Cycling For Fitness

ROAD SAFETY ARTICLE

Four years ago I bought a bicycle. I also bought all other paraphernalia for safe cycling such as the bicycle helmet for my own protection in the event of a possible road traffic crash. Osita Chidoka, the former Corps Marshal was calling the shots at the Federal Road Safety Corps as the Corps Marshal. As head of the Corps, my former boss was a bicycle freak who took after his mentor and boss, late Chief Ojo Maduekwe who himself was an advocate for the promotion of a bicycle riding culture in Nigeria. When the National Bicycle Policy and Strategy code named,’’  Ride to Live ‘’  came on board, yours truly thanks to Osita Chidoka rode along with some colleagues around the Federal Capital Territory on three different occasions. Four years down the line, my bicycle has become a sort of souvenir at home not because I hate riding bicycles which was my past time while growing up, but because of the absence of necessary infrastructures identified in the policy.

 Since I bought my bicycle in 2014, I have transversed Port Harcourt in Rivers State and Jos in Plateau State with my bicycle without even attempting to ride it even once because of the fear of the madness I see on the road daily and the absence of the appropriate infrastructure. However on June 3, 2018, I was almost tempted to join my colleagues on another ride as part of activities lined up by the Federal Road Safety Corps in marking June 3, 2018 as the World Bicycle Day as declared by The United Nations General Assembly in recognition of the need to strengthen and coordinate efforts to promote sustainable transportation and healthy human development. According to experts, the “World Bicycle Day has been created with the unanimous support of UN Member States in an acknowledgement of the uniqueness, longevity, and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries…“Importantly, the declaration recognizes the contribution of the bicycle to community development, nurturing creativity and social engagement and strengthening our connection with the environment.”The UN declaration also calls on Member States to improve road safety and is recognition that the creation of cycle-friendly streets is critical to sustainable transport infrastructure planning and design” .Experts also notes that the declaration is a call on all  to play in road safety and ensuring that global transport systems promote public health and wellbeing.

As I reflect on the June 3 2018 event, I am happy because I declined the invitation to join my colleagues to ride not because there are no benefits for riding but because of the testimony of a colleague who confessed how he overstretched himself while riding and almost passed out. The colleague I must confess here is not on the young side is he is almost due for his exit from government service. The colleague I guess had like me kept his bike on his bicycle rack for a long time before being compelled to ride long distance.  His testimony is a lesson to ensure you know your limit while riding in our clime where the appropriate cycling routes are absent. However, despite my reservation which I have since overcome, I must confess that it was exciting to read media reports on promises made by government especially the FCT Administration (FCTA) which promised to establish bicycle parks in the territory to encourage more people to see bicycle as a means of transportation. The FCT Minister, Muhammed Bello, while receiving participants  made up  the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) urged Nigerians to see cycling as a safer means of transportation to ensure environmental safety.“Promoting the use of bicycle as a mode of transportation is a welcome development. We are all aware that the globally accepted means of transportation started with horses, advanced to bicycles and later to motor bikes and cars.“We appreciate this because it has multiple benefits. It is affordable, and promotes the health and well-being of the users.

“The FCT will recognise this effort and ensure that the issue of establishing bicycle parks, particularly in the offices, markets and other public places, will be taken into consideration,’’ He also promised the provision of dedicated lanes for bicycles. A similar promise was made at the Ministry of Health which promised to include the use of bicycle in the ministry’s policy implementation noting that the use of bicycles help in the prevention of non-communicable diseases. This was in addition to the promise to ensure the establishment of bicycle parks in the ministry.

During the event, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, said  the theme “Cycling for fitness’’ was marked “all over the country to create awareness on the benefits of cycling’.’He  urged all stakeholders and the general public to accept and take up cycling as a means of commuting within reasonable distance of their residence to work and other places of endeavor to reduce traffic congestion.

