Q: What’s the quickest way between two points?
A: A strait line of course-
Well yes that is true, but…
Q: What about just getting between two points in town?
A: A car.
At first thought one might think that there are serious advantages in driving to school in San Luis Obispo.
For one, many might think that it’s faster, more convenient and less of a hassle than riding a bike.
Well those people may have a few good points. At times it is flat out faster to drive to school than it is to ride.
But despite the ease of driving to school, riding a bike to school can have some serious advantages.
In my humble opinion here are some advantages to riding a bike to school.
1. It’s good exercise, even if you have to take 30 minutes to get to school, it is a fact that people need at least 30 minutes of daily exercise to stay healthy.
2. Even if you live “far” away from campus, SLO is only five miles across-if you rode a little bit harder than the “just moving your feet in a circle,” it could take you as little as half-an-hour to get to campus.
3. Parking on campus is expensive and hard to find during peak times. When you ride your bike it’s much easier to find a place to park and get to class in a timely manner, and you can park relatively near your classroom too.
4. San Luis Obispo is a beautiful city surrounded by a breathtaking landscape, taking the time to ride your bike could give you the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.
5. Gas prices are ridiculous! At $3.00 and up, you can save a lot of money by just taking a few extra minutes per day getting to school.
6. If you exercise you will be a happier person, and according to UCSB’s sex info site, you could enjoy sex more and be more likely to be having sex.
7. It really doesn’t rain all that often in SLO, so you can ride your bike pretty much all year long.
8. Vehicles break down and require expensive repairs.
Bikes, on the other hand, need relatively inexpensive repairs and need just minor tune-ups in order to coast smoothly.
9. Biking can be fun and enjoyable.
I know for me there is nothing like the wind in your face as you are cruising downhill at near half the speed of light, the whir of air rushing past your ears-it’s simply breathtaking. OK, so maybe I’m overdoing it, but it still feels nice.
10. You can help the environment, by just doing your part to drive less. You can make a difference, so remember that.
In conclusion, just think about it, because riding your bike has some serious advantages, that in my humble and honest opinion, put driving a car to shame.
Remeber to obey the law while riding your bike, keep headlights, a helmet and the law of the road as a priority.
Chris Gunn is a Journalism senior and Assistant Sports editor. You can e-mail him at cgunn@calpoly.edu.