By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Fuel affordability and availability are both becoming issues due to the ongoing crisis, and people are now turning to a mode of transport that doesn’t require one to waste time in fuel lines. The interest in cycling has grown in the past few weeks, and many have started cycling to work.
While this is a solution that people can turn to during current times, there are many practical issues and safety concerns that cannot be dismissed.
A senior lecturer at the Sri Jayewardenepura University, Dr. Meththika Vithanage has been cycling to work for 10 days now. Brunch reached out to her to talk about the reasons behind her decision as well as the pros and cons of cycling to work.
Dr. Meththika Vithanage is no stranger to cycling. She has a PhD in hydrogeology from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. “Everyone in Denmark uses bicycles and I did the same during the 3.5 years there. Prior to that, even during my childhood, I cycled to tuition classes, and to play with the other kids in the playground, and so on,” she said.
Once Sri Lanka was hit by the fuel crisis, Dr. Vithanage had to spend long hours in lines that barely moved. This was while also carrying out her work as a lecturer. She said: “I spend more than 10 hours of my time correcting write-ups from my students, and international collaborators also work with me online. All these things were hindered because of the petrol line.”
This gave her the idea to start cycling again, a decision fuelled by the short distance between her home and place of work, which came to a total of 5 km both ways. Driving such a short distance meant low fuel consumption, which did not make the long wait in line worth it.
She thus took up cycling as an activity, which, she told us, is a good form of exercise while also being a solution to fuel shortages.
Dr. Vithanage went on to say that cycling is becoming a trend in the country. “One of my colleagues, a doctor in Kandy, is also now cycling to the hospital,” she said, adding that a professor at Ruhuna University has also taken up cycling.
Practical issues
While Dr. Vithanage had a positive outlook about cycling, especially over short distances, she also highlighted some of the practical issues with this mode of transport. For one, the current monsoon season brings the onset of heavy rains, which makes cycling a challenge.
Sri Lanka also has a hot and humid climate. Recalling her days in Denmark, Dr. Vithanage said that even if it gets hot, it isn’t humid. This means that sweating is not an issue when cycling in Denmark, but is in Sri Lanka.
Not every place of employment provides facilities for employees to freshen up or have a shower if they cycle to work either. If one has a meeting, for instance, cycling to work that day might not be a good idea.
Fortunately for her, Dr. Vithanage has some flexibility, as her office provides facilities for a quick shower in such instances.
Safety is another concern. “I haven’t had any accidents but safety-wise, we have to be very careful,” she said, explaining that Sri Lanka lacks road discipline, while motorcycles, three-wheelers, and buses make it especially difficult.
“It has not been an issue right now for me, but the probability is there. As cyclists, we have to be very careful. That is another problem. People are scared of cycling because of road safety,” Dr. Vithanage explained.
Cost of a bicycle
Another concern is cost. The price of a bicycle has shot up with increasing demand, with most models exceeding Rs. 40,000.
A video was shared widely online recently, of a man named D.D. Dharmaratne, smiling in disbelief about the price of a bicycle. “I thought it would cost Rs. 20,000 or Rs. 22,000 but they are charging Rs. 49,000 for a bicycle,” he says, adding that his daily commute to and from work is 20 km, for which he uses a motorcycle.
A second video was shared of the same individual, where he explains that he is a public servant and owns a van, in addition to the motorcycle. However, both need fuel, and after waiting in line for three-and-a-half hours to pump fuel for his motorcycle, he decided to purchase a bicycle.
This is when the video was shot and Dharmaratne says he was contacted by people from across the globe, with offers to buy him a bicycle or donate the necessary money. He refused all donations, saying he can afford to buy a bicycle.
“Bicycles should be priced so that people can afford to purchase one with their monthly salary,” Dharmaratne requested.
Dr. Vithanage also spoke about the increase in price, saying this does not make it possible for everyone to purchase a bicycle.
A practice that can be encouraged
While weather, safety, and cost are concerns, Dr. Vithanage said cycling to work, especially for short distances, should be encouraged. She explained that if she was to drive to work, she would be the only one in the vehicle.
“With the fuel crisis, we have to discourage single-person driving. It should be pooled as much as possible,” she said, adding that cycling can be promoted to people who can travel to work on bicycle.
By reducing the consumption of fuel this way, the meagre fuel stocks the country has can be used by people who can’t do without, such as three-wheeler drivers and other daily wage earners, while also promoting a healthier mode of transport for those willing to put in a little effort.
