Back in 1993, the imperatives of reducing oil dependence - for economic, environmental and geopolitical reasons - were much less obvious than they are now.

Transportation cycling, he said, addresses many issues at once: obesity, oil dependence, traffic congestion, global warming, lack of time for exercise.

However, cheaper oil caused gasoline to prevail, until the 1973 oil crisis resulted in gasoline shortages and awareness on the dangers of oil dependence.

Oil dependence in particular has led to war, funding of radicals, monopolization, and socio-political instability.