I have realized that one of the main reasons I enjoy riding and commuting so much is the sense of empowerment it provides me. I love the idea of getting somewhere on my own steam, being independent, not needing a car. Traveling by car is a luxury that is taken for granted. Many will drive to a place that could easily be walked to.
For the Bay to LA bike tour my wife and I went on we traveled without any assistance from a motorized vehicle from San Fransisco to Los Angeles, over 500 miles. Our legs, pedalling, propelled us that great distance. How much more empowering could that be? There are many people who ride from coast to coast of the United States, on a bike!! Most people would never drive that and even dread the several hour flight.
From Claire Bishop’s article, the spectacle and capitalism has caused people to lose their sense of agency and empowerment. Riding a bike is a means to restore that sense of agency and empowerment.
So how can I help other people feel a sense of empowerment through riding a bicycle and how can I make it different then “ride to work day?”
The Empowerment of a Bicycle
What
- Re-humanize and empower through riding a bike.
Where
- Local?
When
With Whom
- Someone who cannot physically ride a bike.
- Blind, Disabled
- Someone who does not know how to ride a bike
- Use a Tandem, Trailer, Cargo bike
- Someone who does not own a bike
- Help them acquire a bike
- Allow them to borrow a bike
