By Friday – Bike to Work Day in the US – a 50-page sampler of the Bike to Work Book will have been downloaded or viewed almost 140,000 times since the free preview went online four months ago.
The Bike to Work Book sampler was placed on PDF viewing websites Issuu.com, Scribd.com and Docstoc.com. A PDF was also sent out by podcasts The Fredcast, The Spokesmen and on Quickrelease.tv. The current viewing stats are:
US bicycle manufacturer Trek calls the book "one of the most important works on cycling as transport in the current age."
The full Bike to Work Book will be published for free on Issuu.com in mid-June 2009, and will be available as a print book to buy on Amazon.com in July.
The Bike to Work Book has been written for newcomers to urban cycling by two experts in bicycle commuting. Carlton Reid of Newcastle, England, is the editor of trade magazine BikeBiz.com and author of many books on cycling as well as guidebooks, such as the Berlitz Discover Guide to Israel. Tim Grahl of Lynchburg, VA, is the publisher of CommuteByBike.com.
Carlton Reid said:
"Bicycling to work reduces pollution, congestion, and transport expenditure. Higher levels of bicycle use can improve transport choice, civilise cities and produce a healthier population. Cycling is clean, green and quiet. It's a lot less expensive than taking public transit or driving but it's also massive time saver: people on bikes know exactly how long a journey will take them door to door. There are no traffic snarl-ups to worry about, no parking space to find. In rush hour, bikes are far quicker than cars through congested cities.
"Cycling to work also makes for a fitter workforce, and reduces the number of days absent from work. Governments across the world are starting to recognise the many economic benefits of bicycling and are putting in place personal and corporate financial incentives to encourage greater bicycle use."
In the US, from January, bicycle commuters were able to get paid for bicycling to work. The Bicycle Commuter Act was added to the $700 billion bailout for Wall Street and allows companies to pay workers an extra $240 a year for bicycle expenses incurred while cycling to work.
Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists said. “This is an equitable and sensible incentive to encourage greater energy independence, improve air quality and health, and even help tackle climate change."
In the UK, employees can join a company Cycle to Work Scheme, a government 'green travel plan' initiative to reduce the price of bicycles. This is a salary-sacrifice employee benefit that can half the price of a bike.
Details of both government schemes are in the free sampler for the Bike to Work Book.
The 50-page sampler also explodes the 24 most-used excuses for not cycling to work, such as it's too sweaty, too slow, too wet or too painful.
There's also a section on high-profile bike commuters, including James L Jones, the former US Supreme Allied Commander Europe now the US national security adviser. In the book, Jones is quoted as saying “[Commuting by bicycle] is an absolutely essential part of my day. It’s mind-clearing, invigorating. I get to go out and pedal through the countryside in the early morning hours, and see life come back and rejuvenate every day as the sun is coming out.”
FULL RELEASE PLUS PIX, LINKS AND YOUTUBE VIDEO:
http://www.pitchengine.com/free-release.php?id=11582
Free ebook sampler on Issuu.com:
http://issuu.com/carltonreid/docs/bike_to_work_book_50_page_sampler/1
Website:
Email: carltonreid@mac.com
Tel: + 44 191 265 2062
Skype: carltonreid
STATS
In early 2008, oil prices skyrocketed, leading to higher priced fuel. Prices have since dropped back but the theory of Peak Oil predicts that fossil fuel is running out fast and oil prices will continue to rise and fall, but mostly, they'll rise.
When gas reached $4 a gallon in the US, people drove less. Just a two percent reduction in traffic had a huge benefit to society. Air pollution was (temporarily) reduced enough, according to UC Davis economics professor J. Paul Leigh, to prevent 2,200 respiratory-related deaths when gas prices were high.
According to a study conducted by the US Department of Transportation, more than forty percent of all car trips are made within 2 miles of home.
According to the International Journal of Obesity, there's a significant link between commuting to work by car and being overweight or obese.
In 2006, workers across the UK each took an average of seven days off sick, resulting in 175 million lost working days and costing the economy £13.4 billion. But just 90 minutes of exercise can cut the number of sick days employees take by half.
With seven out of 10 people thinking businesses should take responsibility for limiting climate change, a company's green credentials are important to customers and employees alike. If fewer employees drive to work this lowers a company's carbon footprint. Businesses can save on parking costs too: twelve bicycles can be fitted into the space of one car.
Studies have shown that cycling to work adds years to your life. “Even after adjustment for other risk factors, including leisure time physical activity, those who did not cycle to work experienced a 39% higher mortality rate than those who did.” ‘All-Cause Mortality Associated With Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports, and Cycling to Work’ Lars Bo Andersen, PhD, DMSc; Peter Schnohr, MD; Marianne Schroll, PhD, DMSc; Hans Ole Hein, MD, June 2000
