Of all the magazines I get, the only one I make a big effort to read each week is The Economist. The Economist is one of the most well-respected publications in the world and it is available on newsstands across the globe. So what does this have to do with bikes?
Well, I was perusing my latest issue when lo-and-behold the name Evan Manvel jumped out at me. Upon closer inspection I was stunned to see a letter to the editor from none other than the Executive Director of our very own Bicycle Transportation Alliance. Here’s the letter:
SIR – Maybe you had an image from “Il Postino” in mind when you said that Mexico’s postal service is inefficient because many letters are delivered by bicycle (“On Mexican time”, March 25th). Many countries, including Germany, use bicycles to deliver mail. They are extremely mobile and efficient in terms of cost, space and energy, and provide healthy exercise to employees. Indeed, companies are rediscovering bicycles, using them to deliver everything from pizzas to security services. Mexico’s mail system may have serious flaws, but the mere use of the bicycle is not one of them.
Evan Manvel
Executive director
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Portland, Oregon
Kudos to Evan for representin’ bikes and Portland on a global stage. For more info check out Evan’s post about it on the BTA Blog.