Pedal power

Provincial Councillors and Pradeshiya Sabha members in several parts of the country who rode bicycles to their offices last week to protest against the fuel prices unwittingly demonstrated the best way to beat the fuel price hike: cycling.

As pointed out in this column last week, we have a habit of reacting furiously to any fuel price hike, without even thinking about the possibility of reducing our fuel consumption.

The same situation applies to the use of electricity. Yes, lower prices are the ideal scenario and until that becomes viable and possible, it does no harm to think about ways and means of using less fuel.

Pedal power is simply the best way not to use any fuel at all. Granted, walking is still better, but it is not practical to walk for more than a kilometre other than for exercise.

On the other hand, the bicycle is faster and enables you to exercise too.

Indeed, why not ride to town to buy provisions instead of driving? And there are hundreds of other errands for which a bicycle would be perfect. Moreover, anyone can ride a bicycle after a little training. The only investment is the cost of the bicycle itself.

However, there is a negative perception in this country that the bicycle is a poor man’s vehicle. Everyone, even the poorest family, aspires to own at least a motorcycle. This is the natural order of things, because we all like to go up the ladder.

But in doing so, we tend to overlook some simple solutions. Here is a vehicle that does not require fuel at all, costs much less than even the cheapest motorcycle and costs nothing to run (bar the occasional refilling of air), but we usually go for the expensive option.

Many people would not like to be seen on a bicycle lest it conveys a bad image about one’s financial circumstances. Contrast this with the situation in many other countries where even millionaires ride to work. Riding a bicycle is perceived as the ‘in’ thing to do in those countries.

The lack of a ‘bicycle culture’ is a serious problem. Only around 25,000 bicycles are sold per year, whereas more than 150,000 motorcycles are sold. It is time that the authorities recognise the inherent value of bicycles as a fuel saving device. There should be a popularisation drive for bicycles.

The authorities could help by removing any taxes and duties on the local manufacture and import of bicycles. Even in urban areas, the bicycle could be an ideal second vehicle especially for shorter journeys. There are bicycles which can be alternatively powered by a small electric motor (eg: when climbing a hill) but the price (more than Rs. 50,000) is prohibitive for most people. The authorities should consider whether such bicycles can be made more affordable by reducing any extra taxes and duties.

Rural areas

But there are problems that have to be addressed to make cycling safer. It is indeed deadly to ride a bicycle on our congested city streets. (The situation is more conducive for cyclists in rural areas). While cyclists too are to be blamed in some instances (riding without reflectors/lights at night, riding without a bell or warning device, cutting in and out of traffic, travelling against the flow of traffic and improper brakes), many motorists, especially heavy vehicle drivers, do not exercise enough caution in the presence of cyclists. Both sides have to be educated through the media to prevent or minimise cycling accidents. Parents too should educate children on the proper usage of bicycles.

There is also no reason why helmets cannot be made mandatory for all cyclists regardless of age. True, cycling helmets are more expensive than their motorcycle equivalents, but local manufacturers can step in to address that concern. Crash helmets save lives, period.

The biggest requirement is a proper cycling infrastructure. There is only one cycle lane in the whole country, as far as we know.

The authorities must explore the possibility of having more cycle lanes along key roads, because they make cycling much safer and more fun. In case where new roads are built or existing roads widened, the authorities could follow the ‘build back better’ principle to incorporate cycle lanes.

These should be supplemented with secure parking facilities for bicycles.

There are some cities where one can actually pick any bicycle from a parking lot, use it even for the entire day and return it to another or the same parking lot. Cycling trails can also be built in some of the country’s scenic areas, which will be a boon for local and foreign cycling enthusiasts.

Cycling tours are a big tourist draw in most countries but such tours are few and far between in our country. There should also be reserved cargo space in trains for bicycles in case someone wants to take a bicycle and explore another area.

Parking lots

Individual companies which may want to popularise cycling can provide separate parking lots and changing rooms/lockers for workers who want to park their bicycles and change into work clothes. Schools too can follow this practice. Cyclists may also want to put an air purifying mask on some of the most polluted areas. The authorities should study how other countries handle all these matters.

A simple registration system with the local authorities existed for bicycles some decades back. This made life easier for the police and local authorities in case of accidents, stolen bicycles and any other related complaints. This system too should be revived as part of a renewed interest in cycling.For those who still like to use a motorcycle, the Government should encourage the purchase of all-electric scooters and motorcycles. However, the lack of charging points is one major problem, so the owners cannot really go far from their own area and have to charge it at home. With more electric vehicles entering the mainstream, these problems are likely to be resolved.

All over the world, cycling has emerged as a healthy, zero-cost alternative to fossil fuel powered transport. Thus more should be done to promote cycling, which will also enable the Government to achieve considerable fuel and foreign exchange savings.