Ride Free
“The automobile has not merely
taken over the street, it has dissolved the living tissue of the city. Its
appetite for space is absolutely insatiable; moving and parked, it devours
urban land, leaving the buildings as mere islands of habitable space in a sea
of dangerous and ugly traffic.” - James Marston Fitch, New York Times
Ask
anybody what is the best thing about Bangalore and you will hear a variety of
responses. The most common being the amazing weather of Bangalore. However,
seldom are we able to enjoy the weather due to our lifestyle and the burgeoning
motorized traffic on the streets in Bangalore.
One
who has lived in the city of Bangalore for just 6 months is familiar with the
traffic situation of Bangalore. People set out as early as 7 in the morning,
with the hopes of avoiding the rush hour traffic but to no avail. Several
flyovers and underpasses which are constructed with the purview of aiding
smooth flow of traffic seem to just worsen the situation. The roads get easily
congested during peak hours and traffic rules don’t seem to help the city
either. It is in times like these, that we need to think about moving towards
cycling and walking for short commutes at the least. To help us move towards
such a dream, Cycle Day is being conducted which is a day where we can step out
onto the streets, look around and enjoy the nature in our vicinity and
rediscover the joys of cycling.
Imagine
a day where the streets are empty. You can step out onto the streets on a
weekend and enjoy the day. You can meet your friends, relatives and neighbors.
Image a day without vehicles. A day that you spend de-stressing yourself with a
relaxing session of Yoga followed by the joys of cycling. Imagine a day without
honks, where the only sounds will be of merry laughter.
What’s Cycle Day? What’s in it for
you?
The
Cycle Day, A BCOS Initiative is a Government Citizen campaign with the aim to
make cycling mainstream and spread awareness about the importance of safe
streets for Non-Motorized Transport users. Bengaluru Coalition of Open Streets
(BCOS) is a non-profit citizen-government initiative, anchored by the Directorate
of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and supported by Praja RAAG, ESAF, cyclists and
individuals across Bangalore. Students of Symbiosis Institute of Business
Management Bengaluru will join hands with NGO Praja to volunteer for this
cause. Cycle Day is an open streets event conducted by BCOS with support from
organizations like Bangalore Police (Traffic and Law & Order) and BBMP and
in association with Community Partners (RWAs/NGOs in the neighborhood). This
day will have a section of the road which will be kept free from traffic.
The
main event will feature a cycle ride for the bicycling enthusiasts as well as beginners.
But that’s not all – there’s more than just cycles! The day will comprise of various
activities including Yoga, Zumba and several street activities. Worried that
you are a beginner at cycling or have never tried Yoga or Zumba? Student
volunteers from SIBM Bengaluru will take you through a gentle Yoga session or
an energetic Zumba workout. And streets void of motorized traffic are best for
learning or rediscovering the joys of cycling.
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We applaud Social Responsibility Committee for stepping forward to join this wonderful initiative.