this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2025
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Try this when you are in your 70's and come back and we'll chat. And bring a cure for my chronically poor balance on your way over.
Many 70+ yr olds cannot or should not be driving cars either, because of eyesight/reflexes. Bicycles on the other hand, especially if conditioned throughout life, and later Trikes/Handbikes/Recumbents can be great options for many elders, and cycle infrastructure is perfectly usable for mobility scooters etc for those who really can't or do not want to bike.
If the 70 year old has problems with keeping balance there are trikes too. And if the knees hurt get an e-bike or e-trike. 👍
70+ year olds cycle all the time here in the Netherlands. My parents included. Most use e-bikes nowadays. I suspect more elderly cycle than drive a car, driving requires much faster reflexes and the potential for accidents is much higher.
Here you go. Again super common among the elderly over here.
I have considered an e-bike. I believe I might be safe on one in some situations, but not as a daily driver. As mentioned, my balance is very poor. I can manage a stand up scooter for short distances. But the penalty for a fall at my age is far too high, and so anything on two wheels is really not going to be acceptable. Thanks for the thoughts though.
Three-wheeled e-bikes (trikes) also exist. I know someone who also has balance issue (mid 40’s with reduced motor control on one side of the body) who uses one all the time.
They are also used a lot by elderly people who are afraid to fall over. A friend of mine’s mother uses one for that reason. Depending on your needs they come with either a normal bicycle saddle or even a full seat if you need the extra support.
well that goes back to one of Anon's last points: that if cities were designed around it, everyone would be fine with it. because in a city designed around cycling, there would be room for passenger cyclists just as there are passenger cars.
when you think about it, this rebuttle essentially comes down to the plain ole fact that humans have differences of ability. there's nothing inherent to car-based society that offers disability support that we couldn't provide with a cycling-based society.