Composed and compiled by Krishna Chetry
This event was remarkable in many ways as they strike on the right time
when we are facing problems of fuel shortage, traffic conjestion, fuel crisis, and lot more in the valley to mention. But the paradox here is that instead of the Government’s policies to focus and implement policies to foster and encourage people the eco-friendly and economy friendly means of transportation to the public, it was the Citizen’s Rally to pressurize the Government for separate cycle lanes in the valley and an alarm for the Government “Wake -up leaders, you may be sleeping, but we are not”. Kudos to the Awake, alert Citizens of the nation.
Cycling has a number of benefits to individuals and the wider community. Firstly, it’s an excellent form of physical activity, with significant health benefits. Secondly, by offering an alternative to motorised transport, it presents an effective method of reducing transport related greenhouse gas emissions, in an otherwise suffocating city like Kathmandu with pollution, smoke, smog and various other harmful emissions from the burning chimneys and vehicles. Thirdly, cycling is an economically efficient activity, as it lowers transport costs, through reduced fuel expenditure and individual contributions to congestion. Finally, cycling enhances the livability and social health of communities.
Economic Benefits of Cycling
The economic benefits of cycling have gained increased recognition in recent years. Spiralling fuel costs and urban congestion has refocused attention towards less energy and space intensive forms of transport. Cycling, with no oil requirements, offers an effective way to lower the pain at the pump. The benefits extend beyond the individual and flow to the wider community, as each additional dollar not spent on fuel can be injected into more productive sectors of the economy. Traffic congestion also impacts negatively on the economic performance of our urban areas. Taking around 1/10 the road space of a car, bicycles are an effective tool to unclog our congested streets.
Health Benefits of Cycling
The health benefits of cycling have been shown to be a primary reason why many people choose to cycle. A significant proportion of the population does not participate in the necessary levels of physical activity to protect against sedentary lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Cycling has been shown to significantly reduce the chance of developing these and other types of disease. Integrating cycling into everyday life, by using the bike as a form of transport has been shown to be a very sustainable method of regular physical activity.
Social Benefits of Cycling
Over recent years there has been an increasing level of acceptance of the importance of livability in our communities among the educated and alert citizens of the valley. Though the Government and policy –makers has not yet realized that unnecessary car use can impact negatively on livability of the people. Bicycle use has been shown to have positive impacts on livability – by creating quieter, safer streets as well as providing an active form of social interaction.
Benefits for senior citizens
Cycling is an excellent exercise for seniors offering aerobic fitness benefits that can help to reverse some of the effects of ageing and an enjoyable way to get outdoors. Regular riding can help to reduce symptoms associated with arthritis, hypertension, asthma and depression, and can also help prevent heart disease when coupled with a diet low in fat, salt and sugar. Some recent healths surveys have found that people over the age of sixty who cycle regularly are 50 per cent less likely to have a heart attack. Riding a bicycle is has none of the joint shock from continuous impact with the ground that occurs during other activities such as jogging and power-walking. Any exercise is good for you, especially exercise that uses the major muscle groups.
Remember to enjoy your cycling and avoid trips that are too exhausting or intense. Start slowly and gradually increase the ride distance and/or your speed. Seek out the excellent information available on routes and cycling rules, and consider joining a club to share the experience with other like-minded people. If you are over 45 and suffer from a heart condition, obesity or high blood pressure, or if you are a smoker, see your doctor before starting exercise.
Steps to be taken to improve cycling performance, safety, comfort, and enjoyment:
1. Absolutely crucial to use your head: always wear a helmet. If all cyclists wore helmets, pe half of the deaths and injuries related to cycling can be prevented.—especially in children—could be avoided. Choose a bright color, and make sure the helmet fits properly. It should sit horizontally on your head and shouldn't move about.
2. Using brake. To exert optimal pressure, brake with your hands at the ends of the levers. For a quick stop, as you press the brakes firmly, slide your buttocks to the very back of the saddle. This will keep the rear of the bike down so that you don't flip over the handlebars.
