Traffic Trivia
- In 2003, traffic congestion delayed people world-wide for 7 billion hours and wasted 5 billion gallons of fuel.
- Emissions from cars far outweighs that from power plants. Vehicles contribute to an estimated 60-70% of urban air pollution.
- 60% of the pollution created by car emissions happens in the first few minutes of operation.
- The United Nations estimates that about 180,000 people are added to the urban population every day; by 2050, an estimated two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas; the personal automobile is not the solution for moving these people from point A to point B.
- Bicycling burns 500-700 calories per hour. Driving a car burns 5-20.
- Bicycling promotes healthier lifestyles, strengthens family bonds, provides a recreational outlet for youth, and builds closer-knit communities.
- 50% of car trips are less than 2 miles in total distance
- A 4-mile journey in Central London takes 40 minutes by car, yet only 22 minutes by bicycle.
- 7 to 12 bicycles can be parked in one automobile parking space.
- Car emissions produce 60-70% of urban air pollution. Bicycles produce 0%.
- Auto commuters waste 2.3 billion gallons of fuel annually in traffic jams. Bicycles waste 0 gallons.
- Many cities are raising the bar on a new standard for commuting by bike: in the Netherlands, 25% of the population commutes by bicycle; in Boulder, Colorado, 21% of the population commutes by bicycle; and in London, bike commuters don’t pay the congestion charge.
Sources: Trek Bicycles; Union of Concerned Scientists; The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change