Fuel Prices Up… Maybe It’s Time to Cycle to Work?

More than ten years ago, Mr. Old Man wrote a short piece titled:
“Cycle to Work. Why Not?”

Back then the reasons sounded quite noble:
good for the environment,
good for health.

Fuel prices were not even mentioned.

At that time gasoline was still cheap.
Some people probably thought:
“This old man must have too much free time, encouraging everyone to ride a bicycle.”

Today things feel a bit different.

Mr. Old Man sold his car long ago.
When he needs to go somewhere, he simply calls Grab.

One might think that means being immune to rising fuel prices.

Not really.

When fuel prices go up, ride fares usually follow—sooner or later.

This morning, while taking out the trash, Mr. Old Man met the lady who collects garbage in the alley.
She rides an old motorbike pulling a small trailer full of trash.

She sighed and said simply:

“Every day I spend about 50,000 VND on fuel.
My salary is only 6 million a month.”

Hearing that, Mr. Old Man could only smile quietly.

News about conflicts in the Middle East may sound far away,
yet somehow they reach even a small alley like this one.

From business owners to truck drivers—
and even the garbage collectors—
everyone feels the impact.

And suddenly Mr. Old Man remembered that old article.

Maybe it is time to reopen that old idea:

Cycle to work. Why not?

Not necessarily to save the planet.
Not even to build strong willpower.

Sometimes the reason is simply this:

fuel has become expensive.

As for fuel price policies—well, that is for governments to handle.

Mr. Old Man will take care of the small things first.

Why not try cycling to work?

___

Mr. Old Man, 11.3.2026