I have been wanting to write about my experience on commuting on my bike in this pretty city but somehow I couldn't get my overwhelming emotions typed on keyboard. Today, a small gesture I received on the road while cycling, revived the whole experience, now making me write in a flow as the mesmerising - The Best of Bach is being played in background.
My story dates back to few weeks when I implemented an idea of a friend, who himself is a cyclist, of painting a piece of cloth with a message - "DON'T HONK. IT HURTS." and putting it on the bag whenever I go out for a ride. I painted the message in bold letters on the back side of the blue TCS10K 2014 goodie bag. Well, that was my first 10K in this city blessed with beautiful weather and awesome cycling and running culture. I'm falling in love with this city!
I have a Btwin Lady Rockrider 5.0, which I got last year after watching these awesome cyclists daily on the streets. I am not new to cycling. In fact cycling was my first love! My first cycle was a purple Ladybird, a gift from my maternal grandmother when I was in 6th grade and ever since then I have been cycling. I must admit that cycling culture in Mumbai is nowhere near Bangalore's. Kids back there have cycles. The moment they enter JC, they ride with less pride and more of hubris, on their scootys and pulsers. I always wondered how none of them enjoyed cycling the way I did!
I rode my pretty Ladybird even when it was no longer pretty. The only time I did not get to cycle, for the lack of resources, was when I shifted to Hyderabad for 2 years. But no more craving for that perpetual motion! Bangalore has given me a lot more than I expected. I fall for this city every time I see a cyclist riding with that "I wear biker's pride!" attitude.
Back to my story. This bold message which I painted in white in block letters is for that impatient lot who think that their mindless honking will clear all the traffic ahead! They honk as if the vehicle ahead will disappear or will somehow move aside, even when there's not an inch to move! Then there's honking at the signals the moment the bold red number, decrementing every second, becomes a single digit! Honking doesn't stop even when the roads are all clear. I think it's their way of announcement "Make way for His Highness is arriving in grand style at the greatest possible speed!" Yeah! Everybody is a Shehenshah on the street! Those wheels have power. Those wheels can take you wherever you wish. Those wheels are a status symbol. Wait a second. None of these give you any permission for indiscriminate usage of those decibels.
Why can't there be a little more patience, discipline, politeness and consideration of the situation and people around? Are these things too difficult to achieve? That cyclist friend of mine, who gave me the idea of painting that message, told me about his experience in Thailand where people hardly honk on streets. The traffic there is a silent mass waiting patiently for the vehicles ahead to move. I came across this story when I googled myself to find more about it. Very interesting and inspiring!
My rides back and forth between my work place in Bellandur and house in HSR, with that blue banner on my bag, have been pretty good so far. Right from the first day of pinning that message on my bag, I have observed that people become more conscious before pressing that horn. I have no idea of what they think or feel when they read the message. But somehow I have a feeling that it definitely reaches them in a right way.
Today morning as usual when I was riding to work and I saw a girl on her scooty-something, passed me by, went a little ahead and gave me a very distinct thumbs up! That moment.....I cannot forget! That feeling of support from fellow riders is something I always wish for. I remember when I had started commuting on my rockrider I received thumbs up from other cyclists who commute daily. I talked very excitedly about this "support a fellow rider by showing a thumbs up" to my sister and friends in Mumbai. It is very encouraging and again makes me fall in love with this city!
I asked the TCS10K participants at my work place to donate their bags to me if they aren't putting them to any good use. I plan to upcycle them by painting good messages and distribute them to fellow cyclists who are willing to put it on display whenever they ride. It doesn't really make a huge difference to the noise pollution levels in the city since I'm the only one who is doing it right now. But I still think I should do it since I feel the change should start from me and I know there are many who think on these lines. I'd be glad if other cyclists also agree to display the message on their bags as well.
That's my story of a small effort for a better and sensible living and a story of my love for the city and it's cycling culture.
And that's my bag.
Pretty, isn't it? :)
My story dates back to few weeks when I implemented an idea of a friend, who himself is a cyclist, of painting a piece of cloth with a message - "DON'T HONK. IT HURTS." and putting it on the bag whenever I go out for a ride. I painted the message in bold letters on the back side of the blue TCS10K 2014 goodie bag. Well, that was my first 10K in this city blessed with beautiful weather and awesome cycling and running culture. I'm falling in love with this city!
I have a Btwin Lady Rockrider 5.0, which I got last year after watching these awesome cyclists daily on the streets. I am not new to cycling. In fact cycling was my first love! My first cycle was a purple Ladybird, a gift from my maternal grandmother when I was in 6th grade and ever since then I have been cycling. I must admit that cycling culture in Mumbai is nowhere near Bangalore's. Kids back there have cycles. The moment they enter JC, they ride with less pride and more of hubris, on their scootys and pulsers. I always wondered how none of them enjoyed cycling the way I did!
I rode my pretty Ladybird even when it was no longer pretty. The only time I did not get to cycle, for the lack of resources, was when I shifted to Hyderabad for 2 years. But no more craving for that perpetual motion! Bangalore has given me a lot more than I expected. I fall for this city every time I see a cyclist riding with that "I wear biker's pride!" attitude.
Back to my story. This bold message which I painted in white in block letters is for that impatient lot who think that their mindless honking will clear all the traffic ahead! They honk as if the vehicle ahead will disappear or will somehow move aside, even when there's not an inch to move! Then there's honking at the signals the moment the bold red number, decrementing every second, becomes a single digit! Honking doesn't stop even when the roads are all clear. I think it's their way of announcement "Make way for His Highness is arriving in grand style at the greatest possible speed!" Yeah! Everybody is a Shehenshah on the street! Those wheels have power. Those wheels can take you wherever you wish. Those wheels are a status symbol. Wait a second. None of these give you any permission for indiscriminate usage of those decibels.
Why can't there be a little more patience, discipline, politeness and consideration of the situation and people around? Are these things too difficult to achieve? That cyclist friend of mine, who gave me the idea of painting that message, told me about his experience in Thailand where people hardly honk on streets. The traffic there is a silent mass waiting patiently for the vehicles ahead to move. I came across this story when I googled myself to find more about it. Very interesting and inspiring!
My rides back and forth between my work place in Bellandur and house in HSR, with that blue banner on my bag, have been pretty good so far. Right from the first day of pinning that message on my bag, I have observed that people become more conscious before pressing that horn. I have no idea of what they think or feel when they read the message. But somehow I have a feeling that it definitely reaches them in a right way.
Today morning as usual when I was riding to work and I saw a girl on her scooty-something, passed me by, went a little ahead and gave me a very distinct thumbs up! That moment.....I cannot forget! That feeling of support from fellow riders is something I always wish for. I remember when I had started commuting on my rockrider I received thumbs up from other cyclists who commute daily. I talked very excitedly about this "support a fellow rider by showing a thumbs up" to my sister and friends in Mumbai. It is very encouraging and again makes me fall in love with this city!
I asked the TCS10K participants at my work place to donate their bags to me if they aren't putting them to any good use. I plan to upcycle them by painting good messages and distribute them to fellow cyclists who are willing to put it on display whenever they ride. It doesn't really make a huge difference to the noise pollution levels in the city since I'm the only one who is doing it right now. But I still think I should do it since I feel the change should start from me and I know there are many who think on these lines. I'd be glad if other cyclists also agree to display the message on their bags as well.
That's my story of a small effort for a better and sensible living and a story of my love for the city and it's cycling culture.
And that's my bag. Pretty, isn't it? :)
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