General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"The bicycle is the slow death of the planet"
"The bicycle is the slow death of the planet."
I hope he did say this, but don't know. Sounds about right.
General Director of Euro Exim Bank Ltd. got economists thinking when he said:
Healthy people are neither needed nor useful for the economy. They don't buy medicine. They do not go to hospitals or doctors. Nothing is added to the country's GDP (gross domestic product).
On the contrary, every new McDonald's restaurant creates at least 30 jobs: 10 cardiologists, 10 dentists, 10 dietary experts and nutritionists, and obviously, people who work at the restaurant itself."
Choose carefully: cyclist or McDonald's? It is worth considering.
P.S. Walking is even worse. Pedestrians don't even buy bicycles.
Thank you for this Megan Doreen 🙏❤️
underpants
(182,788 posts)He said this as I was riding in his car. I liked him and usually he was much more intelligent than this.
I asked if he meant gas tax.
He said he did.
Real smart assed like I paused and said Bikes dont use gas
He started laughing. At himself.
ItsjustMe
(11,230 posts)hunter
(38,311 posts)Entire anaerobic ecosystems will collapse if there's no cheap bacon!
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,328 posts)Also, fat people bike, and people who bike regularly sometimes stay fat.
Mopar151
(9,982 posts)The more they ride, the more cars they own!
bhikkhu
(10,715 posts)So hopefully I am providing some balance.
Gaugamela
(2,496 posts)of the status quo planet killing political-economy, i.e. fossil fuels and its obsolescent infrastructure.
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)many (or possibly even most?) people who own bicycles transport them by car to the point from which they intend to begin their two-wheeled journey, which is almost invariably of a recreational or fitness-related nature. Utility cyclists, who ride a bike for any distance that doesn't absolutely require a car, are rare in the USA; Americans view bikes as either toys for children, or sporting equipment, but not as actual transportation. (And I live in what is supposed to be one of the more cycling-friendly areas of the US.)
Lonestarblue
(9,980 posts)The city is quite bike friendly, and many streets have bike lanes.
ProfessorGAC
(65,008 posts)I only use mine to go to the supermarket on our side of the river, or to the pharmacy.
If I can't easily put stuff in a modest backpack, I'm not biking there.
I could ride to the other supermarket or pharmacy, but I don't think I ever have.
But I don't use it, for instance, to travel the 18 miles to a doctor appointment, or 10 miles to substitute in another town. (I do ride it to the HS here in town. For the Jr Hi, I walk as it's only 4 blocks.)
I know nobody who uses it as regular transportation, such as going back & forth to work.
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)I have a Dutch "trekking bike" that came supplied with all of the above plus a dynamo hub and lights; having panniers means the bike can carry the load instead of me doing it, fenders mean I don't get a wet stripe of filthy water up my back if it rains, and a chainguard means I can ride it in jeans or khakis without having to stuff my trouser cuff into a sock or use trouser clips (also no chain tattoo on my leg). It's pretty much ideal for the sort of riding I mostly do, which is generally within a 5 mile radius with occasional excursions out to about 15 miles (this is in coastal Santa Barbara County, which is relatively bike-friendly as the US goes; lots of on-street bike lanes, a few separated bike paths, plenty of spaces in town to lock up, etc).
ProfessorGAC
(65,008 posts)I live in the older part of a town of 6,000. There's lots of uncongested side street routes, at least on this side of the river.
I agree on the chain guard. As to fenders, if it's raining I either take the car, or I pull the retired guy trick of deciding to not go anywhere! LOL!
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,851 posts)Response to babylonsister (Original post)
Celerity This message was self-deleted by its author.
brush
(53,771 posts)riding his bike a couple of days ago. And former NBA center Mark Eaton suffered the same fate a few months ago.
Captain Zero
(6,805 posts)nt
Celerity
(43,333 posts)he is a Trade Finance Specialist at Euro Exim Bank, NOT the Exim Bank of India
that fact check fucked up and looked at the wrong bank (idiots!)
They looked at the giant Indian state-run Exim
https://www.eximbankindia.in/
About
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) was set up in 1982 by an Act of Parliament for financing, facilitating and promoting Indias foreign trade.
The Bank provides financial as well as value-added services to Indian exporters. Assistance is given to export-oriented units (EOUs) by way of term loans in Indian rupees or foreign currencies for setting up new production facilities, expansion/modernization or upgradation of existing facilities and for acquisition of production equipment or technology. The Bank lays special emphasis on extension of Lines of Credit to overseas entities, national governments, regional financial institutions and commercial banks. The Bank extends Buyers credit and Suppliers credit to finance and promote Indias exports and also has a programme called the Buyers Credit under National Export Insurance Account (NEIA) to facilitate medium and long term exports from India.
Euro Exim is small private bank
https://www.euroeximbank.com/index.php
https://twitter.com/sanjaythakrar12
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sanjay-thakrar-717689b6/
he posts quasi inspirational stuff on his FB too
https://www.facebook.com/sanjay.thakrar1/about
I even found a 2016 PDF that has him in it (that fact check site should pay me!)
I think what happened was someone saw his post of this (that maybe was similar to the social media posts) and concocted a tale that he was the CEO and told that to a board meeting or something
who knows
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,463 posts)Not all that healthy. But I walk. Can't afford a car insurance tags etc.
