Need to Get Around in a Pandemic?
Ride a Bike.

As COVID-19 shuts down buses and trains in cities, we remember that bicycles are the ultimate contingency plan

New Yorkers laughed off the bit about the subway—until social distancing became a way of life, there was no such thing as a New York City subway train that wasn’t packed during rush hour—but they took his bike-to-work advice more seriously. Days later, the New York City Department of Transportation reported a 50 percent surge in cycling over the East River bridges compared to the same time last year. Citi Bike also saw a 60 percent increase in ridership. Certainly, the warm weather and the extra hour of daylight from changing the clocks that weekend contributed to the bumper crop of cyclists, but plenty of people also cited coronavirus as the reason they chose to ride. One rider told the New York Post: “I feel better taking the bike… There are fewer hands touching these handlebars than the subway poles.”

This is by no means the first time people in major cities have turned to the bicycle in a crisis. When Hurricane Sandy knocked out the subway in 2012 and caused gas rationing, people rode bicycles. When the blackout of 2003 plunged New York City and huge swaths of the northeast into darkness, halting trains and causing mass gridlock, commuters scrambled for rental bikes. The bicycle has been a clutch player during transit strikes in New York, Philadelphia, London, and Paris. And on a personal note, during the chaos, confusion, and horror of 9/11, the bicycle got me where I needed to go. When the shit hits the fan, the bicycle is a powerful contingency plan.

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As this pandemic compels us to consider the shortcomings of our healthcare system, the fragility of the economy, and our need for affordable healthcare, we should also give the bicycle its due. Even when you neglect it, it’s always there for you—all it ever needs is a little air in the tires.

Mais alguns artigos de bastante interesse sobre a mesma temática:

“As autoridades belgas estão a encorajar as pessoas a fazerem passeios de bicicleta e caminhadas, desde que mantenham uma distância de segurança de um metro e meio.”  in Jornal Económico

“Em particular, no que diz respeito ao uso da bicicleta, é permitido usá-la como meio de transporte nos movimentos permitidos para chegar ao local de trabalho, ao local de residência, bem como às lojas de primeira necessidade e à prática de desporto ao ar livre.
As condições a serem seguidas, como para todos os movimentos permitidos, não se mover em grupo e mantendo a distância mínima de segurança de 1 metro entre as pessoas.” in: Radiogold.it

“É possível pedalar durante o confinamento anunciado na segunda – feira por Emmanuel Macron , que entrou em vigor por pelo menos duas semanas a partir desta terça-feira. No entanto, várias condições devem ser respeitadas: você precisa andar de bicicleta sozinho e deixar entre 1 e 2 metros entre você e as pessoas que conhece. Finalmente, um certificado de viagem depreciativo será obrigatório para esse passeio, assim como para cada outra finalidade.”  in: liberation.fr