Cycle, our future vehicle

An uncared for news item attracted my attention: The story reads: A cyclist knocked down by a car in city. This story, for a newspaper and for us, is not a big story at all. It is obvious that such story would get only that much space and attention. It is police beat news and invariably has appeared as part of its routine crime coverage.

I was pained by the news. Beacuse, the car, the polluting vehicle has hit a cyclist, a non polluting vehicle user. In fact, bicycle is our future vehicle. A car which runs on the exhausted fossil fuel produced elsewhere moves on the road with the space of 6 to 10 cycles and emits carbon monoxide and other fumes to the public hub of oxygen, hits a cyclist who is the weaker symbol of our safe future.

Each fuel-centric vehicle on the road is a burden on our children. How much is the emission of these vehicles to our precious air every minute? Leave alone the cities and towns, the villages too have unaffordable number of private vehicles now. Indian cities and towns suffocate with the day-by-day increasing number of fossil fuel-fed vehicles. There is no regulation in the number of vehicles that hit the roads everyday. Anyone can own a vehicle and drive it onto the public road at anytime and leave the dangerous fumes to the lung space of the public. None will question. Such action in fact is looked at with respect and adoration. A person who owns a car or any other private vehicle is highly respected. (Some hotels/ institutions do not allow visitors who come in bicycles or motorcycles inside their campus. Their vehicles have to be parked outside the compund. However, if you come by car, you are allowed to enter straightaway.)

The recent additions of Honda, Wolksvagan, Hyundai and other companies are pretty long and spacious ones which too hit the roads almost everyday. Such cars take space on the public road equivalent to that of 10 cyclists. Is it justifiable to have such a car in such crowded traffic, encroaching others' space? Is this justifiable to allow such companies to produce such spacious cars in cities like ours? When I see these cars in small, congested and shabby roads, I realise the lacuna of pro people policies in our system. Why should the city administration allow such cars within its limits? Why can't the city corporation enforce a rule like the University of Mangalore has done in its campus? Only cycles are allowed inside the campus. Whoever comes inside can take a bicycle parked near the gate and reach the offices and class rooms.

In a city or town where there are only underdeveloped and narrow roads, huge vehicles cannot be allowed on a regular basis. It will definitely create a havoc. It is in simple sense, undemocratic. Like European countries have switched over to bicycles, Indian cities and towns too can take such action. In order to save our remaining oxygen chunk, even this would be a late decision. But, better late than never!

European countries like Holland have developed bicycle paths to ensure safe cycling for the cyclists. There are no case of vehicles hitting cyclists over there. We need such bicycle paths. But, I am sure, it is too much an expecation one can have from the government. It will take action only when it realises and faces tremondous pressure from public that there is an oxygen shortage.

I am fond of bicycle. In my childhood and youth, I had a bicycle. Even after marriage and settled in Mysore in the ninetees, my vehicle was bicycle. I had regularly dropped Usha to her office and picked her up in the evenings. I used to go to a number of places on bicycle only. Later I switched over to a two wheeler. But I always feel that I should switch over to bicycle.

Cyclists should be given high respect, not for the car wallahs. Why should respect go to someone who harms our environment and hijacks public space? Let us start thinking in favour of bicycle and procure one to use it for at least short distances. The rights of cyclists are long due. No cyclist should die on the street from now onwards. Let us write to the concerned to implement the rights of cyclists and bicycle policy for future.