Cycling in Bangalore!!

Yr queries :

1) Cycle is a sustainable mode of transportation?

Absolutely - the only personal mode that can outlast any type of fuel.

A few quotes :

"When man invented the bicycle, he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision & balance for his convenience. And, unlike subsequent inventions for his convenience, the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here. for once,  was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, & of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle"   From "Hovel in the Hills" - Elizabeth West, Author.

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race"   - H G Wells, Novelist, 1866-1946.

"The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart"   -  Iris Murdoch, Author & Philosopher, 1919-1999.

"Let's have a moment of silence for every American stuck in traffic on their way to a health club to ride a stationary bicycle"   - Representative Earl Blumenauer, US Congress, 1948

 

2) Cycling in Bangalore is possible?

During my schooling & college, my best friend had been my bicycle. I used the bicycle to commute to school & college for over 10 years without fear of being over-run by other traffic. Today,  my son uses a bicycle to reach the bus stop or to reach nearby spots. We discourage him to go further on to any of the thoroughfares as bicycles, particularly school-going children on bicycles, are being systematically pushed off the streets with heavy traffic.

 

3) You are faster on you cycle than you car in Bangalore ?

I do not use a bicycle now, but intend to once the Metro is operational.

I also request some information - Namma Metro will not permit bicycles to be taken on board the coaches, & thus, bicycles can be used only on one side of the journey. Do you know any place in bangalore that I could buy a folding bicycle that can be carried on the trains ?

 

Some pictures of bicycle infrastructure abroad :

 

The Centre party ministers have laid out a four-point plan to establish Sweden at the forefront of the battle to combat climate change.

The plan includes a ban on fossil-fuel driven cars by 2025 with dramatically higher taxes for thirsty cars in the meantime. A proposed tax exemption for eco classified cars will be available for three-five years with an emissions guideline of 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre.

Ethanol-fuelled cars will remain as an eco-car alternative but will be subject to tougher fuel-efficiency regulations.

Source

BMLTA gang had circulated nice and forward looking brochures about building cycle tracks in central Bangalore. Any idea if those plans have moved ahead? I didn't see anything in the newspapers lately.

Vikash (cvikash here) had shown me some new elctric battery driven cycles as well. I test rode one and it seemed really nice to use. You can either use the motor, or just peddle along in case the battery is out, or if you want to go faster.

Just can't find a picture on the net, though this is what it sort of looked like (image copyright of the respective blog, link is provided, click on the image):

While looking for photos, I alos found an electric cycle conversion kit. Don't know anything about them: (again, image from a third party website, click on the image to go there)

 

ssheragu glad to know that Ravi Ranjan Kumar is arranging the cycle trip to Nilgiris More glad to know that this way he is spreading awareness of the goodness of cycling I also used to cycle to my office some time back from CV Raman Nagar. But the road being a busy road, the cyclists are always exposed to danger Ons suggestion would be to identify specifc areas as bicycling zones and allow only cycling as the mode of operation in that area Subsequently, roads can be dedicated to transportation by cycling alone This way the usage of cycling will increase thanks Srianth Heragu

A American citizen was yesterday run down by a BMTC bus when he was cycling in the city outskirts. A very sad news. Unless the BMTC and cab drivers are educated not to treat cyclists as obstructions on road.. these things are bound to happen.

http://epaper.timesofindi...

Our maniacal drivers will soon ensure that there will be no more visiting faculty coming here, especially Americans who ride bicycles, a species which at one time was on the verge of extinction but is now putting up a brave fight for survival !!

I cycle to work daily (4 kms one way). I sold my car & bike so that I don't have any excuse in the morning :). Cycling to work is fun. Couple of things - a) Start early to work (when it is not hot and moreover avoid traffic) b) I maintain some toiletteries at work so that I can freshen up after reaching office.

