on bike paths. What I find hardest is fighting back the urge to yell “SUCKERS!” as I pass all those gridlocked cars.

  • I can’t wait until you get to visit Perth, Chris, so that I can show you what a good cycleway is like. 🙂

    The old style of bike path that continually crosses roads and driveways is very dangerous. Most of the ones we have around Perth are wide and safe.

  • I smiled to myself when I saw this story. I hope it encourages a few more people to ride a bike to work. It certainly makes sense if you are a city worker, no fuel or public transport costs, no parking costs, door to door transport.

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