New Yorkers, if you own a bike, you will agree that it is cheaper, easier, greener, faster, and more fun to get around town on your two wheels than by any other mode of transportation. (I wish I could also say safer.) But for those without bikes—in any town in the United States—who’d like to ride to work or to the park or to dinner, may find it hard to rationalize renting a bike, be it for an hour or a day.
In my latest piece for The Huffington Post, I write about how this country needs to follow France’s lead, and make bike share programs, and advances in green travel, a priority. Currently, the U.S. has some stations in Washington D.C., Denver, and next on June 10,Minneapolis. In France, 19 cities and small villages are operating independent, affordable bike rental programs geared towards locals. It was so refreshing to see more bikers than cars on the road, as was the case on my recent trip to France. . . see my photos after the jump.
And as one reader said, “Wake up America. This is a race for supremacy. If we keep burning oil, we’ll be a second-rate nation because we are so dependent upon others to feed our addiction. Bicycles are a serious lifeline to pull ourselves out of the oil pit.”
Amen.
To read the full story, visit huffingtonpost.com/laurenelysematison
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram