When some people think of freedom on the road, cars are often the first thing to come to mind. Yet, bicycles have quietly become the true liberators, offering a unique sense of independence and joy that cars can only dream of.

It starts when we are just children. Riding a bicycle was my ticket to paradise as a youth growing up in a suburban neighborhood. No need to get driven anywhere, all I needed was a bicycle and I could start exploring further and further afield. My world grew exponentially. And it just hasn’t stopped.

Car manufacturers talk a big game. But the reality is that cars and a car-centric lifestyle are expensive, unhealthy, disastrous for the environment and just not cool.

Here are 10 ways bicycles deliver the freedom that cars promise but never deliver.

1. No Traffic Jams

We’ve all been there. There are relatively few wins while commuting by bicycle in a seemingly hostile urban environment. But gliding past a sea of bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour is pretty great. Bicycles give you that dream every day. While car drivers are stuck idling, stewing in their own frustrations and wasting gas, cyclists zip past on dedicated bike lanes or the side of the road, breezing past the gridlock. Bicycles can actually move as swiftly or even faster than cars in cities, especially during rush hour and under five kilometres. It has been found that bike lanes can actually reduce congestion and improve traffic flow for everyone.

Photo by weston m on Unsplash