Overcome your initial fears and take up cycling. It is a unique way of keeping fit and healthy, feeling good, and getting about conveniently on far more of your journeys than you realise. Statistics show that, on average, for every ‘life year’ lost in cyclists’ fatalities on the roads, about 20 life years are gained from cyclists’ improved health leading to their greater longevity.

Originally published in Seize the Day: 366 Tips for Living (eds. Stephanie Wienrich and Nicholas Albery), 2001. Tips for Every Day of the Year from Famous and Extraordinary People – 8 March.