[sustran] RV: Don't pick on bikes

[Carlos F. Pardo SUTP]

Dear all,

 

We just received this letter from a Bangkok citizen, who wrote to the local
newspaper (Bangkok Post) and cc'd to our project. I thought you might be
interested in reading it, since it's really encouraging to see that a
citizen is really convinced of sustainable transport and looks forward to
improvements. Citizens are key players in the achievement of sustainable
transport policy and practice.

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos F. Pardo 



  _____  

De: chomsgreacen at gmail.com [mailto:chomsgreacen at gmail.com] En nombre de
Chuenchom Sangarasri Greacen
Enviado el: Jueves, 15 de Junio de 2006 10:13 p.m.
Para: postbag at bangkokpost.net
CC: sutp at sutp.org
Asunto: Don't pick on bikes

 

Don't pick on bikes

Thanks to columnist Saritdet Marukatat for bringing the unfortunate
destruction of the Rama III bicycle path to the attention of Bangkok Post
readers (14 June). He didn't have to use the opportunity to pick on
bicycles, however. The columnist labels bicycles as impractical in Thailand
because "this country wasn't designed as a haven for bicycles" and because
"cycling is not the culture here in Bangkok", and because a public figure
was once killed while riding a bicycle.



Give me a break. Speaking from personal experience, our middle class family
of four has no car - just a couple of bicycles (each with a child seat). For
us, bicycles have proven more effective than a car for grocery shopping,
errands, and delivering our son to school. All of this in congested,
car-infested Bangkok.  No pollution. No fuel bills. No challenges finding
parking.
 

Surely biking isn't for everyone, and it is true that Bangkok's rude drivers
make bicycling risky. But it shouldn't be dismissed as impractical either.
If politicians want to gain some points by posing on bicycles, that's OK.
Though the exercise is clearly staged, at least they're setting an example
of sorts. They should follow through by consistently riding bicycles to work
instead of riding in VIP motorcades, by designating more bicycle lanes, by
outlawing polluting 2-cycle motorcycles, and by tuning up dirty diesel bus
engines.
 

Already, bicycles are allowed on the BTS. And high quality bikes are
available at low prices in Thailand thanks to reduced import tax. Just
imagine how much more livable Bangkok would be if more people chose to
supplement car use with bicycling from time to time.
 

Chuenchom Sangarasri

298/770 Narathiwas Rajanakarindra 24

Bangkok Garden

Bangkok, 10120

02-672-0364

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