Time: Monday morning. The place: Orlando, Florida.
The challenge: Negotiate morning traffic to arrive at Orlando City Hall first on a 7-mile commute from Lake City Park in Maitland.
The contestants: A cyclist riding a lightweight carbon-fiber Trek vs. 2004 Suburban Forester.
The winner: You guessed it — the bicycle rider Wendy Chioji, a local TV anchorwoman, by about five minutes.
The contest was sponsored by Metroplan Orlando, the regional planning organization for that part of Florida and duly reported by the Orlando Sentinel.
Chioji was accompanied by two other cyclists who all had to adhere to the rules of the road, including full stops at stop signs. The SUV succumbed to traffic stalled at red lights, while the cyclists were able to pass in the bike lanes.
The bicycle won last year, too.
While this challenge only gauged commute time, it didn't take into account comparative benefits to heart and lungs, costs of non-replenishable fossil fuels, carbon-loading of the atmosphere, etc.
Reminder: May is National Bike Month. Get the hint?
Recent Comments