Good News for Cyclists: Health Pros Outweigh Cons in Riding to Work

Good news for cyclists on Dr Richard’s blog this morning. Apparently a recent study examining the benefits versus the risks of cycling in cities has found that the gains of riding outweigh the losses when it comes to health.

The good doctor quotes from the study’s amusingly mathematical approach:

“For the individuals who shift from car to bicycle, we estimated that beneficial effects of increased physical activity are substantially larger (3-14 months gained) than the potential mortality effect of increased inhaled air pollution doses (0.8-40 days lost) and the increase in traffic accidents (5-9 days lost). Societal benefits are even larger due to a modest reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and traffic accidents.

Conclusions: On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting mode of transport.”

Which is good news overall, though if you actually suffer mortality from a traffic accident you may see things differently.

One surprising finding was that car drivers actually breathe worse quality air on average that cyclists, though riders generally inhale more deeply due to physical exertion.

The study was conducted in the Netherlands, so it’s possible the findings may not apply across the board to Beijing, where the outdoor air quality is far worse. But it’s encouraging to know that the daily bike ride to the Beijinger office is bringing some health benefits – as well contributing to keeping the city’s air that little bit cleaner.

In other biking news, Global Times reported yesterday that Beijing police are planning a crackdown on “reckless” cyclists along Chang’an Avenue. The article says, “Running lights and carrying a passenger on the bike rack are illegal in theory but rarely punished because of weak enforcement and mass violations. The city will launch a campaign to get cyclists to heed the rules, Beijing's transit authorities announced Sunday… Violators could be punished with a fine of up to 50 yuan, according to the road law.”

Let’s hope a similar crackdown on cars running reds and blithely ignoring cyclists and pedestrians is also part of the campaign.