Don't know how to drive. I cannot wait for the end of car culture
IronLionZion
(45,433 posts)ret5hd
(20,491 posts)ret5hd
(20,491 posts)enid602
(8,615 posts)But they do buy expensive athletic shoes, Dr Scholls Orthotics, Ben Gay, Salon Pas pads, special socks for plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendon and visits to the podiatrist. Trust me, I know. I've logged 2450 miles since 3/17/20.
meadowlander
(4,394 posts)House of Roberts
(5,168 posts)They could contribute more to their 401k, and help juice the markets. That's always welcome to the Wall Street crowd, and results in the only kind of inflation they like.
Old Crank
(3,573 posts)Has been around for a while. Pretty funny.
I once showed a coworker that he could save money and buy a new commuting bike once a year while working at Stanford. Just ride in two times per week and sell the bike every year. There would be essentially no maintenance costs and the Cost of his car operation per the IRS along with Stanford percs.
NullTuples
(6,017 posts)There's enough truth in it that it can and should be reworked so that it cannot simply be dismissed as a false quote.
greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)For the disability activists to chime in on the idea of biking and walking being universally preferable to motor vehicles.
Me waiting for the materials experts to let us know the true environmental costs of biking and walking.
Crunchy Frog
(26,579 posts)Which needs to die anyway.
We need to move past the consumer based economy, which is based on making, buying, and discarding more and more stuff.
Endless growth on a finite planet is an impossibility, and trying to maintain it will lead to catastrophe.
Ron Green
(9,822 posts)Most of the responses here (and the limited grasp of most Americans) are based in a car-centric world thats all theyve ever known. The assertion is true, in that the planet runs on money.
JI7
(89,247 posts)healthy . They are more likely to travel for vacations so they would use a vehicle in that case including cars, and planes .
They are more likely to pay for nutritionists and fitness trainers .
The ones that regularly go to mcdonalds tend to be poorer and out of shape and less likely to seek medical care until things get so bad it can be too late.
So you can have a sustainable and CLEAN economy and environment .
ExciteBike66
(2,341 posts)"On the contrary, every new McDonald's restaurant creates at least 30 jobs: ... Choose carefully: cyclist or McDonald's? It is worth considering."
Until you saturate the market, then a new McDonalds would just start cannibalizing sales from the established ones (and other similar restaurants).
Roisin Ni Fiachra
(2,574 posts)the Doctor's office, the hardware store, a hiking trail, etc, I smile, thinking about how I'm not polluting the world by driving a car, and getting healthy exercise at the same time. It's quiet and clean, requires very little maintenance, and I don't need to pay any fees to use it.
I live in a valley outside of a one horse town that is relatively flat, and is a perfect place to use a bike for transportation. I have a large basket on the front of my bike and saddlebags on the back for hauling groceries and other items. During this pandemic more and more people are walking and/or riding their bikes for exercise and going to places of commerce here.
Yavin4
(35,438 posts)Both mentally and physically. It's been a disaster of epic proportions.
bucolic_frolic
(43,142 posts)It ain't much but it's not nothing. Plus there are bicycle accidents, and lots of clothing.
Prichards115
(37 posts)dipshits like this are the death of the planet
Woodwizard
(842 posts)It took planning it was 20 miles and over a mountain I did it for the challenge it was really fun on night shift, I also drove so I paid road taxes. I still bike a lot but it is for exercise my workshop is 100 feet from the house now.
reACTIONary
(5,770 posts)... something of "a modest proposal".
Roy Rolling
(6,915 posts)Its all in the context. His planet is a candy store of resources to exploit for the enrichment of a few. In reality, resources are finite, they belong to us all, and exploitation is wrong. He lives in a dream world.
That dream worldthe American dreamis unsustainable for everyone on the whole planet to participate. The whole world cannot be as wasteful and exploitive like American capitalists. That America will die without more bicyclists.
And with more bicyclists, new technologies for bicycle paths will be an economic thing, and other things related to a lifestyle of non-exploitation. The times, they are a-changin.
jimlup
(7,968 posts)I broke my femur in a horrific bike accident on June 29th. I've accumulated thousands in hospital bills. Who says cyclists don't contribute to the economy!
FYI - I'm doing OK but not great. I hope that I'll be walking almost normally in a month or so.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)How awful! I hope you aren't in too much pain. Bone breaks are so incredibly painful - I know from experience. Are you getting physical therapy? It really helps with regaining mobility. I needed someone else to push me through the pain, it was too hard to do it alone.
I hope you feel better soon and have a speedy and complete recovery!
jimlup
(7,968 posts)Yes, I'm getting PT. I had a complication. I had a PVC blood clot in my leg which my PT caught. She saw me and realized things weren't right so she sent me to get an ultrasound. The ultrasound found the clots and I spent the day in the ER but got discharged late in the afternoon with a new program of blood thinners. I'm going to see my PT again on Monday and thank her for her great diagnostic.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Best of luck with everything!
jimlup
(7,968 posts)I'm walking today without my cane around the house and I think the symptoms of the clots have dissipated so yah!
Love your avatar! Makes me think I'm going to adopt when I get ready in a couple of weeks.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)And also glad you are thinking of adopting. Goldens are the sweetest most loving dogs in the world (IMHO).
It's funny, but my old avatar used to be your current one!
onenote
(42,700 posts)KentuckyWoman
(6,679 posts)Very few people in the west bike instead of drive. Nearly everyone with a bike owns a vehicle with a bike rack.
Consumerism wise, they are buying MORE than people who do not bike.