African Cyclists Try to Make the Continent More Bike-Friendly

 

Wearing bright colors, Andy Costa rides his bicycle in the streets of Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory¹ Coast. He carefully makes his way through the city, trying to avoid cars and trucks.

Africa's many crowded cities make it the world's deadliest continent for people who walk and for cyclists – those riding bicycles. That information comes from the World Health Organization.

Many African cities have bad roads and no special lanes for bikes.

That may soon change.

The COVID-19 health crisis² has, in some ways, helped African cycling activists⁴. The need to avoid crowded public transportation systems has made government officials more willing to listen to these activists.

Last month, Ivorian officials told Andy Costa he could help plan bike lanes in part of Abidjan. Costa had spent around 10 years campaigning for such lanes.

"They [cyclists] are part of the solution," said Jacques Gabriel Ehouo, mayor of the central business district of Plateau⁵. He spoke⁶ to the Reuters news agency after meeting with the cycling activist³.

"Cycling can contribute to the fight against COVID-19 because social distancing is naturally respected," he said.

Costa has high hopes.

"The goal is to make Africa and the continent cyclable," he said.

A lack of bike lanes and good roads is not the only problem. Kenya's capital Nairobi, for example, began expanding bicycle lanes five years ago. Several more are being built in the heart of Nairobi's business district.

But cars often drive into the lanes. And work crews do not always make necessary repairs.

Cycling is still dangerous, said Cyprine Odada, an organizer for the Nairobi office of Critical Mass. Critical Mass is an international alliance⁷ of cycling organizations that campaign for better road safety.

Recently, Odada and hundreds of others cycled slowly through Nairobi's streets. They did the ride in memory of a friend who was killed while cycling. Odada is asking Kenya's parliament to improve legal protections for cyclists.

Pandemic's effect on cycling

The COVID-19 pandemic might help. The disease has fueled people's interest in cycling, Odada said, partly because of a government decision about public minibuses. The government ordered minibus operators to leave some seats open for social distancing. But the buses, usually very crowded, are the only kind of transportation that many Kenyans can afford.

Odada noted⁸ that "With COVID, we've had a lot of beginners reaching out, people who want to know about how safe it is to cycle in Nairobi."

In Cape⁹ Town, South Africa, cycling activist Lebogang Mokwena used to get two or three questions a week about teaching people to ride. Since the pandemic arrived, she receives them almost every day.

Mokwena has taught about 200 women to ride bicycles in the past three years, she said. Some of the women do not have bikes. Some belong to cultures where women do not traditionally ride. Many of the women believe biking is a sport, not a form of transportation, Mokwena said.

"Black women tend not to be cyclists, not because they don't want to, but because they've never had the opportunity to learn," she said. She only learned to cycle at the age of 30 after moving to New York.

Mokwena is Cape Town's "Bicycle Mayor," a name given by the cycling advocacy group Bycs. The group also has "mayors" in Nairobi, the Ugandan capital Kampala, and Gaberone in Botswana. These "mayors" build cycling communities and work with local governments.

Ivorian activist Costa says his main aim is to change the idea that cycling is for the rural poor. His organization, ‘MyDream for Africa,' makes videos with famous people such as football star Didier Drogba. The videos advocate for cycling.

"The bicycle is the transport of the future," Costa said.

Words in This Story

bicycle – n. a 2-wheeled vehicle that a person rides by pushing on foot pedals¹⁰

lane – n. a part of road that is marked by painted lines and that is for a single line of vehicles

mayor – n. an official elected or appointed as chief of a city or town

district – n. part of a country, city, or town; an area established by a government for official government business

contribute – v. to give or provide something

afford – v. being able to pay the cost of something

tend – v. used to describe what often happens or what someone often does or is likely to do — followed by to + verb

advocacy – n. the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal; the act or process of showing support for something

1 ivory   

n.象牙，乳白色；adj.象牙制的，乳白色的

参考例句：

• My grandmother has some jewelry made of ivory.我祖母有一些象牙首饰。
• It is carved from ivory.它是用象牙雕成的。

2 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 plateau   

n.高原，平稳，稳定状态；vi.到达平稳阶段

参考例句：

• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。
• As the river drops from the plateau,it forms great waterfalls.河水从高原上下落时，形成了巨大的瀑布。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 alliance   

n.同盟，同盟国，结盟，联姻

参考例句：

• China will not enter into alliance with any big power.中国不同任何大国结盟。
• The new alliance was very much in evidence.新的联盟上星期很引人注目。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

10 pedals   

n.（自行车或其他机器的）踏板( pedal的名词复数 )；脚蹬子；（钢琴、风琴等的）踏板；踏瓣

参考例句：

• I couldn't reach the pedals on her bike. 我骑她的车够不到脚蹬子。
• The pedals of a cycle are attached to a crank. 自行车的踏板与曲柄相连。 来自辞典例句