"Cycling is Sexy"

According to Ezra Klein from the American Prospect

"In Hungary, the Ministry of Economics and Transport actually has a Deputy Minister for cycling by the name of Adam Bodor. Bodor's job, put simply, is to get people on their bikes. And so they've produced this ad campaign, meant to convey the idea that cycling is sexy..."

From the same post the following translation is provided

"First of all, on the biker lady’s bag it says: bike to work.

Then the lady asks the old man: would you like some tea?

He answers: thank you, that would be lovely.

As she is listening to the noises coming from the other room, she mutters under her breath: you should rather be biking, too, Rezso.

And then at the end, the tag line is almost the same: You should rather be biking, too or (ride your bike instead as well - which is a more literal translation)."

This is a great ad. One conclusion that I have come to while in the Peace Corps is that the most difficult thing to change is culture and the behaviors that are so deeply engrained in it. Sometimes change in behavior occurs as a bottom up push by the people and legislation follows in order to confirm the people's will. But sometimes it takes a large scale public service announcement campaign like this one (its like the recycling push during the early 90's but way cooler).

If I end up at the University of Washington I am looking forward to being able to get around to almost everywhere I need to be via bike!