week 7 article 2
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/city-of-kolkata-bans-bikes-to-reduce-traffic-but-indias-environmentalists-workers-protest/2013/10/15/f07ac840-3189-11e3-ad00-ec4c6b31cbed_story.html
2. category: bike laws
3 level: local
4. This article concerns: The city of Kolkata has banned bicycles in one of India's most populated and crowded cities for easing the traffic flow.
5. How it affects individuals and families: For a lot of these individuals they highly depend on bikes for transportation and for their business. This ban has been causing a lot of people to get tickets over and over again but some of these people can't afford a vehicle or to pay a bus fee. Also people like milkmen and newspaper boys need their bikes to do their job because there isn't any other way for them. The people who own bike businesses are losing a lot of money because of this, they can't sell any bikes because of the recent ban. These people who use their bikes regularly are going to repeatedly be fined because they don't have any other way to get around or make money.
6. My input: I think that this is a horrible idea to ban bicycles in one of the most crowded cities. Traffic flow is going to be bad no matter what so why ban bikes when that is a lot of peoples transportation and how their business. It's a time when traffic and air pollution are at its worst so it doesn't make sense to ban bikes and force everyone to use motorized vehicles. Countries like this a lot of people are poor so they use their bikes as a way of getting them from place to place, they can't afford to pay to ride the bus when they are used to getting places for free. Its making everyone's lives complicated who depend on cycling for their livelihood. This is a time in that country where they should be keeping people on bikes and not forcing them into cars, especially when they are complaining about the traffic flow already. They clearly haven't thought about how much this affects all the workers and the poor in this city which is a shame. I think banning bikes is the worst thing you can do to try to reduce traffic flow, I feel like that would make traffic even worse by forcing everyone to use cars and buses. This isn't like America where when we need things we go to the store, people in cities like this sell stuff out on the streets and depend highly on bicycles for transportation. For the people who don;t have a car or use the bus, they most likely have a low income already, so forcing them to have to pay to go places or have to lose their business because of this is not going to help reduce poverty at all. I understand that they felt like they had to do something to try to help out with the traffic flow but I think they could of thought of something a little better than banning bicycles. all it is doing is making people mad and lose money. I think that if enough people complain and protest about this ban that it can be overturned but the people of that city can only hope so.
I think that banning bikes is ridiculous and should not even be an option. People depend on bikes is their sole use of transportation. This will make travel more difficult and more expensive to those that currently depend on their bicycle. Though there are other options out there, it will definately cost more for an idividual and families to have to find another form of transportation. Poverty is high and this seems as if it will only add more expenses and less options to those in need. If one has invested in a bike, they able to travel to get the proper food and services that they need with no cost to them. Without the option of free travel, one may not even be able to make a trip in order to receive the goods and services that they depend on. Not only is it more costly, it seems a little dramatic. There have to be other options out there; they could possibly widen main roads, and add paths along high traffic roads that could act as detours for bikers. This would help with the flow of traffic and also leave people to feel free to ride their bikes when necessary. It seems as if these people should have a right to be able to ride their bike at their own leisure. After all it is a form of transportation that many people depend on. Without a bike, one may not be able to make a trip to get fruits and vegetables for the family. The family may not be able to afford transportation to town to receive the proper medicine after the cost of treatment. There are many things that just seem wrong about banning such simple, non hazardous object that is very helpful and useful to many individuals and families. It seems as if they are taking away more then jus the use of bikes, it seems as if they are taking away an individuals ability to live conveinently. Not only does this law seem outrageous, I also think that it will not work. As stated above, I agree that traffic will most likely get more congested by adding more motor vehicles. I know that I am always jealous of the bicyclist or motorcyclist that zooms by me while I'm stuck sitting in heavy traffic. Adding more large vehicles such as cars and busses to the roads seems as if it will only cause more traffic to build up in the city. Traffic will like become more congested and it wil end up taking more time and adding more stress to travel from one place to another. I think that they need to rethink this one, and possibly consider other options to solve the traffic issue.
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