BICYCLES - OUR HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION TOOLS

Media support for bi cycle movement
In almost all the magazines and the daily newspapers, it will be very difficult to see bicycles either in the advertised pages or in the news / stories section; At the same time Not only in glossily advertised segments, but also in the regular columns , we can see numerous articles on the fossil fuel consuming vehicles : cars, mobikes, electric scooters etc.
Further, It is very rare to see news about cycle rallies, patrols, races, relays etc. We need to promote the bicycles in every possible media with celebrity ( sports / cinema ) endorsements.


It is high time to advertise the benefits and joy of cycling.






Put the pedal power in the proper perspective.
People in general, and youth in particular are proud in showing off their cars / motorcycles/ scooters. This addiction to fossil fuel consumption is surely dangerous for us, given our burgeoning oil imports and the pollution load they cause.
Pedal power promises a clean and green future for our children and grand children. It will ensure a healthy nation and healthier people. To succeed, we need commitment from the top people among the executive, judiciary, legislature and all segments of civil society including media, celebrities, sports and film stars, religious organizations and voluntary movements. Given the notable achievements in health care and environment protection, coordinated mission by the national authorities along with the UNDP, UNEP & WHO will achieve the desired results.


Presently, except for a very small segment of population , bicycles are the symbols of poverty / lack of affluence. We must promote them as environment saviors . The cyclists should be placed along with environment crusaders / warriors / protectors.
Human legs / hands powered transportations (Bicycles, Tricycles, Cycle Rickshaws, Pedi cabs) are among the viable environment friendly, healthy alternatives for personal short distance commuting. Also they are ideal for low volume, low speed, low weight goods transport with in towns, parts of cities and in between villages These environment friendly transport resources must be promoted with RESERVED, EXCLUSIVE space in roads and priority parking in addition to every tax break possible, subsidies and concessions. At the same time, the fossil fuel consuming vehicles for personal use (2, 3, 4 wheelers) must be taxed right from the manufacturing stage to selling, insuring, fueling, using and parking stages appropriately
How to do it?

Catch, hook, lure the young and the health conscious. Every school going girl / boy should have access to and availability & affordability of Bi-cycles. It is the season of freebies. Let the cartel / coalition /amalgamation of Bicycles manufactures, wholesalers, retailers, repairers, renters, health experts, educationists and of course the ultimate beneficiary students and their parents press for it with the power centres of various levels of Government bodies. {It can be given a suitable name: FOPPSAI - Federation of Pedal Power Stakeholders’ Association of India}
As of now, in TAMILNADU STATE the government school students studying 11th standard are being given free bicycles by the govt.( Bihar and some more states have similar programmes)
We must start the free distribution of bicycles from 6th stand onwards. And when they reach 9th / 10th standard , they should be rewarded with suitably larger bicycles.

Needless to say, We must ensure bi -cycle repair shops in or near all the campuses.
.Health is Wealth
Let us create or improve or improvise cycle paths in and along every arterial road and city roads also. Let the importance of cycling in the overall management of health of all the active people both at the individual and institutional level be reinforced.
Promotion through sports
Why don’t we have “tour – de – india” cycle race like the “tour – de – france”. We can have state/ region / zone / city/ district level races / rallies to begin with. And with experience we can have national and international events
Trendy, fashionable light weight carbon frame bicycles, Sports bicycles, multiple geared versions, All Terrain / Mountain bikes etc. can be easily promoted in the rich, affluent, private schools and universities. (It is marvelous to see thousands of students riding the modern cycles in the MIT, MANIPAL campus ). .

Among the possible places for these high end Bi cycles ( let us call them the pedal powered Rolls Royces, Porches, Ferraries, BMWs, Mercedeses ) are the new and upcoming cluster of gated communities, resorts, sports hostels, Training academies for armed forces & civil services, industrial townships , Offcity Software campuses etc .
Foldable Bi-cycles are fairly common in Europe. People used to carry them in trains, buses, ferries, boats and cars. In the late 1990s , in India , we have a foldable bi-cycle named FOLDMAN.
Can we revive it ?

Let these MODERN bicycles be the FASHIION STATEMENT of the deep pocketed youth. Infact in rural regions the simple bicycles are already perceived as SYMBOLS OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, Let them furnish their bicycles with accessories like brief case / bag holders, strap ons & hooks, covers, reflectors, speedometers, odometers, stands, carriers & baskets , Dynamo powered head lights , signal indicators and what not.



Financial support:
Just like wind mills and solar energy devices the pedal power industry should lobby for Zero tax status and liberal consessions at every stage. Let the FOPPSAI devise its schemes.
PEDICABS
It is impossible to miss the proud rider / driver along with happy pillion rider / passenger comfortably sitting there in almost every fossil fuel guzzlers. Here , We need the support of bicycle designers / fabricators. Couldn’t we develop pedals for pillion riders also. Also what about the Low weight PEDICABS in which a family of three / four can conveniently to move around ( In NEWYORK CITY these pedicabs are making their appearance)
If they are properly promoted in our country, we too can hook a few environment conscious families/ couples / groups towards these pedicabs.

LET US PEDAL DAILY FOR SHORT DISTANCES AND KEEP OURSELVES FIT FOR LONG TIME : ALSO LET US HAVE THE SATISFACTION OF SERVING HUMANITY BY SHUNNING FOSSIL FUEL