“Cycling will also help to reduce pollution and urban noise, improve health and reduce the cost of transportation. He urged decision-makers to make cycling safe and reliable and network it with public transport to enable users from long distances combine cycling with public transport.       

Let me bring you back  again to the 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly adopted by a consensus of 193 member states. The declaration invites all Member States and relevant stakeholders to celebrate and promote awareness of the bicycle.It also acknowledges the “uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation, fostering environmental stewardship and health.”

It also recognised that “the bicycle and the user fosters creativity and social engagement and gives the user an immediate awareness of the local environment” and that “the bicycle can serve as a tool for development and as a means not just of transportation but also of access to education, health care and sport.”

The resolution stresses that the bicycle is a “symbol of sustainable transportation and conveys a positive message to foster sustainable consumption and production, and has a positive impact on climate.”

The UN encourages Member States to “devote particular attention to the bicycle in cross-cutting development strategies and to include the bicycle in international, regional, national and subnational development policies and programmes.”It also encourages nations to “improve road safety and integrate it into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning and design, in particular through policies and measures to actively protect and promote pedestrian safety and cycling mobility, with a view to broader health outcomes, particularly the prevention of injuries and non-communicable disease.”The campaign to create a World Bicycle Day was a goal of the World Cycling Alliance and the European Cyclists’ Federation.

I told you earlier why I shied away from riding. The major reason which was highlighted over four years ago is the total absence of cycling infrastructure, law and safety programmes although those who live in enclosed estates  can surmount this especially if you are privileged to live in a well developed estate which the necessary infrastructures. Its more than four years but I am yet to see concrete evidence of some of this challenges being tackles appropriately. Yet I must let you know that riding is fun and has so many benefits. It ranges from the social environmental, health among others.

Let me start from the health benefits which have compelled people like me to make walking and sometimes jugging a daily morning routine. According to the Policy document from where I lifted all of the benefits, increasing people’s physical activity through cycling can help reduce pressure on health services, personal cost and improve life expectancy. Globally physical inactivity is estimated to cause two million deaths every year representing between 10 and 16percent of cases of breast cancer and diabetes and over 20percent of heart disease cases. According to a study in the UK, while about 140 people are killed yearly while cycling around 20000 others die prematurely due to lack of exercise. The study estimates that cycling provides a net benefit which out weights its risk. According to a study by the Copenhagen City Heart Study notes that fast cyclist who spent no more than an hour a day on a bike had the best chance of avoiding premature death. The British Heart Foundation notes that around 10000 fatal heart attacks could be avoided yearly if people kept themselves  fitter doing exercises such as cycling stressing further that you live ten years longer if you can cycle at least 30minutes  daily. There are other health benefits such as helping to address obesity and overweight, reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. Cycling also improves mental wellbeing by reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Men aged over 50 who cycle for at least three hours a week have a 30percent lower risk of impotency than those who do little exercises according to a research by Harvard University. Getting children out of the car where they inhale up to a million times more vehicle emissions to use active transportation is the single most efficient way of improving their physical activity.

Let me now focus on the benefit of cycling with respect to our national road traffic crash reduction efforts. Out of the 20 countries in the global safest roads ranking all have planned and thriving bicycle transportation in their cities. It is also common knowledge that more people cycling and walking reduces victims per crash and takes more vehicles away from our urban centers. It is said that an increase in active transportation in estimated to reduce 500 fatalities per million inhabitants in cities such as London. Also the risk of fatality while cycling is just once every 32million kilometers (20miles) or over 800times around the world based on existing crash statistics in the US.

 

There are other benefits to individuals besides health. Cycling can also save time especially while cycling in peak periods. In terms of cost cycling is cheap. Cycling is a form of transportation to embrace in the face of the economic situation. Before I round up this piece which is mostly borrowed materials I must stress the need as identified for the necessary infrastructure to be put in place. Although the aim of the strategy is to get 15percent Nigerians cycling by 2017, one of the action points is for states and the Fct to commit 15percent of road transport budget to develop necessary local on road and cycling networks.

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