[sustran] Motorcycle discussion - weather issue

[Dr.Rajeev Saraf]

I do not think weather (heat)  is really a issue with cycling. If it is a 
issue, it is as much a issue with motorised two whelers and cars running 
without an AC. ( it could be worse for cars).
A study had shown that a speed of 20 km/hr for bicycles is sufficent to 
dry up the sweat that you may be generating by bicycling. As a matter of 
fact, when sweat dries up, you get a cool feeling ( loss of heat).
If you are sitting inside a car without an AC in hot weather, you could also
be sweating profusely.
In any others weather, I do not see how a motorised two wheeler has 
advantage over bicycle.
 

___________________________________________________________________________
Dr Rajeev Saraf                 |
Urban and Transport Planner     |
SENIOR PROJECT SCIENTIST        |      PHONE : 91-11-6858703
APPLIED SYSTEM RESEARCH PROGRAM |      EMAIL : sarafrk at cbme.iitd.ernet.in
IIT DELHI 110016                |      FAX   : 91-11-6862037
INDIA                           |
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On Fri, 17 Apr 1998, J.H. Crawford wrote:

> Due to a list server problem, this response was truncated, so
> I am sending it again.
> 
> >I found the debate about environmental impacts of motorcycles very 
> >interesting. The actual question was raised by Barbara, quoting GTZ 
> >that the bicycles are often replaced by motorcycles if income 
> >increases. A research from Ouagadougou corroborates this thesis. 
> >Bicycles are regarded as transport for the poor, while French 
> >mobylettes are preferred by the middle class. This is not only an 
> >image problem but also a physical one, especially when the 
> >temperature rises above 40 Celsius in the summer time. 
> 
> This sort of problem is one of the reasons why the reference design
> for carfree cities which we are developing does not require the
> use of bicycles. In many areas, they can't be used year-round due
> to weather extremes.
> 
> >My questions are now:
> >
> >1. What can be done to increase the image of bicycles?
> 
> In 40 degree heat, maybe nothing. I've seen in Bali that
> people would buy and use bikes, but as soon as they had
> enough money, they bought a 70cc motorcycle (the old
> reliable Honda is a 4-stroke, and so a good deal cleaner
> than the usual scooter).
> 
> >2. Which technical improvements reduce environmental 
> >damages of motorcycles? Regarding the low purchasing 
> >power it is essential that these improvements have low costs.
> 
> The motorcycle is usually ridden fairly short distances
> at moderate speeds. This seems to me to be a reasonable
> recipie for battery-powered two-wheelers, and Lee Iacoca
> is supposed to be busy developing something along these
> lines.
> 
> >3. In case that there is no low cost solution, would it be desirable 
> >that Development Cooperation subsidises the technical improvements?
> 
> It may be that private enterprise can handle this, maybe
> with some initial support. Some restrictions on emissions
> would help provide the incentive for using other technologies.
> (Bangkok already required its 3-wheelers to move from gasoline
> to propane. This helped air quality some.) Also, noise restrictions
> might make battery power much more competitive, since the petroleum-
> fueled vehicles will have considerable difficulty achieving reasonable
> noise levels.
> 
> 
> 
>                                           ###
> 
> J.H. Crawford    Crawford Systems    joel at xs4all.nl    http://www.mokum.com/
>