In August last year, Pew Research conducted a survey to find out if the American public had any positive views about the pandemic despite the adverse outcomes. The results revealed that 67% of the Americans surveyed mentioned at least one positive outcome, which generally referred to changes they made or intend to make to make their post-pandemic life better.
Many were motivated to change the way they handle their finances, others vowed to be more zealous in improving or adding skills in order to be more competitive or better prepared for any eventuality.
Not a few came to realize the value of having more time to spend with the family, vowing to make sure they will continue to do so even after the pandemic. Those who were forced into isolation realized how having their parents and siblings around made life much better; prompting them to move back home or at least be somewhere closer to home so they could frequently visit.
Older folks took more interest in learning how to expand their knowledge in the use of mobile phones and of different communication apps. In fact, many senior citizens are quite happy about their newfound ability to shop online, get to watch old and new movies, chat and virtually meet with family and friends, and even consult with their physicians and get their prescriptions filled without having to leave the house.
Of all the positive changes that many Americans made, the most common is the adoption of a healthier and more active lifestyle. Cycling as means of both transport and exercise was at the forefront of such changes. Mainly because of the need to minimize expenses and to avoid riding on public transport. After all, the risks of getting exposed to the infectious disease is still high since many Americans have taken a stance against mask wearing and other safety protocols.
Cycling is at the Forefront of Post Pandemic Changes
Apparently, positive changes also transpired in cities, as the smogginess of the air was reduced after heavy vehicular traffic ceased for awhile. In fact local city officials and planners are now into implementing more changes to make sure the improvements in their environment and in urban mobility will be sustained permanently.
Local governments made conscious efforts to support the emerging cycling culture by providing more bike lanes and designating more roads to make the cityscape safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
It’s also a good thing that there are now ebikes as an option for those who prefer not to arrive all sweaty at their destination. Older riders find the pedal-assist feature quite helpful, since the motor power allows them to cover greater distance without putting too much pressure on their already worn-out bodies.
It’s not surprising that ebikes are at the forefront of every change that most Americans made. Finance-wise, using an electric bike costs less as it does not require gasoline since users need only to plug in the ebike overnight. Some of the more popular models are those with removable batteries, which allows plugging and charging anywhere.
Health-wise, ebikes are great tools for exercise. Older folks are also finding ebikes convenient to use, especially for those who have acquired newfound skills in using Google maps and connected-vehicle apps that allow them to communicate with other ebike riders and vehicle drivers.