3. On a long downhill, don't stay on your brakes. That may overheat the tire's rim and could cause a blowout. It's safest to "feather brake"—that is, tap the brakes, applying intermittent pressure. This is wise in wet weather, too.
4. Don't pedal in high gear for long periods. This can increase the pressure on your knees and lead to overuse injuries such as biker's knee. Shift to lower gears and faster revolutions to get more exercise with less stress on your knees. The best cadence for most cyclists is 60 to 80 revolutions per minute (rpm), though racers pedal in the range of 80 to 100 rpm.
5. Going uphill, shift gears to maintain normal cadence. On a long hill, conserve energy by staying in your seat.
6. When cycling at night or when visibility is poor, wear brightly colored, reflective clothing, and use your headlight. In fact, wearing bright colors is a good idea at any hour. Also consider a rear strobe-type light (attached to the bike or your belt) to enhance visibility at night.
7. Make sure your bike fits for easy riding. Handlebars, saddle, wheels, gears, and brakes can all be adjusted to match your size and riding ability, but the frame has to fit from the start. To find the right frame size, straddle the bike and stand flatfooted: on a road bike, there should be one to two inches of clearance between your groin and the top tube. On a mountain bike, the clearance should be two to three inches or even more.
8. Position the saddle right to protect your knees. At the bottom of the stroke, your knee should be only slightly bent. If your knee is bent too much, the seat is too low, and you will lose stroking power and strain your knees. If the knee locks when extended, or if you have to reach for the pedal, the seat is too high, which can also stress the knee. The saddle should be level.
9. Position the handlebars correctly—one inch lower than the top of the seat. Drop handlebars (preferable because they allow you to change your riding position) should be about as wide as your shoulders or slightly narrower. Some cyclists who suffer from neck or back discomfort may prefer upright handlebars.
10. To avoid saddle soreness, get the right seat. The hard narrow seats on racing bikes can be particularly uncomfortable for women, who tend to have widely spaced "sit bones." Special anatomically designed saddles—wider and more cushioned at the back—are easy to install. Gel-filled saddles or pads or sheepskin pads can ease the pressure and friction.
11. Change your hand and body position frequently. That will change the angle of your back, neck, and arms, so that different muscles are stressed and pressure is put on different nerves.
12. Don't ride in the racing "drop" position (with your hands on the curved part of the handlebars) for a long time. This may cramp your hands, shoulders, and neck.
13. Unless you're an experienced cyclist, don't use those special aerodynamic handlebars—shaped like an upside-down "V"—which let you lean forward on your forearms and thus reduce wind drag and increase your speed. These increase the risk of injury.
14. After a long uphill, don't coast downhill without pedaling. As you climb up the hill, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and can contribute to muscle soreness. By pedaling lightly but constantly while coasting downhill (even if there's little resistance) you can help remove the lactic acid.
15. Keep your arms relaxed and don't lock your elbows. This technique helps you absorb bumps from the road better.
16. Wear the right shorts if you cycle a lot. Sleek cycling shorts have less fabric to wrinkle or bunch up, so there's less chance of skin irritation. For extra protection, choose cycling shorts with special lining or padding to wick away perspiration and no seams at the crotch.
17. Don't wear headphones. They can block out the street sounds you need to hear in order to ride defensively. Cycling with headphones is a misdemeanor in some areas.
18. Ride with traffic, obey all signs, and give right of way to cars.
19. Use hand signals to alert drivers to your intentions.
20. Try to make eye contact with drivers as you pull into an intersection or make a turn, so they know your intentions and you know that they've seen you.
21. Don't ride side by side with another cyclist.
22. Watch out for storm drains, cattle guards, and rail-road tracks. They're all slippery when wet. And if you don't cross them at a right angle, your front tire may get caught.
23. When cycling in heavy traffic, on a narrow road, or on winding downhill roads, ride in the lane with the cars, not to the side, where you're not as visible and may get pushed off to the side. Of course, if a car wants to pass, move out of the way.
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