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Ramblings
Biking to Work
by
Subra Narayan
I guess I will
be going to Wal-Mart as soon as I finish writing this article and
splurge on a well…um…a 12 speed bike!
So what’s so earth shaking about buying a bike and why am I writing
about it.
Well you see I am planning to use the bike not for recreation, but to
commute to work and run other errands. What with the price of gas
waiting to take the next quantum leap to $3 a gallon and what with oil
prices dangerously hovering around the $70/barrel range, it is time to
think of alternative means of transportation.
A Wall Street analyst was quoted today as saying that the markets are
very nervous and the mere mention of the word Iran is enough to send oil
prices soaring. In fact, T. Boone Pickens, an oil magnate himself,
predicted last May (’05) that oil prices would start an upward trend and
hit the $60/ gallon mark by the end of ’05, when in fact other analysts
were saying quite the opposite.
Er, I guess it is just like what half the experts say about the
economy…it could improve this year, while the other half predicts
doomsday. A little bit of the yin and yang at play. Anyway, Mr. Pickens
was right on the money at the end of ’05, and probably was laughing all
the way to the bank. He also thinks that the Saudis are probably in lala
land if they think that oil reserves are here to stay for another
century or so.
The other prediction that he made last May is somewhat dire, which is
that, a gallon of gas will cost around $3 by this May (’06). Now that is
precisely what the headlines are saying today as we head into the warm
summer months and people start coming out of hibernation and hit the
roads on vacation. So Mr. Pickens is going to be twice right!
Of course, there is no need to worry, because a lot of people are
obviously working on alternative sources of energy, and it is only a
matter of time before a clean and efficient source of energy is
identified that can be made available. 2010 was the date cited in Alan
Alda’s Scientific American Frontiers show, a few years ago on PBS.
Well, in the meantime if you can’t afford to drive your monstrous gas
guzzling SUV, then maybe you need to go to Wal-mart just like I plan to
do (not because I own an SUV) and buy a bike that is made in China.
In a few years, we could have millions of people in your neighborhood
doing the same; biking to work. And then it will feel like the good old
days in China, where millions of bikes traversed on the roads, except
that they have been replaced there now by sleek sports cars.
Biking is obviously good for your health and you can mix business with
pleasure, i.e. you can get to work (maybe not on time) and get your
daily exercise at the same time (too bad for my Health club). It is
naturally good for the environment as smog levels will go down in big
cities and global warming trends may be reversed. Wow, that would be a
fantastic solution aimed at protecting the ozone layer and reducing
stratospheric CO2 levels. This will galvanize towns and city mayors to
build bigger and better bike lanes and you could even bike-pool to work.
Bikes would come in various shapes and designs including four-wheel
surreys. Naturally entrepreneurs would set up bike-stations where you
can have your bikes serviced in a short time. I can almost sense the
beginning of a revolution towards a better and beautiful society. I
think I am ready to head to Wal-Mart now to look at the bike I have
always meant to buy at the beginning of every summer. On second
thoughts, maybe I should consider taking horse-riding lessons.
April 16, 2006
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Ramblings
The Week of April 16, 2006
Choice Before China : Dalai Lama Tests Beijing's
Credentials by Rajinder Puri
Oh God, I wish to be Sonia ... by Usha Kakkar
India MUST NOT Lose Nepal to the Maoists by
Dr. Subhash Kapila
Will the US Strike against Iran? by B. Raman
Antulay's Proclamation for Vicious Vivisection of
India by V. Sundaram
Earthquakes Threaten Obelisks of Culture by
VK Joshi
Leaders Must Set the Example so Others will
Follow by William C. Gladish
The Song and Science of Dance by Rajgopal
Nidamboor
Misuse of Myths by Foolish Fundamentalists by
Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Is there an Alternative for the Wars of the
World? by TA Ramesh
Next Stop Iran! by Usha Kakkar
When Bangalore Burnt! by Garima Gupta
Some Vastu Questions by Niranjan Babu Bangalore
A Humble Indian's Grand Vision for India by
Aruni Mukherjee
Global Search for Software Patents by M.
Qaiser & P. Mohan Chandran
VoIP : Technology to Cut
Phone Bills by Ruchi Gupta
Irom Sharmila, a Living Icon of Liberty-Famished
Indians by Marc-Olivier Parlatano
Call for Papers: Development Studies (Volume 2)
edited by Dr. Presenjit Maiti
Film Making as a Career by Pallavi
Bhattacharya
The Strange Case of Homeopathy by Dr. Muneeb
Faraaz
Silicosis – A 'Dusty' Tale in Rajasthan
by Deepak Malik
Meditation and Beauty by Sugandha Indulkar
Parents are People Too! by Garima
Gupta
Damned if I do, damned if I don't by Monisha Sen
Biking to Work by Subra Narayan
Poster Women by Deepti Priya Mehrotra
Chainsaw-Wielding Women by Stephanie Hiller
Mothers Sued, Docs go Free by Sreelatha Menon
The Right Name: Child Rights and You by Smita
Jain
100-Day Schools by Vinita Deshmukh
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