Bicycling: A Good Prescription for Wisconsin

In early February, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin will send the following letter to Governor Walker, the new cabinet secretaries and all Wisconsin legislators. We are seeking Wisconsin medical organizations and professionals (MDs, PhDs, nurse practitioners, nurses, physicians assistants, physical therapists, chiropractors and others) to also sign on. We will be collecting "electronic signatures" via the following form until Friday, February 4th. Please lend you support today. Please also forward on to any colleagues you believe support this important message. Kevin Hardman Executive Director Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

 

**** Dear Governor Walker, Secretaries and Legislators: We, the undersigned, medical professionals, write to encourage you to promote, encourage, and expand bicycling in Wisconsin. A healthy Wisconsin is something that all our citizens want and deserve and bicycling must be an essential component of any prescription we write for our State’s health. As medical professionals, we are increasingly alarmed and challenged by the epidemics of chronic disease (asthma, obesity, and diabetes). It is imperative to combat these diseases now and in a vigorous manner. A crisis is at hand. These disease epidemics are complex however bicycling is one readily available solution that has been shown to promote weight loss better than any medication we could prescribe.

 

 Bicycling is a healthy lifestyle endeavor that instills healthy habits in our youth and adult populations. Wisconsin is already a great place to bicycle and is recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as the second best bicycle state in the country. We need you to help us expand the State’s bicycling infrastructure and ask you to join us in our efforts to inspire and broaden the bicycle movement. We need safer streets for our bicyclists, more bicycle lanes and trails, and incentives for people to bicycle. We must make bicycling a key component of every health plan we devise. As more people go by bike, the health of our State will progressively improve and we can realize substantial health care savings.

 

A more bicycle-friendly Wisconsin is also a more competitive Wisconsin. By enacting measures to promote bicycling we help prevent unnecessary expenditures on medical care for individuals, and increase productivity lost through school and work absence. In addition, bicycling is an economical and safe way to travel, saving money on fuel and parking. As medical professionals, we today prescribe bicycling for you and for Wisconsin. We call on you to act with us in promoting, encouraging and expanding bicycling to improve the health and well being of all Wisconsinites.

 

Sincerely, David A. Waters, M.D. Board Member, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin