Ditch the Jeepney; Ride a Bike
WHY BICYCLE COMMUTING MAY BE YOUR NEW MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
It’s 7:52am on a sunny Tuesday morning. You have been waiting for your jeepney for nearly 30 minutes and you know you’re going to be late for your 8:00am class… again. At that moment, your options are limited. You can start walking (you’ll still be late and sweaty), book an Angkas or Grab (say goodbye to your lunch money), or simply go back to bed and sleep your problems away (what if your mother finds out?). You look up one last time and see it: your classmate speeds past you on his bicycle with a toothy grin and determination on his face. It is then that you’ve made up your mind. It’s time to ditch the jeepney and get yourself a pair of wheels.
Bicycle commuting has become a growing trend in major cities throughout the Philippines. In fact, Marikina City has been dubbed the “Biking Capital of the Philippines” with about 52 kilometers of bike lanes constructed. The Cebu City government has also taken note of the rise of bicycle commuters. There are plans to implement bike lanes in Barangays Sambag 1, Sambag 2, and Calamba. These lanes will provide a shared 1.5-meter-wide pavement on the right side of the road, where bikers will have priority. The city has also allocated P2.2 million for the construction of a bike clinic facility, bike racks in public schools, and for bike markings along the road.1
Sadly, there are many misconceptions about bicycle commuting. In fact, your parents may not want you to ride to school because they think it’s unsafe. However, a study from the University of New South Wales found that as more people ride in a city, the number of collisions between drivers and cyclists decreases. The study found that driver behavior changes to include safer driving practices as more cyclists and pedestrians were on the road.2 In Cebu, make sure you stop at stop lights, use hand signals, and ride with the flow of traffic. Take it slow and your odds of success and safety on the road are even greater!
Biking to school can also save you a lot of money…if you take two [jeepney] rides one way, you could save 6,400 pesos per year.
Now that we’ve determined bike commuting is safe, consider the health benefits. Not only does it burn calories and help you stay in shape, it can also lower blood pressure, boost your energy, improve coordination, and make you smarter. Although you may not become a rocket scientist after one ride, research has proven that moderate, daily exercise can prevent cognitive decline, sharpen your memory, and improve over all brain performance.3
Biking to school can also save you a lot of money. Consider that the average academic school year in the Philippines is 200 days and your minimum ride is 2 timers per day at 8 pesos per ride. By ditching the jeepney, you could save 3,200 pesos per school year! If you take two rides one way, you could save 6,400 pesos per year. Biking will also save you a lot of time, since you won’t be waiting in traffic jams or jeepney lines. As the saying goes, “time is money.”
Now the question is, where do you find the right bicycle and how do you take care of it? No worries! There are a lot of bicycle shops throughout Cebu City. Visit KentCycle, Wellson Bike Shop, or RMC along Osmeña Boulevard Near Sto. Niño Church. They have a wide variety of bicycles in different price ranges and can also help you tune up your bike, add accessories, and replace flat tires.
Before you take your first ride, make sure you’re fitted with a helmet, sunglasses, and bicycle gloves. You may even consider wearing pants, long sleeves, and close-toed shoes for extra protection. Bring water or an electrolyte-drink such as Gatorade or Powerade, especially during the hot summer months. Don’t forget a chain and lock to keep your bike safe at your destination. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, enjoy the ride!
1 tribune.net.ph/index.php/2019/04/02/cebu-city-bike-lanes-now-operational/
2 sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903112034.htm
3 momentummag.com/top-10-reasons-you-should-bike-to-work/