Do you love your job? Perhaps you work as a server at a restaurant, where you write down people's orders on a notepad and then return to their table a few minutes later with their food. Maybe you are a teacher, and Monday through Friday you stand before a class of eager students, teaching the day's lesson.

How do you get to work? Do you drive, ride in a carpool, or ride a bus? Would you consider riding a bike? There are a number of reasons to ride a bike to work.

One reason is because small towns do not have bus lines. If you do not own a car, a bicycle is a reliable way to get to work.

Second, bicycles do not need gas. If you do not have to buy gas, you will have more money for other things you need, such as bath tissue, toothpaste, or dish soap. You will also be able to save money for things you want to do. You might want to take a family vacation this summer, for example. By saving money now, the vacation can be a possibility.

Third, you do not have to worry about the bicycle not starting one morning and leaving you stranded when you need to get to work. It might be the day that you are scheduled to give a presentation, for example, and you cannot be late. When it is time to leave, simply hop on your bike and head for work.

Fourth, bicycles allow you to follow your own schedule. You do not have to hurry to catch a 7 a.m. bus so that you can get to work or worry that you will be getting out of work after the buses have stopped running for the day. Whenever you get out of work, get back on your bike and go home.

Of course, riding a bike to work is a realistic possibility for transportation only if you live close enough. If you live too far away, it would take too long to get to work, and you would be late. Many people live in small towns but work in the city. In situations like this, it would be much more practical to drive to work or carpool with someone else.

If you are lucky enough to live close to where you work, however, consider riding your bike. You can get some exercise, enjoy independence, and help keep the air cleaner.