Free Essay About The Bicycle Versus The Car:

A Comparison/Contrast Essay

A Comparison/Contrast Essay
Transportation is important, no matter who you are or where you live. People need to go places whether for jobs, supplies, or recreation. That being the case, there have been many inventions to provide convenient and more efficient methods of transportation. This includes bicycles, cars, airplanes, trains, subways, and buses. In the modern day and age with so many people depending on modes of transportation, it is often difficult to know which one is the best option. For people living in or near the city, it is often a decision between a bicycle or a car, both of which offer risks and benefits.
The bicycle and the car have long been rivals. Unlike public transportation, both the bicycle and the car offer personal (and private) transportation. This can be a benefit for those who dislike the idea of public transportation. Plus, both the car and the bicycle are convenient and efficient in their own special ways. However, even though the bicycle and the car may agree on the idea of personal transportation, convenience, and efficiency, the agreement doesn’t stretch much further.
Bicycles are celebrated by the environmentally-friendly as well as the health-conscious and thrifty. Bicycles do in fact provide several health benefits to the individual as well as the environment. Unlike cars which promote sitting and short distances between car door and destination, bicycles require quite a significant amount of energy expenditure. This is a good way to get exercise on the way to work which is also beneficial because it opens up free time that would otherwise be spent at the gym. Furthermore, bicycles release near zero carbon emissions in a world continually contending with global warming and other environmental threats. Last, bicycles are cheap. They can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of a car, and there is no need for any type of insurance (besides good health insurance because bicycling can be dangerous depending on the route and traffic). Plus, maintenance is much easier on the pocketbook. Still, bicycles are not all goodness and glory.
Cars may not be the most environmentally-friendly or health-conscious, but they offer other very important advantages. First of all, cars are quick. In such a fast-paced society, cars provide people with not only job opportunities outside of a “bicycle-friendly-zone,” but also the means in which to get to those jobs while having time for other things. Plus, cars are incredibly reliable (with regular maintenance). This again provides a level of comfort whereas there is always the risk of a flat tire with a bicycle. In addition, the car is often considered safer, mainly because a bicycle leaves the rider rather vulnerable to the elements without a seatbelt and metal box to protect them (although this point is certainly disputable). Lastly, cars are all weather vehicles, whereas some may argue that bicycles are only fair-weather vehicles. Rain and snow can certainly make the commute via bicycle quite miserable.
The truth is that both forms of transportation have their benefits and drawbacks. It really depends on the person and what they prefer or can afford. Either way, cars and bicycles are excellent vehicles for transportation, both offering convenience and efficiently in a personal vehicle sort of way.

References

Baskin, Chris. (2010, March 18). 12 Reasons to Start Using a Bicycle for Transportation. Mother Nature Network. Retrieved from http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/stories/12-reasons-to-start-using-a-bicycle-for-transportation