For uniqueness, versatility, and longevity
Many people do not know that there is a day earmarked to promote cycling. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 every year as World Bicycle Day in April 2018. The declaration came as a result of the crusade of Leszek Sibilski’s, a Professor of Sociology and long-time advocate of issues related to climate change along with some countries.
This year, the theme of World Bicycle Day was “Uniqueness, versatility, and longevity of the bicycle as a simple, sustainable, economical, and reliable mode of transportation”. Beyond the environmental friendliness of cycling, the health benefits are substantial. It is a viable form of physical activity especially for those whose work is mainly sedentary. Other benefits resulting from increased physical activity through cycling include improvement in quality of life through mobility, improved cognitive function or reduced risk of depression, reduced motor vehicle use, reduced air and noise pollution and increased social engagement in more liveable communities.
Of course, there are major drawbacks to cycling especially in our clime, which include the risk of crashing and of increased exposure to air pollution while riding in motorized traffic. I once discussed my plan to start riding a bicycle to work several years back and a friend of mine quickly reminded me of the case of a Federal Minister in Nigeria who was knocked down by a vehicle while cycling (check google for his name). But these risks can be mitigated through healthy practices and policies.
Healthy practices like the use of crash helmets and well-designed kits that protects the body; and policy in terms of the way our roads are constructed to protect cyclists. Cycling is not foreign to African culture, as our grandparents rode bicycles to their farms. In many rural areas of Africa today, men, women, boys and girls still ride bicycles to farm, to school and everywhere. Although the Netherlands holds the record as the nation with the most bicycles per capita, Copenhagen, is considered the most bicycle-friendly city in the world. It’s known as the “City of Cyclists,” where 52% of the population uses a bike for the daily commute.
For me, cycling is a cheap form of exercise and transportation, if our roads were safer, cycling would be my preferred form of transportation, but we can still find ways around this. We can choose to ride on weekends, to unofficial gatherings, within estates and in many other creative ways, of course, there is the need for motorist and cyclist education, but choosing to ride a bicycle is simple, sustainable, healthy, economical, and can be a reliable mode of transportation!
