Why not cycle ?

FROM ISSUE # 167 (November 2009) | IN THIS ISSUE
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There's no denying that as kids, cycling was our favourite sport. Fighting with siblings over who would get the next turn, hiding ugly scratches to keep riding and using Nepal bandhs to turn pro; indeed, the two-wheeler has been an indispensable part of our childhoods. WAVE discussed the practicalities of cycling with the youth of Kathmandu.

Participants:
Shail Shrestha, Kathmandu Cycle City organiser
Abhishek Manandhar, Kathmandu Cycle City organiser
Rajan Kathet, Kathmandu Cycle City organiser
Kriti Shrestha, Student
Anubhuti Poudyal, Student
Shaily Chauhan, Student
Juju Maharjan, Social Activist
Ayush Joshi, RJ
Suyog Dhakal, RJ

ALL IMAGES: ANUP PRAKASH Anubhuti

Why do you cycle?
Shail: Cycle is a medium of transportation for me, simply because it's much faster than other public vehicles and I'm helping to alleviate pressing global issues.
Ayush: I don't have reasons bigger than myself for riding a cycle. I hardly ride, but when I do, I ride for positive vibes: to feel the fresh air and to admire the greenery.
Abhishek: I travel by cycle whenever I can because its pollution free, doesn't create jams and keeps me healthy.
Rajan: I cycle because it's the need of the hour. If we are to solve the problems of climate change, we better start cycling.
Kriti: Cycling is just leisure for me. I feel that riding a cycle in Kathmandu is more unsafe and more unhealthy than it would be  traveling by other vehicles.

Ayush

Anubhuti: Same here, cycling is recreation for me. I cannot imagine cycling on the roads of Kathmandu, between two massive trucks and bikes the size of cars.
Shaily: Cycling is just a time pass, especially because Kathmandu's topography isn't fit for cycling.
Juju: I cycle to travel. And it keeps me fit; I've gone from being 103kg to 95kg.
Suyog: I don't ride cycles because Kathmandu doesn't have a good enough infrastructure for riding.

Juju

How practical is cycling on the roads of Kathmandu?
Juju: It is practical. Though yes, the microbuses and bikes dominate the roads, it's manageable.
Ayush: It's sad we have to be cramped inside microbuses while we could cycle, but I'm unsure about cycling. It would be a torture if I had to cycle all the way back to my house after a long day at work.
Anubuti: And it's more unsafe; a person inside a car is obviously safer than a person riding a cycle on the highways of Kathmandu.
Shail: As long as you don't go in the middle of the road, cycling is convenient, especially because unlike with other vehicles, you've control over it.
Abhishek: Also statistics show cycling is much safer than other vehicles. From the total number of accidents that happened in Koteshwor in the year 2008, while 72% of the accidents involved cars and bikes, only 2% involved cycles.

Kriti

Shaily: Cycles are a boon for Kathmanduites, given the number of bandhs we have.
Suyog: Also, considering the shortage of fuels, the best option would be to cycle.
Kriti:  When you cycle, you're more exposed to pollution than when you are in other vehicles. Imagine what will become of your lungs.
Rajan: You can always go and buy masks in medical stores, not only do they prevent smoke inhalation but they prevent diseases as well.
Juju: And it's rather hypocritical of people to ride bikes and wear masks. I mean, see the pollution they create and they themselves wear masks.
Shail: Exactly. Suraj Singh Thakuri went up to Everest on a bike, polluting such a place.

Rajan

Is there a stigma attached to cycling in our society?
Kriti: When a person cycles, it's assumed that he lives on a minimum wage.
Ayush: Well yes, when everyone's driving cars, it's rather awkward to cycle.
Juju: But some cycles are extravagantly expensive. From Rs 8000, it can go up to Rs 180,000 and beyond. And the helmets cost at least Rs 4000, so cycling isn't exactly a cheap thing.
Rajan: It's more of an attitude problem. People say that we've developed from riding horses to cycles to bikes, then why move backwards? We need to influence the entire public.
Shaily: If you look inside the parking areas of UN buildings, you'll always find it filled with cycles. It's certainly not always the marginalised people who cycle.

shail

Is cycling a 'guy' thing?
Anubhuti: While few guys cycle, there are fewer girls who cycle.
Shaily: Unlike with boys, girls riding cycles isn't considered 'normal'.
Kriti: If there were other girls riding, I'd be motivated to ride as well.
Ayush: There is also the problem of girls being harassed, so something needs to be done about this too.

Shaily

What are the health benefits of cycling?
Abhishek: It prevents cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity.
Shail: When you ride a cycle only two things get hotter – you and the tires. And you can stretch your youth into your sixties.
Ayush: 40% of people who cycle live longer.

Suyog

So what do you plan to ride now?
Ayush: I'll surely give cycling a try if there are separate cycling tracks.
Shaily, Anubhuti, Kriti: I'll cycle if there's a majority of riders, especially more girls. 
Juju: I'll continue to cycle of course and even if people don't cycle, they should respect those who do.
Shail, Abhishek, Rajan: You'll realise that there's no better medium of transportation once you start cycling. And everyone should consider cycling if not for long distances, for shorter distances at least.
Suyog: It's overwhelming to find out that the cycling revolution has started in Nepal. So if it's started, we youths should unite to make it successful.

*Cycles stores are strewn across Kathmandu: try Asan ,Thapathali Pul, Chabahil and Pani Pokhari; cycles cost Rs 7000 upwards.