On a Winning Cycle

　　Two wheels are the best way to get around Beijing

　　Put your hand up if you hate sitting in a traffic jam - yes， me too！ As I would imagine， right now， over 7 billion hands would be reaching for the sky， fingers pointed toward the clouds， emphasizing just how much they hate car traffic. So what’s the solution？ Simple： a bicycle.

　　Beijing is littered with pollution-emitting cars clogging up the roads and delaying everyone’s journey from A to B， and all the way to Z. At any time of the day， from 7a.m. through to 10p.m.， you can expect to move at a snail’s pace， inhaling the fumes of cars. Granted， through the cold winter months one can be forgiven for taking a taxi instead of cycling through the bitter frosty days， noses red and frozen， puffs of smoke appearing through deep exhalation on the morning commute to work. But realistically speaking， from April to November， one should ditch the taxi or car and get on a bicycle.

　　Recently， the Beijing Bicycle Strategy and Policy， a project funded by the Asian Development Bank， has been put forward. The plan involves raising Beijing’s bicycle share of transportation to at least 20 percent in 2020， compared to the meager 14 percent in 2012. In 1986， this number was an incredible 63 percent； therefore it’s no surprise that Beijing used to be known as one of the bicycle capitals of the world.

　　The benefits of cycling instead of taking a taxi or driving are a no-brainer， if you ask me - it’s cheaper， healthier， better for the environment， more reliable and convenient， safer， and you don’t get stuck in traffic. There are cycle lanes all over Beijing， along with countless places to rent bicycles at a nominal fee.

　　Beijing， in 1986， witnessed 3.3 million bike trips per day， but due to the explosion of the car market in China over the past decade， the number has dropped at an alarming rate. Cars have become a status symbol of the newly rich and commutes to work are more difficult.

　　When I first arrived in China from England， the whole transport and road system seemed far too chaotic for me. At every intersection and set of traffic lights I didn’t know where to look or when to cross. But the longer I stay here the more I adapt. People know the rules. Safety is obviously of the highest importance and in fact， Beijing’s roads are biker-friendly. Much more so than cars.

　　Furthermore， cycling around Beijing is without doubt the best way to see the city. The capital’s intricate hutong alleys are not made for cars， even though some drivers will still try and navigate their way through the narrow streets. Being on two wheels is much more convenient and you can stop and lock up your bike whenever and wherever you want. If you need even more inspiration then I recommend watching the movie Beijing Bicycle - a fantastic story of a young boy who comes to Beijing to make a living and discovers that having a bike is the perfect way to do that.

　　Right now summer is here with clean air， blue skies and an open invitation to explore. Why be stuck in a car， breathing in fumes and unable to stop and explore at any place you want？ Why pay extra money to get from one place to another when you could easily do it for free while getting exercise？ These questions are easy to answer. All it takes is the motivation to get on two wheels， strap on a helmet， and then you’re free. Free to roam. Free to explore. Beijing becomes your oyster， your playground， your paradise. Trust me， once you’ve started cycling， you’ll wonder why it’s taken you so long to do it.

　　By Denis Green