Elly Blue and her team of bike activists – which include a cook and the founder of Microcosm Publishing Joe Biel – recently visited the Washington D.C. area and, with support from BikeArlington, held an evening gathering at Mobility Lab.
Blue, an independent publisher, has written a series of books on the societal benefits of biking. Her most recent book, Bikenomics, was published late last year. She has held national tours for four years running as a call to action for bikers and non-bikers alike and to support her many books.
After gathering a plate full of vegan and gluten-free fare, roughly 50 people – some avid bikers, others just beginning their bike-commute habits – sat down to hear her story and message.
“Owning a car not only makes you poor, but turns you into a freeloader, a drain on the entire economy,” she said. Biking can bring communities together, spread wealth and opportunity, and it costs much less for both the biker and government.
To support her argument, Blue cites the city of Copenhagen as a great example of how bikes are actually helping the economy. In Bikenomics, Blue mentions that for every mile a bike travels, the city gains 42 cents, while for every mile a car travels it costs the city 20 cents.
She also writes in Bikenomics that non-car drivers or those who don’t drive very much are taxed unfairly. Taxes derived from automobile usage only fund “about half” of domestic infrastructure – from registration and licensing, gas taxes, toll fees, and other fees directly paid by car-drivers. According to Blue, the rest of infrastructure funding comes from taxes that all citizens (car-owners or otherwise) pay, such as sales tax and property and income taxes.
She also points out that not owning a car will instantly provide a person with much more money than before. To demonstrate the instant savings not owning a car can provide, she uses the annual American Automobile Association’s automobile cost analysis. In 2013, AAA calculated that the average cost of owning a small four-door sedan cost around $9,122 a year.
Blue showed some movies – created and directed by Joe Biel of Microcosm Publishing – to illustrate the importance of bicycles to people around the world, particularly in her hometown of Portland, Oregon.
The video The Greatest Gift tells the story of Emily Finch, a mother with six kids and one bike, who was featured in the local news for her atypical commuting philosophy, which led to a flood of media coverage from all over and an appearance on The Ricky Lake Show.
She also showed Kidical Mass, a video displaying a movement to incorporate kids and families in the biking community. Based in Eugene, Oregon, the organization Kidical Mass believes there is power in numbers, so families who shy away from traffic or biking in general can join in a safer environment. Kidical Mass is now present in almost all major cities across the United States supporting biking families.
Granted, not owning a vehicle is unrealistic for everyone. Many people in the United States do not live in an area where car-free living is feasible. However, Elly Blue presented her argument at this dinner to encourage people to leave their cars at home, and for those who can, it is a great possibility.
Photos by Tim Kelley of BikeArlington