What may be needed is a bike transit system (complete with the bike lanes, bikes etc.) A couple of years back a new self-service bike share system called "velib" was opened. We could adopt a lower-tech cost effective system once the bike tracks/lanes are in place. This system was featured on discovery and was really cool!

http://us.franceguide.com/article.html?NodeID=1&EditoID=88863

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUUyvhj-VdM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2kvjs6T_bM

How to use velib in Paris -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d40gx_zZUnM&feature=related


Making Namma Metro bike friendly

One bike friendly public rapid transit system that I have personally used is the BART in the bay area. We could similarly experiment with Namma Metro to make it bike friendly. The only issue though, the patrons using the system have to be highly disciplined and curteous to others.



simple solution - bike ramps
http://www.bart.gov/news/barttv/?&cat=27&id=156 

bike access on BART
http://www.bart.gov/docs/BART_Bicycle_Access_Parking_Plan.pdf

all you need to know about bikes on bart
http://www.bart.gov/guide/bikes/      (I can personally attest to the success of bikes on bart with people from all walks of life using this system)

Bike share programs in North America

North America is widely blamed (and perhaps rightly so) for excessive consumption, excessive addiction to the automobile thereby being the prime contributor to greenhouse gases; but most fail to realize that in addition to other infrastructure for vehicles and public transport they provide -
1) dedicated bike lanes/tracks in multiple cities
2) good pedestrian sidewalk facilities
both of the above facilities being virtually non existent in India (one of the few countries  on the globe perhaps having the maximum number of pedestrians&cyclists but absolutely pathetic infrstructure targeted to this segment). 

Here are a few bike share programs in North America

https://www.smartbikedc.com/program_information.asp
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/san-francisco-bike-sharing-pilot-program-2009.php?daylife=1&dcitc=daylife-article
http://travelinglight.professionaltravelguide.com/2009/02/denver-introduces-carbon-conscious-bike.html


The challenges of making Bangalore bike friendly

- separating cycle traffic from motorized traffic
- making cycing attractive enough to get people out of their cars (especially thos who see cycles as below their status)
- for a cycle sharing program..how to prevent thefts and misuse (a common problem other bike share programs around the world have faced)
- official government policy (and direction) to encourage cycling and developing cycle friendly infrastructure to complement other infrstructure like Namma Metro, Bus Rapid Transit etc.
 - the polluted air and the hot/humid climate may be a deterrant to a would be cyclist expecially those used to the comfortable confines of a car or to those used to a 2 wheeler.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has announced an eco-friendly initiative in introducing the rent-a-cycle concept to encourage commuters ride bicycles to and from the Namma Metro stations. According to general manager (finance) U.A. Vasantha Rao, the aim is to promote sustainable alternative transport which will help reduce gas emissions and protect the health and quality of life of citizens.

more here

It mentions that the the cycles need to be returned back to the nearest metro station..useful for the occasional user..

This will not work for daily commuters to work..guess they will need to tweak the tenders to allow this!

After reading Srinidhi's comment today I observed the cycle lanes between Ashoka Pillar and Madhavan Park. It is nothing but parking lane than a cycle lane. All the cars are parked on cycle lane. 

Unless it is segregated by a divider from the main road  width of  within which a car cannot enter, painted cycle lanes are only name sake coporator's collar up job. It is really not a cycling lane. Something like below as done in Lalithmahal Road Mysore, but, with little less width to prevent cars from entering is what we need. Divider need not be that large as well. A cycle if breaks down can be easily lifted out of the lane.

 

Frustrated and unsatisfied with the city’s efforts in promoting bicycle infrastructure, bicycle advocates in Guadalajara, Mexico took action into their own hands by informally painting bike lanes along the city’s roads through a community event called Ciclovía Ciudadana.

 

The ambitious ‘rent a cycle’ facility that was launched as part of the first anniversary of Namma Metro operations on the 6.7-km long Reach -1 — Baiyappanahalli to MG Road — will finally take off on Tuesday.

more here

A wellcome move indeed. However limiting rental station to metro stations only is a constraint. There are many people, including the ones interviewed in the newspaper article, who will want to use the cycles to get to their work places and return them off there, closer to their work place.

More drop off locations need to be identified because keeping the cycles unused/locked for most part of the day at work places as Arafath suggests..even though its subsidised..is really waste of resources..