From Chinese Press
Cycle and help the environment
(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-08 09:17
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There are many reasons why fewer urban residents ride bicycles today. Treating cyclists as equals to automobile drivers can encourage more people to ride bikes and reduce pollution, says an article in Xinhua Daily Telegraph. Excerpts:
Walk or take a ride trough any big Chinese city and you will see large stretches of many bicycle lanes on the two sides of roads being used as parking lots, where bona fide attendants collect parking fees. This forces cyclists to compete with vehicle drivers for space in the motor lanes.
Many drivers take it for granted that bicycle lanes can be used as motor lanes during traffic congestions. No wonder, parents don't encourage their children to ride bicycles anymore.
Besides, cars have become status symbols, and cyclists' rights are not safeguarded properly - at least not like vehicle drivers'.
Cyclists' status and integrity should not be demeaned. On the contrary, bicycles are not only a healthy means of transportation, but also environmentally friendly.
The return of bicycles on roads is a return to rationality and a healthy lifestyle. As more people become aware of the drawbacks of modernization and urbanization, bicycles will regain their popularity and we will see more cyclists on city roads.
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