Sunday, June 7, 2009

Back to Bicycle


The recently introduced ‘Back to Bicycle’ and ‘Walk to School’ campaigns are noble initiatives –on paper. For them to actually come to the roads certain basic issues must be addressed –issues that forced men to buy motorcycles and girls to become pillion riders in the not too distant past.

In one way, the Walk to School program is already 80% achieved even before it is launched. That’s because approximately that proportion of parents who take kids to primary schools are women and nearly all of them walk –not a problem because in most cases primary schools are within walking distance. The remaining 20% of parents are men who take their kids on motorcycles. It will be this 20% who must be persuaded to walk to school. In order to facilitate this they must be given more time off from work.

Imagine someone who works in Ghaazee building. If he has to take a kid to Taajuddin School he will need about 40 minutes for the 3-way trip. It will take a lot of persuasion to make someone do this in the mid afternoon sun, especially if that someone has a motorcycle. Further if 40 minutes of the one hour break is spent for the trip, he will need an additional half an hour for lunch.

Not long ago, most people in Male had bicycles. Girls used to ride nice looking brands of bicycles instead of riding behind someone. All this stopped mainly because of uncontrolled bicycle theft. Motorcycle thefts are relatively less common, not because they are more difficult to steal, but because they are more difficult to dispose off since they require registration and regular updating of fee payments.

Looking back on the whole thing, bicycles could have been retained on the streets if some minimum facilities were provided. For example, keeping a parking attendant or two around Huravee/Ghaazee building area and a few other strategically located places could have prevented a lot of thefts. But that was the past. How do we do it now?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

One suggestion
increase the age for getting a driving license and to add to that voting as well.

Anonymous said...

agree with the above anony about incresing age for getting license..maybe 21.

Anonymous said...

Increasing the age of getting drivers license and hence by restricting the youth more will only create problems. That's previous government's thinking. We should move away from such restrictions.

Back to bicycle sounds a bit backward. If the current gov is really serious about such a campaign they should make the roads more safe for bicycles, they could make some roads bicycle + pedestrian only, and may be have a law allowing bicycles pass traffic lights in some conditions, and also allow dual seat bicycles.

Last of all they should try to remove the status symbol value from the motorcycle and cars among the Maleans. This will require intelligent thinking.

Anonymous said...

Keep your silly bicycle to yourself and the bangaalhees.

Anonymous said...

All Ministers and the President should set an example. In UK David Cameron(Next British PM)is seen driving his bike to work and elsewhere in London. If ministers want something special they could have a tiny national flag on the steering bar.

Anonymous said...

It is a disgrace to see Maldivian women always riding on the back seat of the motorbike.Why can't Maldivian women be in the lead steering the bike instead of leaving that to men.

Anonymous said...

It is haraam for women to ride motorcyles and cars and bicycles on their own. A man should be in charge of the journey.

Anonymous said...

Ministers can walk to work. Their flag can be stuck on the shoulder.

Anonymous said...

If women ever achieve parity with men more women (or atleast same number as men )should be riding the motorbike from the front seat.And not be behind a man all the time.

Anonymous said...

Don't try to take us for a ride. keep your silly bicycle to yourself.

Anonymous said...

The best solution is camel. it will have the additinal benefit of taking us to paradise.

Anonymous said...

It is haraam for women to ride motorcyles and cars and bicycles on their own. A man should be in charge of the journey.

hahaha..lol..who says its haram...kekek