This pandemic is proof that we should all learn how to bike

A resident of Wuhan, China uses a bicycle to travel around the city amid suspension of public transportation due
to a government-imposed lockdown to prevent the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus. Photo by Wu Hong/EPA

Nurses and doctors waiting for hours on end for a ride to the hospital. Construction workers forced to walk from Metro Manila to their home provinces for several days. BPO workers having to live in their offices as they can't leave their jobs and go home. Breadwinners with no choice but to walk to the supermarket and pharmacy and back to their homes.

I haven't written anything on this blog for a long time (my last post was in 2017). I have not biked in a long time too as I've been busy with work commitments. But I came out of my long hiatus to tell you this:

If there is one thing that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has taught us about mobility, it's that we should all learn how to ride a bicycle.

When the Covid-19 outbreak was suddenly declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, countries around the world immediately began to suspend all forms of air and sea travel.

Eventually, when the Philippines began to impose an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) throughout Luzon on March 16, public transportation was suspended in a bid to prevent the virus from further spreading and claiming more lives.

With city buses, rail systems, jeepneys, taxis, and even tricycles and pedicabs prohibited from operating, many Filipinos who still needed to work were forced to walk from their homes to their workplaces. These include frontliners like doctors and nurses who are fighting the spread of the disease in various hospitals throughout the country.

While the government eventually provided these frontliners with free shuttle services to transport them to and from hospitals and other essential facilities, those who cannot avail of these shuttle services relied on what is available and permitted at the time: bicycles.

Those who already own bicycles were quick to adopt to these two-wheeled metal horses. For those who do not have one, a community of cyclists decided to solicit cash donations or collect bicycles donated by kind cyclists to provide frontliners with bicycles to use in their commute.

As bicycles can only carry one person, they're the ideal mode of getting from point A to B while practicing physical distancing at the same time. A cyclist wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE) like a face mask, goggles, gloves and face shield can travel to their destination and evade people who are potential carriers of the virus.

With only one member of the family allowed to go out of the house during community-imposed window hours, bicycles are the perfect vehicle to use in accomplishing errands such as buying medicine and groceries. You can even take it along with you while queuing outside a store and doesn't take up much space when it needs to be parked. If you're planning to buy groceries, it's easy to fit your bicycle with baskets in front and in the back.

The usefulness of bicycles also beats other forms of mobility. Those using motorcycles and cars are limited by the amount of fuel they can carry and the unforeseen vehicle break down. With many fueling stations and repair shops closed, it's not the best way to move around a locked down metropolis. The bicycle reigns supreme over motorized vehicles as it is human-powered and a knowledgeable, experienced cyclist can easily bring spare parts and conduct repairs on the side of the road.

And then, of course, there is the understated ecological impact of bicycles. As they produce zero emissions, they're highly recommended if you want to have a commute that takes care of the planet. As the enhanced community quarantine cleared our skies of air pollution from vehicles and factories, Filipino have found a greater sense of environmental responsibility. This renewed appreciation for cycling is an expression of that responsibility.

It's ironic that we've taken bicycles and cycling for granted before this pandemic started. Local governments have either not given bicycle infrastructure enough consideration or totally ignored the idea. Our car-centric society has placed a premium on four-wheeled vehicles instead of these handy two-wheeled metal horses. This pandemic has made us realize that bicycles and cycling are an essential mode of public transportation — one that can withstand various crises like pandemics, cataclysms and armed conflict.

When this all over, I sincerely hope that our nation's attitude toward bicycles and cycling changes. After this pandemic, the government should include cycling as a mandatory part of the Physical Education subject in elementary and high school curricula. May it also spur the government to invest in the promotion of cycling as a mode of transportation and in the construction of bicycle infrastructure like bicycle lanes and bicycle parking racks. May it also lead to greater enforcement of laws and enactment of more stringent policies designed to combat air pollution so that more Filipinos would be encouraged to take up cycling.

As in countries like Denmark, The Netherlands and Japan, may our new-found appreciation for biking bring about the rise of a biking culture that seamlessly integrates these two-wheeled metal horses into every aspect of community life.

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