Cycling In Delhi

The Industrialisation of Traffic: Why Bicycles are Faster than Cars – Ivan Illich The model American male devotes more than 1,600 hours a year to his car. He sits in it while it goes and while it stands idling. He parks it and searches for it. He earns the money to put down on it and to meet the monthly instalments  He works to pay for gasoline, tolls, insurance, taxes, and tickets. He spends four of his sixteen waking hours on the road or gathering his resources for it.

Cycling offers such a contemplative environment, the silence within. Here is a brilliant article by Ivan Illich who argues that silence itself, like so many other Commons, need to be protected, defended. Computers are doing to communication what fences did to pastures and cars did to streets. (Ivan Illich)

A bicycle rally in Delhi to promote the eco-friendly vehicle was organised in New Delhi, one of the most polluted capitals in the world.The 20-km-long rally was organised by the Delhi Cycling Club and a non-government organisation, IDP India.

Delhi's master plan has several masterly strokes and the flyover is a prominent one amongst them. The long journey across could have been pleasurable had these been made with the cyclists in mind. Bicycles are non-pollutants, do not emit smoke, leave no engine oil residue, are safe – cannot kill anybody – do not depend on petrol. A truly green Delhi should strive to reduce wasteful private transport and promote the use of bicycles. It's so simple.