Dr. Shahid Amin
Early and good love in life starts with a Bicycle. Almost everyone lives with a passion to drive and ride on one’s own. While looking at someone good at Cycling, we used to call ‘Balance….. (a good rider). I remember the days using my brother’s ‘Hero’ cycle and bribing him most to get his bicycle for a single ride.
Remarkably he used to put grass in tyres as an alternative to tyre tubes early on and then developing bicycle repair mastery to a level that good bicycle mechanics needed his help. I served as his assistant.
When I grew up my father bought me a big bicycle. It was an ‘Atlas’ Brand and black in colour. I got it when I was twelve years old and it was one of my most prized possessions. I used to go to school daily by bicycle and many of my friends also used to come to school on their bicycles. I loved to ride bicycle without gripping handle for a good distance. I loved to challenge the bikers and other means knowing I can’t win for a long distance but still trying to defeat them. I remember balancing my bicycle in floods when only handle was visible in flood waters. I had good sticker collections to keep my bicycle attractive. Every day in the morning I cleaned it to make it move smoothly and fast. Life has been very mesmerizing in childhood and continued upto my teen age. After this moment of glory, I began to neglect my bicycle. After teen years arrived, and it seemed that cycling was no longer cool and my lovely Bicycle was replaced by a bike and cars. My bicycle sat neglected for many years and one day I decided to give it to someone needy for free. Post cycling period there has been huge pressures on my body fitness as well as my pocket. It was harder to bear its loss and crashing many good memories and emotions. I always craved for cycling again since losing my treasure. I am grateful to change agents now to add to my motivation and I have got a new one. It gives a feel, an old friend is back and in a fine new Avtaar. There are obvious benefits with ‘Bicycling’ and we must know and share some of them towards a better and safer future.
Benefits of Bicycling:
The Utility Vehicle: The bicycle is a very handy and useful vehicle. This vehicle can carry two or in cases three persons easily. One can sit on the carrier or on the rod ahead of the seat and the other on the seat. Not everyone can get a driver’s license and the cost of purchasing and maintaining a bike or a car is out of reach for many people. Almost everyone can afford some sort of bicycle. Moreover, it is not salary that makes us rich, it is our spending habits. Other than walking, bicycles are the most cost-effective means of transportation on Earth. Add a few things like rain gear, lights and accessories, and you have all-weather, anytime transportation.
Effective and Efficient Alternative: Ok, you’re not in a position to own a bicycle as a primary transportation. But bicycles make great second vehicles. One can literally save huge amounts of money a year using a bicycle for works which might otherwise be done using bikes and cars. Auto loans also put high pressures. But for the price of a single car payment, you can buy a well-made bicycle that should outlast most cars.
Maintenance Costs: Rightly said money saved is money earned. Fuel prices are never going to be low and eat away good part of our savings. Operating and maintenance costs are always bigger worries for bikers and car owners. Bicycles hardly require service, but one can learn to perform most of it by himself. Even if there is a shop to do things for you, costs will be very less than a bike or a car.
Environmental Friendly: With the continued high usage of bikes and automobiles humans are doing no less a curse for the richer environment. All manufactured goods have environmental impact, but bicycles can be produced for a fraction of the materials, energy and shipping costs. Bicycles don’t lead to poisonous fumes into the atmosphere. Bicycling cuts down on pollution, noise, and traffic tremendously.
Health Benefits: Everyone wants to be healthier. Depending on your riding style and road conditions, you could easily burn good calories through brisk cycling. Bicycling is definitely an easy, fun, and cheap way to keep you healthy and feel better.
Pledge: There are many good outcomes of Bicycling. But the stakeholders have to be ready to accept this change for the wellbeing and prosperity of society as a whole. ‘Bicycling Again’, a big progress is now taking place at national and international levels. Some praiseworthy men, teachers, youths and change agents associated have pledged to find its lost position again. As a good parent and a teacher there is no justice if I didn’t owe responsibility to teach children how to stay healthy, save resources and protect environment. As an enlightened employer, I have good reasons to promote and contribute ‘Bicycling’ among my employees. Healthy workers are my better workers – and that’s sufficient to know for employers. Educational Institutions have no less a bigger role in this rising to teach and practice. Bicycling regulations can be part of good system and promoted as a rich culture. Good leaders like Dutch PM Mark Rutte have been popular to use bicycles. Leaders at any levels can come forward and make it a habit and popularize. Our society is increasingly becoming addicted towards cars and bikes. This will put huge pressure on our future generations. Going by the current rise in automobiles and bikes, sooner or later we will see our precious resources vanished. As a responsible citizen, we must accept this good change before it is too late. I am ready, Are You? Pledge for Bicycling Again!
(The author is Asst Professor ITM University)
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