Originally Posted by danarnold

I have a solution. First, don't listen to that numbskull Darn old Dan Arnold.

Second: Here's the plan. Best part of it is takes that good old American thing about competition and status and uses it for our purposes:

We sell people on the idea of cycling proficiency and performance. The first category rider, masters the basic safety skills for safe and [ahem] 'effective' cycling. He is allowed to wear a white jersey with the appropriate badge/seal of approval/certificate.

When she demonstrates the next level of skill, after basic safety, she gets to wear the green jersey, or maybe that goes to those who commute daily.

Hill climbing proficiency, plus the other skills, earns the rider the right to the polka dots.

And so on up to yellow and maybe black. We will need government's cooperation. We can't have obnoxious cretins out there wearing jersey's they haven't earned. This system will encourage people to gain status as they improve fitness and safety. We could give special tax breaks as well to those who trade in their cars for bikes.