First Year Student Living In Halls?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have issued a report that all short journeys should be made by bike or on foot. While Britain’s over dependence on cars is nothing new; reports like this highlight an intensifying concern over the nation’s health. With the NHS scarred by its recent cut backs, can we Brits really afford to stay this unfit? Can we afford to continue to drive everywhere?
Though the personal cost of running a car to work through the week is escalating; each day thousands of people burn up fuel on routes that are perfectly suited to go by bike. Irrate commuters sit and watch cyclist whizz by; astonished by the audacity of the people who want to get there quicker. These cyclist haters may not be any heavier, may not be any less fit or healthy but they are undoubtedly more stressed about this equation than those on two wheels.
Of course, the cycle to work option has its draw backs. Many people are deterred from cycling on a regular basis because of safety concerns. As drivers themselves, many of the people who may consider cycling will know the full extent to which other people on the road can be infuriated by cyclists; even with helmets, lights for visibility etc, cyclists are much more vulnerable to injuries following collisions. Furthermore, new cyclists must face the overwhelming problem of bike theft. If you can find a bike rail that’s close to work and if you secure your bike properly, there is still no guarantee that it will be safe and there when you return. The cost of a new bike will tell you how much of an appealing a prospect it must be for thieves. Some may go down the route of picking out the cheapest, ugliest rickety old bike; however, if you don’t want thieves to dictate what bike you have, if you want an attractive quality bike, or just want to make sure that whatever bike you have, you don’t have to worry about theft- there’s always insurance.
Cover4insurance, provide a specialist bike insurance product that covers replacement costs if stolen and if the bicycle is accidentally damaged, cover for up to 45 days in Europe and public liability up to £1,000,000.
Michael Masterson our client services manager said:
"A strong, secure bike lock is a good deterrent and parking your bike in a well lit area is another way of making your bike more secure. But if a bike thief is determined, then no lock and no place to park your bike is completely safe. Our bike policies appeal to many cyclists, but a large number fail to see the value of insurance before it’s too late."
Riding a bike in place of cars may serve to benefit people in a number of ways. Reports of a boom in fitness and sports activities may be exaggerated and perhaps even interest that was once nationwide is now waning. Insurers like UK and Ireland can help combat the main issues that stops the average Brit from hopping on their bike but really it is down to the individual; the more people on bikes each day, the more pressure is put on councils to develop more cycle friendly cities. While London 2012 proved our international standing on the world stage, it’s about time that Britain caught up with other countries in its fitness and cycling figures.