Room to Ride

Summary
Binky starts a campaign to put in more bike lanes for the city, but can't seem to get people to see it as a worthy cause.

Plot
The episode begins with Arthur in a room with a booth. He asks "What if, right behind that curtain, there's a button you could press that could change the world?" Buster enters the booth and comes out with a space suit and a jet pack. D.W. makes it so they all live in Cowtopia, and their queen is Mary Moo Cow. Muffy finds the cow-themed design unappealing, and changes the colors of the room multiple times before settling on a pattern with lots of dollar signs. Arthur asks the viewers what they would change.

Room to Ride

Binky is watching Lance Armstrong's bike race on Muffy's TV. Muffy gets irritated at Binky when his food falls on the floor. Binky cheers when Lance wins, and goes outside to ride his bike. Binky runs over a pothole and wipes out.

At Binky's house, his mom puts a bandage over his scrape. She tells him that, for his safety, he cannot go biking on the street anymore and he can only bike in the park after school. Binky feels uncomfortable about this, because it interferes with his plan to train for the Elwood City Bikeathon.

Binky goes outside to put trash on the curb, and he runs into Oliver Frensky. Binky tells Oliver about how now he can only bike in the park, and Oliver says that there will be an election for bike lanes in the city next Tuesday. However, most people don't care about bike lanes and won't vote. Binky chooses to spread the word.

At the Sugar Bowl, Binky reminds Arthur, Buster, and The Brain to vote for bike lanes. Brain points out that, while they unable to vote, they can convince adults to vote. They form the "Bike Lane Bridgade."

Brain gives bike lane posters to customers at his Ice Cream Shop. Buster wants submarine lanes, because they could be useful if there is a flood. Binky gives a poster to Mrs. MacGrady. Back at the Sugar Bowl, Brain counts up the total: seven people said they will vote, five people said they will not vote, and eight are undecided. Arthur says that the election is in five days. Binky imagines the park being closed, and bikes being banned, because no one voted to keep them.

Muffy drives by and thinks that Binky is selling magazine subscriptions. Binky corrects her and says that she will help him advertise bike lanes. She makes a video of her in an overly-fancy voting booth, and promises to give people free objects. She comments that she tried to get celebrities to be in the video, but they were unavailable. Buster points out that Lance Armstrong is outside.

Binky gets on his bike and races after Lance, eventually catching up to him. He hits a pothole again, and Lance applies antiseptic to the wound. Binky asks Lance if he wants to be in an ad for bike lanes, and he says that Binky's ad campaign seems to be going fine and that Binky shouldn't need any help. Binky and Lance ride their bikes while talking about why bike lanes are important.

Binky, Arthur, Muffy, and Buster have started the election of whether or not the city should have more bike lanes. Brain comments that 42 voted yes, 37 voted no, and 22 are unsure for now, although the citizens will vote. Some time later, Binky, Oliver, and Mrs. MacGrady are biking up a hill and it is revealed that the election was a success, and more bike lanes will be built.

Characters

 * Binky Barnes
 * Lance Armstrong
 * Oliver Frensky
 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter
 * Alan Powers
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Mrs. Barnes
 * Leah MacGrady
 * Bailey
 * Ed Crosswire
 * Timmy and Tommy Tibble
 * Jenna Morgan
 * Prunella Deegan
 * Alex (cameo)
 * D.W. Read
 * Mary Moo Cow (photo)

Trivia

 * Moral: When someone is making a petition, don't unsupported it for your own benefits.

Production Notes

 * Reruns of this episode are rare in the United States, following the Lance Armstrong doping case

Home Video
DVD:
 * Arthur: The Good Sport! (2011 DVD)