Living the Bicycle Life

The Bicycle Life

WAKE UP CALL

Our quest to advocate cycling is not just driven by the fact that cycling is awesome but also due to the rise in our urban community issues. Case in point, the number of vehicles in Goa have grown at a rate of 13.9% and as of 2016, it had the highest vehicle density in India with 551 cars per 1000 people. Resident and traveling population also make Goa’s per capita consumption of petrol six times that of the national average. The great architect and urban planner of Goan origin, Charles Correa , had warned about the current chaotic traffic scenario as far back as 1972. If better decisions were not taken then and are not taken now, we won’t be able to make a difference and provide solutions for Goa’s exploding urbanization..

A bicycle thus serves as the optimum medium of saving public and individual expenses, creating more space for public and helping communities lead a happier and healthier life. In places where parked cars occupy half the road for over 12 hours each day, a bicycle helps in saving on space, congestion and time. To this end, our Bicycle Initiative hopes to popularize the benefits of a bicycle as a commute solution and make a difference to our community.

CHANGE BEGINS AT HOME

When we moved back to Goa to promote cycling, our first scope of influence was, US. We have brought about tectonic shifts in our lifestyle to make it cycle centric. It is only fair that before urging people to make the shift, we ourselves need to be the testing ground. And after living a cycling life for three years, we are proud of our choice and happy to present some key observations:

FASTER COMMUTE

It’s no mystery that in a city with narrow roads and slow moving traffic, cycles are the fastest way of getting around in under a 5km radius. Its faster, agile and on the shortest path between two points.

NO PARKING HASSLE

The three golden words are no longer “I Love You”, it’s “I found Parking”. But sadly that’s one of the biggest struggles of 21st century. Not with bicycles though! Main street, one ways, footpaths, there is no place which isn’t a potential bicycle parking space.

PHYSICAL MOVEMENT

Any form of physical activity through the day helps in keeping the mind active and positive, It could be in the form of walking, using stairs instead of lift or using a bicycle instead of a two wheeler. Naturally these small acts of movement are not a substitute for exercise. Helpful read inspired by Rujuta Diwekar

RELIABLE / YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON IT

There could be traffic snarls, crowded public transport, road diversions or even protests, but you can always count on a bicycle to take the same time, every time.

FEEL THE HEAT

Climate change can’t get more real and we need to be out there, on the streets to see the effects. By sitting in shielded, air conditioned vehicles, we are isolating our self from the problem. In order to adopt measures to combat climate change we need to face the problem on a sustained basis

EASIER ON THE POCKET

While there are expensive bikes and bike components, the yearly servicing and maintenance costs for a decently priced bike (INR 20 to 30k) is a fraction of that of a car. Plus the additional fuel cost.

SUSTAINABLE. SUSTAINABLE. SUSTAINABLE

Speaking of fuel costs. Moving around on a bicycle is the best way to make your travel earth friendly and sustainable. What better way than being the fuel for our own commute