Beijing too congested for bicycle army's return

• Source: Global Times
• [01:32 January 26 2010]
• Comments

By Chen Chenchen

The young Russian singer Katie Melua provided her fans with a haunting concept of Beijing in her 2005 pop song "Nine Million Bicycles."

Today a lot of people still croon, "There are nine million bicycles in Beijing. That's a fact. It's a thing we cannot deny. Like the fact that I will love you till I die."

What has grabbed them is not the soul-stirring love story, but the astonishing fact that Beijing has nine million bicycles!

Far from the vision conjured up by the song, there isn't an imposing bicycle army on the streets. Currently less than 20 percent of Beijingers choose to travel by bicycle. According to its recent action plan to promote humane, scientific and green transportation, the Beijing Municipal Government proposes to raise the ratio of bicycles in the capital to 23 percent. In which case, it would surpass travel by car and taxi and rank second only to public mass transportation.

Unfortunately, as a once-cycling enthusiast, I'd say the city is still too far from being prepared to embrace the bicycle army's return.

The transportation department envisages that within five years rent-a-bicycle points would spring up at the city's public transport hubs, and bicycle parking lots will emerge beside transfer stations. This means that one can hire or park a bicycle almost wherever and whenever one needs to. However, the agony of a cyclist is unlikely to end anytime soon.

On the roads of Beijing, despite the dedicated bicycle tracks, one who dares to pedal is at the mercy of swarms of automobiles and pedestrians. It is a lucky spectator who gets to witness a lone cyclist's fascinating moves amidst the intimidating traffic.