Secretary of Energy Steven Chu would rather be biking

Nobel Prize winning physicist and new Secretary of Energy Steven Chu proves that we have more than one friend of biking in the new Cabinet.

Is it true you don’t drive a car?
My wife does, but I no longer own a car. Let me just say that in most of my jobs, I mostly rode my bicycle.

And now?
My security detail didn’t want me to be riding my bicycle or even taking the Metro. I have a security detail that drives me.

How do you feel about adding carbon emissions to the air?
I don’t feel good about it.

I guess the president wants to keep you alive.
My wife is in favor of that as well.

They must be talking about keeping him alive in the short run, because if they wanted to keep him alive in the long run they'd let him bike commute. I'm taking statistics this semester so, speaking in that language, I'd say that bike commuters have a higher expected life E(L) but they may have higher variability. So letting him bike may be more risky, but certainly not the best way to keep someone alive.

Maybe he'll come out for Bike to Work Day. Does anyone working at DOE want to invite him?

Also, Adam Voiland has more on Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

Comments

[Eric_W.]

Go Steven Chu!

Obama could keep his Blackberry but the Secreatry of Energy cannot ride his bike? Are the secretaries really under that much threat or do does the security detail not want to ride bikes?

[Washcycle]

I bet it's a time thing. While he's being chauffeured around he can work. But it's hard to (safely) talk on the phone and bike at the same time. His time is just too valuable now.

[Eric_W.]

That is of course true and a good point. The demands of that position are enormous, probably more than we can imagine.

Think about it. Could you imagine a bicycle motorcade going through rush hour traffic in DC? That would be hilarious.