156 Victoria Street
Silverwood Central
Auckland 1010
125 Ham Street
Wellington Central
Auckland 1010
Dear Madam/Sir,
Recently, in the news, I have been informed that the local district is planning to construct
bicycle paths for our communities. While I understand the driving force behind your actions, I
do not believe this is the best idea. Our communities can benefit from a wide range of
changes, but bicycle paths are definitely the lesser of them. Instead, I think we should focus
our money and resources on improving existing roads. Please seriously consider my
opinion–they may help change the lives of our citizens for the better.
To start, cars are a much more practical form of transportation. Compared to bicycles, they
can travel at higher speeds, hold larger amounts of cargo, and carry mutiple people at once.
This makes them suitable for a wide range of environments and tasks, such as
transportating heavy equipment, carrying the critically injured to hospitals, and navigating
through difficult terrain. While bicycles can also do this to a degree, they are often less
capable. In the end, there is a reason for why we don't see bikes hauling bricks on a
construction site–compared to cars, or essentially any other motor-driven vehicle, they are
simply not effective.
In addition, cars have superior safety features to bicycles. With airbags, signalling lights,
lockable doors, and more, they provide more protection to its owner during accidents such
as crashes. Furthermore, cars have a literal frame surrounding the passengers inside,
protecting them from fierce weather that could otherwise be harmful to health. I understand
that some members from the district may argue that bicycles could also have safety features
(such as signalling lights), but once again, compared to vehicles, they lack the nesseacry
space required for many prominent additions.
I know that one of the key reasons behind the local district's decision to construct bicycle
paths is that cars produce pollution. While I cannot deny this, it is important to acknowledge
the fact that fossil fuel powered vehicles are already being phased out in many countries,
replaced by cleaner, eletrical vehicles. They are not a widespread feature right now, but in
the near future, it is very likely for them to become an ubiqutious feature. Therefore, the
effect of building bicycle paths will likely disspate in the coming years.
Lastly, not many people use bicycles, anyway. Instead, the majority of citizens in our town
prefer driving cars. As a result, even if bicycle paths are built, they are unlikely to trigger a
major change. Only a small group of people will be benefited. Any project established by the
district should aim to benefit the majority of the public.
In conclusion, bicycle paths are not nessecary because many people see cars to be faster,
safer, and more practical for a variety of situations. As a result, not many people use
bicycles. As building bicycle paths will not envoke any significant change, I think that it is
more responsible if we dedicate our money and resources onto improving other aspects of
our communities.
Yours sincerely,
John Smith