Pedal power winning over petrolheads

This is from www.TheAge.com.Au, Melbourne's morning newspaper.

It shows that cars do not mean affluence.

BICYCLE sales outstripped those of motor vehicles for the eighthconsecutive year in 2007, according to figures to be releasedtoday.

Cycling Promotion Fund policy adviser Elliot Fishman saidpetrol-price-sensitive commuters and the health-conscious weredriving the trend, with about 269,000 more bikes sold last yearthan in 2006. Overall, 1.47 million bikes were bought last year, a lead of 41%on car sales, which topped 1 million.

Mr Fishman admitted there was a difference between purchasing abicycle and using it, but he said there was evidence of a growingnumber of commuters opting for pedal power. "About 50% of all car trips are under five kilometres and peopleare converting them to bicycle trips," he said.

Mr Fishman said 2006 census data backed the bicycle boom theory,showing a 42% increase in the number of Melburnians cycling to worksince 2001. Yesterday the State Government launched a program to organise 36senior cycling groups across the state.

[A petrol head is someone who loves petrol - ie, cars, motorbikes, etc.]