I once read that in 1977, the year Elvis died, there were 170 Elvis impersonators. Fifty years later in 2007, it was estimated there were 85,000. If the numbers are to increase at a similar rate, by 2019, 1 in 3 of us will be curling our lips, gyrating our hips and wearing jewel encrusted white suits, whilst trying to remember the words to ‘The Wonder of You’.
If we look at some other statistics – at the beginning of this century, Transport for London reported that the number of motorists entering central London outnumbered cyclists more than 11 to 1. By 2014 the ratio was 1.7 to 1. If these trends continue then by 2019, the number of people commuting to work by bicycle will overtake the number of drivers.
Just a thought – I wonder how many Elvis impersonators ride a bike, surely in 2019 we’re in for a treat!
The Small Hall 
If, however, we set the number of cyclists in a longer time frame, say 60 or 70 years, we see something very different.
Sixty years ago, in 1957, probably more people rode bicycles than drove cars. Seventy years ago, in 1947, *definitely* more people rode bicycles than drove cars and by a huge proportion. To put it in what appears a cliché, the factory owner arrived at the factory by car; the workers in the factory arrived by bike. Let’s guess that the cyclists:drivers ratio seventy years ago was 100:1 or, probably, even greater.
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