I can confidently say, that buying a cycle for myself was one of the wisest decision i had taken.
:)
After getting a decent job here in Bangalore, i desperately wanted to buy a new bike.
When i expressed my desire to my parents, they we're skeptical, as in they weren't wrong, after all how many software professionals you see, using a bicycle for all their commutes.
So reluctantly they suggested me to get a cheap bike, coz as per them, this keeda of cycling will anyway die, in one month flat :)
Since i never had a bicycle in my home town, i too was not confident whether i will be using for all my travelling, so on 1st August 2010, i got my first bike, a hero hawk nu age 10speed bike.
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| My first bike, hero hawk nu age 10 speed |
Boss, i was on cloud nine, so happy, my first bike, out of my own money, and that too had gears.
Ok, so what i didn't have any idea how were they going to help me, but i believed this bike, is fine enough to do some decent long distance riding.
And then next day itself, i begun my office commute.
People were kind of surprised, many suggested me to take a bike, they said, its only for children, and not for office goers.
Some said, if your facing some financial crunch, then you can borrow the money from office, and get a motorbike.
But i didn't budge, continued my new love affair, with my bike.
I was crazy about her beauty, admired it, loved it, and when i learnt the usage of gears, it was then it became clear, a bicycle isn't a dumb piece of mechanical components assembled together, its complex, and one can easily feel the difference.
My office was then 3KM from my residence.So apart from the daily 6KM ride, i started using it for travelling to other places.
Slowly the distance pedaled kept on increasing. For traveling to any nooks and corner of Bangalore city, BMTC buses started looking like torture vehicles made for humans, so i avoided it.
Traffic was a no problem, after all how much space does a bicycle takes to move around.
I started challenging my friends with motorbikes and cars, to see who takes less time, no wonder it was me who won most of the times, so they preferred to ignore me, and my cycling spree.
I always had stories, to tell, as in how I broke rules in front of traffic cops, and they never objected, now that's the most exciting part, we have to bribe them every time, for almost no mistake of ours or end up paying a fine, for any irrelevant mistake, but here its all freedom, care free riding.
Traffic was a no problem, after all how much space does a bicycle takes to move around.
I started challenging my friends with motorbikes and cars, to see who takes less time, no wonder it was me who won most of the times, so they preferred to ignore me, and my cycling spree.
I always had stories, to tell, as in how I broke rules in front of traffic cops, and they never objected, now that's the most exciting part, we have to bribe them every time, for almost no mistake of ours or end up paying a fine, for any irrelevant mistake, but here its all freedom, care free riding.
So, after 18 months, the status report says:
1) I am a firm believer, you don't need motored vehicle in Bangalore. That's why i didn't buy one.
For any commuting no matter how long or short, it can be done on a bicycle.
2)Distance increased, have done a few centuries to brag about, as in this includes 148KM, 170KM, and
a 200KM ride.
3)My colleagues now consider me a fanatic.
They no more give me any suggestions apart from the safety ones. In-fact a colleague got inspired
and gave away his car for daily office commuting, and now uses a bike.
4)Have done around 5000KM, on the same bike.
My bike, has become a source of happiness for me. It makes me feel exuberant, care free.
It brings a change in my monotonous life, and moreover travelling to unknown places is an exhilarating feeling.
It brings a change in my monotonous life, and moreover travelling to unknown places is an exhilarating feeling.
:)
