Philippine Transportation: The Bike Advantage

With cities getting more congested and the thoroughfares more clogged—and the prices of fuel soaring, to top it all—the bike is a good transportation alternative.

In fact many have already opted for a bicycle for their transportation mode going to and from the office, daily. Some have alternating days for bike-riding to the work place. Many have been using bikes for cross city or even cross province treks. Biking is affordable, easy, cheaper to maintain, and good for the health. Here are some tips to further enhance the use of bikes as a transportation mode option.

Always wear a quality helmet and goggles when biking. Bike helmets are not that strong against strong impacts, but they’re better than nothing. They’re not designed for head banging competition, anyway, but for added bike transportation safety. It is expected of bikers to avoid any collision. Goggles are important to prevent dust and other small particles from hurting the eyes while biking. They also prevent perspiration from getting to the eyes. These are important transportation safety factors when biking.

Wear light and slightly fit clothes while riding a bike. Loose clothing can easily get tangled with rear view mirrors or any projecting parts from other vehicles. On the other hand, don’t wear clothes that are too tight. Free-flowing blood circulation while biking is important. Remember, this transportation mode is dependent on pedal power, and that means constant leg pumping that perks up air and blood circulation in the body. Let these processes flow freely in the body.

Always wear biking gas masks. Check the pollution level in the city one is in and make some pollution precaution accordingly. Never assume that a place has tolerable pollution levels. With the trend these days, any city in the country, and in the world, is likely to have high pollution levels. Active lungs while pumping the bike pedals would easily take in carbon dioxide. So a health safety precaution for this open transportation mode is the gas mask solution.

Leave early for work or any destination. Arriving early gives enough time for rest and shower after biking. Bring a small back pack to keep extra shirts and the office uniform, if any. A portable clothes iron may also be handy. Usually, bikes take 25 to 30 minutes to travel a 20-kilometer distance. So adjust traveling time for more rests after a sprint with this transportation option.

A practical transportation option today is a bike. It meets the demands of everyday city life.