Advantages and Disadvantages of Riding A Bike in A Rural Area

Brandon Spann

During the summer I work and volunteer at my local community YMCA and I normally ride my bike to the YMCA instead of driving my car.   Riding my bike is a huge money saver especially since being a camp counselor does not pay that much, but I enjoy working with the kids every year.  I heard the stories of gas being over $3.00 per gallon from my parents but even at the current rate of $2.25 it takes a large portion of my paycheck to drive my car every day to work. A bike on the other hand costs about $250 a year and I don’t even have to pay insurance like driving my car around.

Riding my bike to the YMCA is just like getting a workout even though the YMCA has its own gym.  I do not have to spend any additional money on filling up my tank and I also save money because riding a bike it a great way to workout. Biking gives your body a fantastic workout, and it is much easier than jogging.  I also don’t have to worry about eating any of my favorite foods like hamburgers and ice cream because I burn off all the calories riding my bike to work.  I find only going to the doctor during my annual physicals it enough because I normally don’t get sick throughout the year which also saves money on medicine and doctor bills.  My exercise each day is to make sure I make it to work on time and safely.

Since I live in a rural town, I don’t have to worry about traffic like in the city.  When I ride my bike to work or just in the neighborhood I find it very relaxing as I speed through the woods and past the cows grazing on the grass.   The feeling of being one with nature seems to increase my level of happiness.  I believe riding my bike everyday helps me release, relax and stay focus.   Biking also helps me sleep better and always puts me in a good mood before I get to work. There is nothing better than the feeling of being free. When you get on a bike and go zipping down the road, with the wind to your back is how I imagine freedom to feel.

Some of disadvantages of riding a bike instead of driving a car is the weather.   I can’t ride a bike when it is raining too hard, strong winds, snow and ice.  Where in my car I have protection from the weather, the bicycle offers little to no protection from the elements.   A bike is cheaper than maintaining and gas up a car, but it still has some hidden cost.  Every bike rider must think about safety and should purchase a helmet, lights, reflectors, high visibility clothing and lock to make sure the bike does not get stolen. 

The second disadvantage to people that ride bikes are dangerous drivers that don’t pay attention and are speeding for no reason.  There is very little that a biker rider can do to completely avoid the risk of being hit or killed by drunk driver, or not paying attention to the road because they are distracted by a cell phone. A minor bump for a car can be a fatal accident for a bike rider.

Also obstacles, pets, animals crossing the road, pot holes in the road that a car driver would barely notice can be disastrous for a biker. These obstacles in the road can all bring a biker off his or her bike. The problem is particularly bad at nighttime where in a rural area there is not as many street lights if there are any at all compared to the city.

The last disadvantage is having your bike stolen.  It’s bad in college towns, where thieves have plenty of opportunities to steal bicycles. You have to keep your bike secure and don’t ride a high end bike that someone is looking to steal – the more expensive bike the higher probability of it being stolen.  I believe the advantages of riding a bike far out weight the disadvantages as long as the rider thinks of safety first.  Riding a bike to work or for pleasure is one of the best experiences in the world.

https://www.bicycling.com/news/a29566655/nhtsa-report-cyclist-fatalities-increased-2018/

https://ankinlaw.com/what-should-i-do-if-i-am-injured-in-a-bicycle-accident/

https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/23/20927512/traffic-death-crash-statistics-nhtsa-us-2018