Ninth edition of RxLife Hercules Cycle Rally today

The ninth edition of RxLife Hercules Cycle Rally will be organised by SvastiRxlife Trust in Mangaluru on December 6.

More than 12,000 cyclists have participated in the last eight editions of the event with the first edition seeing 240 riders take part in 2007.

The rally will be flagged off by City Police Commissioner S Murugan. It would cover a distance of 18 km, passing through Kottara, Kuloor,Tannirbavi, Kottara, Urvastore, Ashoknagar, Hoigebail, Batteri and concludes at Amrita Vidyalayam School Grounds, Boloor.

The idea behind holding the event is to evoke interest in cycling, which apart from being a common man's mode of transport, is also a widely acclaimed fitness routine, Coordinator Narendra Nayak said. The event seeks to inculcate among children, basic riding reflexes, road sense, spirit of adventure and thrill of balancing on wheels. The focus this year is on road safety with the punch line 'Safe Road, Safer Rides', he added.

With more than 2,200 riders participating in the last year's edition, the organisers are expecting more numbers this year. About 200 volunteers, who under the guidance of Giridhar Kamath, chief coordinator, have taken all steps to make the event more about the spirit of cycling.

With a pilot jeep leading the rally, an ambulance with team of doctors from KSHEMA will follow them. Cycle rescue vans will ensure that breakdowns are attended on the spot and the cyclists complete the rally. To ensure that cyclists do not suffer from dehydration, water points, orange points and dry fruits points have been arranged at various locations along the route. Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists and Indian Medical Association will give a practical demonstration on basic life skills on this occasion.

All the banners and hoardings propagate road safety slogans like ‘Learn to let go’, ‘keep left’; ‘Keep pedalling, you will find your way’, etc.

Art installation

A group of artists under the leadership of Harish Kodialbail have erected an installation art at Ballalbaggurji Circle, using four cycles with wings. The installation shows road safety slogans pasted on cycle rims.

While the cycle painted red, yellow and green depicts one’s duty to follow the traffic signals, the cycle in blue conveys one’s own commitment to practice them voluntarily.

Though it is not a competition, to encourage the participants, nine cycles will be given away as prizes for lucky riders, which includes senior most lady rider, senior most male rider, family on wheels, boys, girls and volunteers too.  The photography contest would be held during the rally.It is open to all. The theme is Cycle Rally.  The photographs have to be clicked during the Rally (between 6 a m to 10 am). One can send three photographs for the contest.

Entries to be mailed to [e-mail]-m before December 10.  The rally also intends to impress upon the local administration to take Road Safety measures like foot Path, Zebra cross for pedestrians, Two wheeler Lanes, Bus stops, service roads and pothole free riding roads. It is the dream of every participant to cycle on the Tannirbavi stretch crossing over the hanging bridge at Sultan Battery.