Ditch the car, ride a bicycle and make a difference

When I drove the car to work, it took me at least 30 minutes. If I was unlucky and got caught in a traffic jam, the minutes would extend to hours. Since traffic congestion has kept getting worse in Hanoi over the years, this was not a rare scenario.

One day, two years ago, I decided to switch to a bicycle.

I have reached my office sooner, and my health has improved considerably.

But one unexpected benefit that I had not paid much attention to was the money I saved.

The calculation is simple.

In these days of high fuel prices and parking fees (the lot near the company has raised it from VND30,000 every eight hours to VND80,000), I save VND150,000 ($6.45) every day that I don't drive a car to work.

You can do the math – for a month, a year, and beyond.

Of course, a motorcyclist commuter might not save as much, but whether one drives a car or a motorbike, switching to a bicycle should be given serious consideration, not just for the money, not just for better health, but for the deep satisfaction that we are making a huge difference in a world ravaged by pollution and global warming.