Extreme weather events, caused by changes to our climate that have resulted from dirty energy usage, are becoming more frequent and more intense — from hurricanes and storms hitting coastal communities and causing flooding, to wildfires and prolonged droughts. It makes sense to begin to think about and plan for what you are going to do if one of these destructive events comes to your community.
In a recent post on the debatably reasonable and level-headed r/Preppers subreddit, one poster posited that the best vehicle to own in a disaster situation will be a bicycle.
"In a SHTF situation, driving will likely not be feasible. Gas will run out after a month or two. Most modern vehicles have mechanisms in place to prevent the siphoning of gas, so don't think that will work either. In addition many roads will likely be blocked or clogged with vehicles that will never move again making driving impossible," the poster opined.
🗣️ What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home?
🔘 Move somewhere else 🌎
🔘 Reinforce my home 🏠
🔘 Nothing 🤷
🔘 This is happening already 😬
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Bikes require no fuel other than you and require far easier maintenance and repair than a car. At the same time they are far more maneuverable and can get around obstacles much easier. Bikes will be worth gold."
While bikes certainly will not be useful in every type of climate catastrophe — escaping flash floods on your bike, for instance — it makes sense to have a mode of transport that is less reliant on existing infrastructure, which could break down.
Taking a somewhat less hysterical approach to the concept of bike ownership, bikes are great even when there are no extreme weather events happening. Biking produces no planet-overheating air pollution, unlike driving a car, which means that by riding your bike, you are actually making it slightly less likely that extreme weather events will happen at all.
Biking is also great exercise and good for your mental health. While it is important to note that biking is not accessible to everyone, such as people with disabilities or the elderly, for many people, it is a fantastic way to get around.
One commenter in the thread spoke to that point, writing: "Bikes are a lot of fun and great exercise."
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