The Car-Replacement Bicycle

• This video follows the experience of one family who switched from a car to a cargo bike, challenging the necessity of owning a car and some of the misconceptions about doing so.
  
• It examines the potential for cargo bikes to replace vehicles in cities that were built after automobiles were common (like those in Canada and the United States) and examines some electric cars as well.

Positives

• This video presents a relatively affordable alternative to gas-powered cars for able-bodied individuals.
• The video presents a number of reasons why cargo bikes are an ideal mode of transportation for some people when public transportation is not accessible.

Additional Prerequisites

• An ad will play between 6:15 and 6:20 and the video ends at 10:35.
• Before watching the video, students should understand the pros and cons of owning a gas-powered or electric car.
• Teachers should be aware that not all people can ride a bike (for various reasons, including disability) and it may not be safe to ride bikes in inclement weather or extreme temperatures.
  

Differentiation

• Have students consider why so many cities in North America have been designed to prioritize cars rather than pedestrians or cyclists.
• This resource can be used in social studies classes during lessons about urbanization and urban planning and in engineering classes during lessons about innovations in transportation.
• To extend the lesson about other innovations related to transportation, have students watch this video about 15-minute cities and this video about bicycle infrastructure.
• Health classes can connect this resource to lessons about physical exercise and the benefits of being outside.
  

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.