“The bicycle, the slow death of the economy?”

At a conference, a banker surprised his audience of economists with a rather provocative remark:

"A cyclist is a real disaster for the national economy. He doesn't buy a car, doesn't take out a loan to finance it, doesn't pay insurance, doesn't buy gas, doesn't have his vehicle serviced, and doesn't rent a parking space. He doesn't cause costly accidents, doesn't require the construction of highways, and, absurdly, he stays in good health."

And to drive the point home:

“Healthy people don't drive the economy. They don't need medicine, don't visit hospitals or doctors' offices, and therefore don't contribute to the sacrosanct GDP.”

Conversely, he continues ironically:

"Each new McDonald's creates jobs: around thirty in total, including ten cardiologists, ten dentists, ten dieticians... not forgetting the restaurant staff, of course."

Sarcastic conclusion: better to choose a Big Mac than a bicycle... And above all, beware: walking would be even worse, because pedestrians don't even buy bicycles!