Bangkok21

Snow white air whistles out of my lungs into the crisp morning air and my legs pump round and round to the music in my ears. The fatties sit in peak hour traffic as I rush past, a smiling, singing blur on my bicycle.

I am smug this morning. I am saving the environment and getting fit at the same time!

Cycling to work is wonderful for my fitness and the state of pollution in my city, but these fabulous effects are not actually the reason why I cycle every day. The reason is a lot less worthy: I cannot afford it.

As I peddle from Camberwell to Carlton , I realise that the soaring price of petrol could be just the answer to the pressing problems of obesity and global warming.

With Kevin Rudd vowing to relieve the “immediate hip pocket impact on motorists,” FuelWatch or cutting the tax on fuel may lower the price by only a few cents. A couple of dollars each time we fill up. Why should he bother?

There is only one way to cut down on fuel costs and it is simple: Drive less.

Why are we fighting an unwinnable war against petrol prices? Instead we should take this as the push we need to reduce emissions and exercise more.

Public transport in Australia is pitiful, Lord knows I would not recommend piling onto squashed trains or waiting in the cold for thirty minutes for a bus.

But jump on a bicycle and you will be surprised how good it makes you feel. If saving the environment or your waistline doesn’t do it for you, at least saving $100 a week in fuel should put a smile on your face.