JOIN USSlow and steady wins the race may be an overused adage. But it makes sense in Bengaluru where reaching one’s workplace is among the biggest worries. More people are hitting the pedal, namely the cycle, to wade through the bumper to bumper crawl and reach their destinations.
There are a bunch of professionals, most of them in their early 30s, who cycle to work on a regular basis and vouch that they not only reach office faster but also feel fit, positive and energetic throughout the day. Ashok Kumar S, an employee of Broadcom, observes that endless traffic jams have become a characteristic of Bengaluru. This prompted him to think of an alternate commuting options and that’s when he sold his second-hand car to buy a cycle. “I first started cycling to office on a trial basis and before I knew it, I got addicted to it,” explains Ashok who says he reaches office faster than most of his colleagues. He adds, “It is a great way to stay fit and you are also doing your bit to contribute to a cleaner and greener environment.” He feels a lot of Bengalureans would hit the road with their cycles, if the infrastructure across the City was better. “We should have designated parking spaces and dedicated lanes for cyclists,” he shares. Shreeju Narayanan, an avid cyclist, says the sight of other cyclists on the City roads inspired him to hit the pedal. “Cycling leaves me feeling fit and keeps my cold and migraine at bay. And, I think it’s a great way to save time and money,” says Shreeju. He feels the increasing traffic will definitely force Bengalureans to look for other workable options to move around the City.
Among this dedicated group of cyclists are also women who say that cycling to work is the only way they can snatch some time to exercise between managing work and home. Resmi Rajendran, a mother of two and an employee with Cisco, says tight schedules at work and at home left her with little time to exercise. “Combining exercise and commute is the best solution, thus I started cycling to work. I started getting the required exercise, without having to spend any extra time,” says Resmi. She thinks that with a little encouragement from the government, a lot of Bengalureans will take to cycling in a big way. “However, the biggest concern for a cyclist is safety in rash traffic,” she adds.
Nivedita Priyadarshini, an employee with Nilenso Software, says that she started cycling to work to avoid hassles of hailing autorickshaws and cabs. “I thought about getting a car but getting stuck in traffic didn't seem like an attractive proposition. A lot of my colleagues and friends are cyclists and they convinced me to get a bicycle. That’s how I began,” says Nivedita.
She also states that cycling gives her the freedom to scout around the City, without having to deal with the travails of finding transportation. She informs that she works in an office where nine out of 12 people cycle to work. “Cycling seems like an inevitable choice of commute in a City like Bengaluru where the traffic seems to be growing by the day,” she adds. There’s another group that believes cycling has therapeutic effects. “You have to experience it to understand what cycling does to you,” believes Brijesh who began cycling in 2000 in his hometown in Pune and continued the same when he moved to Bengaluru in 2005. “Initially, I started cycling to cut down my weight. But now, it has become a habit and a necessity,” he says. Brijesh sees the ‘culture of cycling’ as more like the rise of a silent revolution. “I prefer to look at cycling more as a crusade because I think it is the simplest way to ease the urban commuting in any growing City. When I first came to Bengaluru, I was the only one cycling in my company but now there are about 75 people who cycle,” explains Brijesh. A few people like Kiran Jonnalagadda, an employee with Hasgeek, didn’t think it was enough to hit the gym only on the weekends, so he made concerted efforts to cycle to work everyday.
“It not only improves the overall fitness level but enhances the quality of life as well,” he says.