Monday February 18, 2013
For the love of cycling
BOLD and novel, the Bicycle Map Project has captured the imagination of cyclists and non-cyclists alike. Since founder Jeffrey Lim spread the word a couple of months ago, he has doled out over 200 free base maps.
The project’s Facebook page has more than 200 members so far. Currently, 50 ardent volunteers are tirelessly mapping out various routes around Kuala Lumpur.
A motley crew – from sales executives and architects to designers and musicians – these do-gooders have disparate ideas and hopes for the project, but everyone’s pulling his weight to support the project in one way or another.
A bike commuter for eight years now, Aizat Adnan used to cycle round-trip from his house in Gombak to his office at KLCC, logging about 900km a week on his trusty mountain bike. His usual 32km, round-trip route takes him through Jalan Pahang and Titiwangsa to Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Ampang.
Undaunted by the lack of parking or shower facilities, the resourceful chap befriended security guards who allowed him to store his bicycle in a safe place. He used the plastic hose in public rest rooms for a quick shower. When he is on the road and it rains, he seeks shelter at places like security guard booths.
“For me, bicycle commuting isn’t just about saving money or for health reasons,” says Aizat, 29. “I’m making a statement of sorts. Rather than grumble about petrol price hikes, why not get on your bike?”
After quitting his office job, he still rides to studios and television stations where he does voice-overs for commercials and animations. On weekends, he congregates with his friends to explore every nook and cranny of the city via bicycle.
Aside from mapping the routes, Aizat hopes to contribute by sharing tips on riding safety.
“I don’t think cycling lanes are a priority. It’s more important to learn how to commute in the city, follow the traffic rules and be aware of unsafe roads to travel on at night, for example,” he adds.
Though there are no statistics on the number of folk commuting by bike, Aizat knows of more than 100 daily bike commuters.
“You don’t see them because they usually ride alone,” he adds.
The urban commuter
One such commuter is music composer Ng Chor Guan. Car-less, Ng traverses the city on his faithful Brompton folding bike and lugs his bike on public transport.
“I have never faced any problem taking my foldie on KTM Kommuter and LRT trains or the monorail,” says Ng, 31, who rides from his house in SS2, Petaling Jaya, to all corners of the Klang Valley.
For the bike map project, he is marking his usual commute routes. “Once I rode 50km to Klang to eat bak kut teh. On the way back, I hopped on the bus with my bike because I was too lazy to ride back.”
For Ng, bike commuting saves money and time.
“I could save up to RM1,000 a month if I cycle rather than drive,” he explains. “At times, it is faster to get to my destination by bicycle due to the traffic gridlock.”
When he travels abroad for work, he hauls his bike along. His trusty two-wheeler has taken him across cities like Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, London and even countries like Germany and the United States.
“After riding at –2°C from London to Bonn, Germany, I can happily say Malaysia is a conducive place for cycling!” he says.
New to cycling, Khoo Juan Lyn is keen to help out with the project because she wants to learn more about bike commuting.
“Some days when I’m stuck in traffic, I wish I could just leave my car and ride off!” says the graphic designer who picked up cycling for health reasons about a year ago.
So far she has mapped out a 25km route from Taman U-Thant in Jalan Ampang to Publika at Jalan Dutamas. She uses Google Map on her smartphone and Garmin GPS to track and record the route.
“To realise the vision of bicycle commuting in KL, we will need more than just a map. We need infrastructure like connectivity to public transport, ramp access and bicycle parking,” she adds.
“Hopefully, with this project, we will encourage more people to commute by bike and help ease the cycling process.”
Sense of purpose
For experienced cyclist Alexander McNab, the idea of commuting is appealing but the nature of his job makes it unrealistic.
“Working in sales requires me to run around a lot and smell good when I meet my clients,” says McNab, chuckling.
Of Scottish-Chinese parentage, McNab is a familiar face in the competitive cycling scene with podium finishes in mountain biking competitions and triathlons.
“When I see someone commuting by bike, it inspires and motivates me,” he says.
On hearing about the bike map project, McNab leaped at the opportunity to explore the city by bicycle.
“It’s most satisfying! I found new places which led to good eating places like the wantan mee shop on Jalan Sg Besi and pan mee at Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman,” he says enthusiastically. “I wouldn’t have found these places if I had driven around town. And I have time to stop and chat with people when I’m riding.”
Taking a philosophical turn, McNab talks about what it means to do good.
“I used to be crazy about competitive cycling and yes, it was nice, good fun,” he elaborates. “As I experience more of life, I realise simple living means doing something with a purpose.”
“I love cycling and with this project, I am helping to achieve something. It’s fulfilling to know that at the end of it, every cyclist can have an enjoyable and safe cycling experience. And we can all help to create a better future for the next generation,” the father of two concludes.