Seven Conservative Reasons to Love Bicycling

On the face of things, it's hard to understand why would anyone oppose bicycling. It's cheap, it's healthy, it's good for the environment.

Somehow, though, cycling has become politicized, and it's the party of personal responsibility, austerity, and small government that tends to carry the anti-bicycling banner.

That's odd, writes Bill Lindeke at Network blog Twin City Sidewalks, because bicycling aligns so well with core conservative principles. Lindeke, in his latest blog post, lists seven reasons to love cycling from a conservative standpoint. We'll share just a few:

Of course, Lindeke says, the real reasons we so often see politicians from the right side of the aisle taking stands against cycling has less to do with ideology, and more to do with appealing to particular political constituencies.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Mobilizing the Region reports that transit riders Connecticut and Long Island appear to be at elevated risk of getting hurt while walking. Flat Iron Bike notes the opposition to micro-apartments in Seattle. And Delaware Bikes explains how the state catapulted from lowly number 31 to ninth place in the Bike League's bike-friendly state rankings.