Towards a cycling culture

Around 15,000 bicycles are sold in Sri Lanka annually. This may not appear to be a very high figure, since more motorcycles and cars are sold and registered. But the bicycle, at least in the 'standard' form (as opposed to racing, BMX, etc) has earned a reputation as a poor man's vehicle. The bicycle is still very popular in the villages, where almost everyone has one, even if they own another mechanised form of transport.

There are many advantages of using a bicycle. It needs no power source other than human (pedal) power. For this reason, it is sometimes called a human-powered vehicle. Since it does not use fossil fuel, it is completely non-polluting and environmental friendly. There are virtually no running costs, save the occasional filling of tyres with compressed air. The only other cost one can imagine is the cost of replacing tyres, but one can use a bicycle for years without ever needing a set of new tyres and tubes. Repairs are few and far between. All members of the family can use the bicycle, as long as they are tall enough to keep their legs on the ground when they have to stop it.

But riding a bicycle in this country has become a deadly business, partly due to the faults/carelessness of riders and partly due to the faults of motorists. Let us examine these issues.

The first stumbling block seems to be that many do not think of the bicycle as a proper vehicle. It is, albeit a human powered one. The cyclist should observe all road rules applicable to any other vehicle. We have seen cyclists making a mockery of road rules - riding with pedestrians on zebra crossings, lane jumping, sudden manoeuvres, riding without lights or a bell, crossing red lights at will and a myriad of other offences. And the law enforcement officials generally look the other way.

Therefore, all cyclists must adhere to road rules. They should be 'booked' like all other motorists committing offences. Parents who let their children ride on crowded city streets must enlighten them on road rules so that they can come back home safely.

Another issue is that in many other countries, riding a bicycle without a helmet is strictly prohibited. Helmets for cyclists are not required here, though we have seen a very few riders having them on. Let's face it, helmets save lives. We have experienced this first-hand, thanks to the effectiveness of our motorcycle helmet laws. Today, no one dares to ride a motorcycle without a helmet, not only due to the fear of the law, but also due to the firm knowledge that a helmet can save your life.

It would therefore in the best interests of cyclists and law enforcement authorities to introduce a helmet law for cyclists as well. This could be implemented over a couple of years. There is a caveat, though. Bicycle helmets are expensive. Indeed, they are more expensive than motorcycle helmets. An imported, branded road bicycle helmet would cost at least around Rs.7,000, which is out of reach for most cyclists. One solution is to manufacture them locally - there are a few local entrepreneurs who have done a good job manufacturing motorcycle helmets conforming to international standards. They can be given incentives and concessions to manufacture bicycle helmets as well.

Another major issue is riding at night. While all other vehicles are required by law to switch on lights at night, cyclists somehow seem to be immune to this part of the law. Remember, the bicycle is a mechanical vehicle, though it is not powered by fuel. The law on lights should apply to cyclists as well and in fact, it is stated plainly in our highway and traffic laws. Yet this law is largely ignored by cyclists and the police do not seem to be interested in nabbing cyclists who ride without lights.

We are not talking about an expensive proposition here - with a good dynamo, there is no need for batteries either. The light enables the cyclist to see the road clearly and even more importantly, makes him visible to other road users. Moreover, every cycle should have a rear reflector and where possible, reflective pedals. The police should strictly enforce the lights laws, the same way they successfully dealt with jaywalking pedestrians recently.

The same goes for visible clothing. We have seen cyclists wearing black or dark colours ride without lights in pitch darkness. This is an invitation to disaster. It is always better for cyclists to wear light coloured clothing, if not luminous clothing. Donning a luminous jacket over the normal clothes is a good idea. This makes them easily visible to motorists and pedestrians.

Another problem is riding with a passenger or two. This is doubly (no pun intended) dangerous if they happen to be children. The other day on TV, they showed a man riding with two children - one was seated on the frame while the other was standing. It was a horrifying sight. One need not elaborate on what would have happened if the cyclist was knocked down by a vehicle. There is nothing fundamentally wrong in having a passenger on your cycle, but the physics of overloading apply to all vehicles from cars to three-wheelers. In other words, it could become dangerous. There is also no registration and insurance mechanism for cycles and cyclists. This is another aspect that the authorities should ponder on. Earlier, local bodies were required to license bicycles in their areas and a metal tag was attached to each licensed or registered bicycle. This could also be used to track down the owner/rider in case of an accident or emergency.

But the fact remains that our roads are inherently dangerous for cyclists. One glaring factor is the lack of any special recognition for cyclists. Most cities around the world have special cycle lanes which other motorists cannot encroach on. This helps cyclists to get to their destination faster and reduces the number of accidents.

Another obvious observation is that Sri Lanka has no 'bicycle culture' as in many developed countries. In most countries, riding to work is commonplace and workplaces have special areas for stowing bicycles. Everyone from ministers to senior managers to blue collar workers rides a bicycle. It is nothing to be ashamed of in those countries. Governments encourage riding, because it cuts down on the number of cars on the road, reducing fuel consumption and pollution. A similar culture should emerge here as well.

The bottom line is that cycling is healthy and fun; it saves money and the environment. There are steps the cyclists can take right now to make riding safer. There are steps the authorities can take to make the roads safer for cyclists. Both these aspects combined could lead to the birth of a cycling culture in Sri Lanka. More people should get on to their bicycles and experience the sheer joy of it all.