I bike...Do you CYCLE???

I think I must have been in grade 9 when I got my first bicycle--- "Hero Queen" it was called. It was red color with a basket infront. I remember going to store with baba and Mahendra uncle, who owned a cycle repairing store just by our house and we thought he would be our expert to guide our cycle shopping. Must have been after Dashain (greatest Hindu festival in Nepal), I broke my piggy-bank, had some Dashain dakshina (along with some blessings we get some money in Dashain) and some contributions from my parents, I got my bicycle. The main purpose was to help me commute for my daily tuition classes. Let me make you aware that by the time I got my bicycle I had just ridden my friend's cycle once and practiced riding it in baba's big cycle.

It was common to have a cycle in Rajbiraj as motorcycles were expensive for a middle class family to afford, scooters were ladies' ride (not preferred and not a "trend" then) and cars were rich people rides. So, we only had one option i.e. bicycles. 

I have loads of memories with my bicycle. I used to wash it regularly; first few days I was very careful riding it but one fine day when we went to see Rajbiraj not-in-function airport I fell off my bike, got some scratch on it and tore my favorite new pair of jeans. I think after that I never fell off but my new bike was no more new to me. And not to forget, after every 2 days I used to go to Mahendra uncle's shop and pump air in my bike. In short, I used to love my bike.

After my 10th exam, I moved to Kathmandu, then Aayu, my sister rode it. It served her for the same purpose: for tuition classes. After she moved to Kathmandu, baba rode it for a while then we sold it to Mahendra Uncle I suppose. :(

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When I came to Kathmandu, things were different. While it was very common to ride bicycles in Rajbiraj, motorcycles were alternative in Kathmandu. While every houses in Rajbiraj had a cycle, almost every houses had bikes (as we used to call) there. Only the men (whom everyone called bhaiyyas) who sold veggies in their bicycles or those who collected papers, bottles, tins in their cycles rode cycles. 

I went to Rajbiraj only once after I moved Kathmandu, so I only rode my cycle once when I was there.

It was not possible to ride bicycles in Kathmandu, as bikes were in fashion, the terrain to some extent, no bicycle lanes (well, that can't be an excuse because there were no separate lanes for bicycles in Rajbiraj as well but people rode them) and the most important one which I think is the attitude of people. If I think of now, bicycles were poor people's ride, I mean common people's ride. People preferred buying motorcycles (even in installments or loans) because it was a status symbol. And those who couldn't afford motorbikes, there were safa tempo and Nepal Yatayaat or other public buses and taxis of course. 

Now when I think (which was a stupid thought), I had the same attitude i.e. bicycles were common people's ride. "It is cool to have a motorbike". "Or ride a mountain bike", it's fashion because its expensive. 

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Almost after 12 years of  my first bicycle in Rajbiraj, I got my second one in Copenhagen, Denmark. Why do I cycle now when travelling in buses is so easy here?
                                                   That is only because my attitude has changed. 

When I first came here, among many other questions my land lady asked, "So, do you have any plans of biking?" Hell yeah, let me enlighten you that the term bicycling or cycling have transformed as 'biking' here. 

It is so fascinating to see each and every people riding bikes here. Be it a small kid riding his/her bike to school, some followed by their parents while some on their own; or some teenagers dressed up for the Friday night party or some people suited up going to their offices or some tourists in the rented bikes or even people of my grandparents age riding or many students like me; every one ride bikes here. Well, when I was a new kid in the town and tried for the free 'Great Copenhagen Tour', my guide said , "Don't be surprised if you get hit by a bike here". It was true for this place as they say vikings blood get hot if you interfere with their biking.

When you come to Copenhagen, your attitude towards bike changes on its own and you want to join the biking bandwagon in this Cycling city. 

One main reason of the flourishing cycle culture here is that people respect bikers. Not only there are separate cycle lanes but people really do wait for bikes and give them space. I was surprised to see so many cars in Oslo after seeing so many bikes in Copenhagen. Well, there are few cycling rules you should be aware of if you want to bike here and be alive 'coz Danes really get pissed off when someone comes on their way while biking. And they keep on biking no matter if there's sun (few weeks of summer) or rain or cold and snow (I need to see that). 

Besides these, there are cycle parking stands outside every where you go be it the universities or central stations or any streets and you don't need to pay for it and it is free to pump air in your bikes and the pumps can be found outside every bike stores or even in the libraries or your university.

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I wish same was in Nepal as well. We, Nepalese always objectify our happiness with money. We prefer to have motorbikes or cars: but not cycles? The air here is so fresh to breathe while in Nepal we complain about pollution all the time and on the same hand we want to ride bikes and scooters and cars as well. 

I won't say the blockade that was a year ago was a good thing, but the silver lining of that blockade was people started riding cycles (though it has again gone to the same condition as before), there were few vehicles running in roads and more on the queue for fuel. Wasn't that air fresh to breathe? 

We don't need to go to Nagarkot or Sarangkot or Bhedetar to breathe fresh air. We can get the same in Kathmandu valley if we at least try!

We use our handy bikes and scooters even to go to the store that is 5 minutes from our house. Can't we use our feet to cover that distance? There are few small things that we do, can do wonders for all. It is so nice to see some efforts made to remove the vehicles that are parked on the cycle lanes. We don't have much bike lanes and those we have are covered by 4 wheelers. 

Every time I bike here in Copenhagen, I wish I could bike in Kathmandu as well when I return. Now that our government also has agreed to the international law of Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as a citizen it is our duty to make this happen with a little contribution from our side as well. 

Now next time, when you think of buying a motorcycle or a scooter or a car, how about giving bicycle a thought!

My bike I had almost 12 years ago. This isn't my bike as I never clicked any photos of my bike then. This one is from google. Exactly the same bike in red.

Posing with my bike in Copenhagen.

Bikes in my University

Sometimes I don't find a place to park my bike.