Bicycle is the common man’s ride

Bicycle is by far the most efficient means of converting human energy into mobility. Bicycles are widely used for transportation, recreation and sports.

- RAMESH SARRAF DHAMORA

Bicycles are essential for transporting people and goods in areas where fewer vehicles are available. Cycling reduces air pollution and provides full body exercise. In such a situation, the importance of World Bicycle Day is to promote the use of bicycles among all people of the society and to encourage cycling at the national and local level to strengthen physical and mental health well-being. The first World Bicycle Day was celebrated on June 3, 2018. Since then, Bicycle Day has been celebrated every year in the world. This time we are celebrating the seventh World Bicycle Day. The United Nations had announced to celebrate World Bicycle Day to promote it as a common, cheap, reliable, clean and environmentally friendly means of transport. On 12 June 1817, Baron Karl von Drais introduced the world's first bicycle in Mannheim, Germany. It was made of wood and had no pedals, gears or chains. It pushed itself first with one foot and then with the other. He called it Laufmaschine (ramming machine in German). Now, students in Japan's Fukuoka city have made a bicycle that runs on air. The bicycle has played a very important role in India's economic progress. Since independence, the bicycle has been an essential part of the country’s transport system. Especially from 1960 to 1990, most families in India had a bicycle. It was the most powerful and economical means of personal transport. In villages, farmers used to take vegetables and other crops to weekly markets by bicycle. Milk was supplied from villages to nearby town markets by bicycle. The entire system of the postal department ran on the basis of bicycles. Even today, postmen deliver letters by bicycle. After China, even today India is the country that manufactures the most bicycles in the world. Most of the modern infrastructure being developed in India is being built to provide facilities to motor vehicles. Environmentally friendly vehicles like bicycles are being ignored. Whereas bicycles have an important plac