Once people decide to bike to work, one must realize that there's no point in trying to talk them out of it. Even so, it's never a bad idea to take the skepticism of the naysayers into account.
The heavily polluted streets of Jakarta, caused by hordes of buses, private cars and the never-ending fl ow of motorcycles, illustrates how biking to work takes more than just good intentions; it takes outright courage.
The air pollution on the streets of Jakarta, consisting of airborne microscopic solids and liquid droplets that include nitrates, organic chemicals, metal, dust and allergens, pose the greatest health risks due to their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.
According to a study in an issue of Epidemiology late last year, these particles, often found in smoke and emissions emitted by vehicles running on fossil fuels, have been proven to increased death from heart disease, in which earlier research showed links between air pollution and atherosclerosis -- the thickening of the artery walls -- that may lead to heart attack and stroke.
"We have convincing evidence that those causes of death, which we might expect from infl ammation, ischemic heart disease and lung disorders, are elevated in areas of higher pollution levels," said Michael Jerrett, PhD, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
In addition, the study also revealed that long-term exposure to air pollution signifi cantly increases the risk of dying from lung cancer.
For bikers, the study signifi ed how they should not take the city's air pollution and using a mask lightly. It is as much to say that diligent use of a proper breathing mask could reduce by up to 50 percent the health dangers a biker faces when riding on a jam-packed street for more than two hours a day.
Courage is once again tested with the notorious behavior of local motorcyclists. Even buses seem to pay less attention to bikers when careering along the streets. "You're crazy, the number of accident-related deaths on bikes last year reached 80 people," said a colleague at work.
There's no solid evidence to support this statement. To rebut, the police said in an offi cial statement that the number of accident-related deaths on motorcyclists throughout last year reached 719, almost nine-fold the number. Still, it is important to pay attention to certain matters just to avoid an accident.
Avoid rush hour. Try to go to work at earlier times and go home at later hours. Use lights at the front and the rear of your bike to guarantee visibility. Do not attempt to chase annoying motorcyclists or get ahead of a truck, as it is useless - if not irrational -- and will cause your leg muscles to throb. Try to ride steadily on the left side of the road and don't even think about ignoring a red light, you're not fast enough.
All and all, keep in mind what you're riding your bike for. Toto Sugito, the co-founder of B2W community, once said in an interview. "Our call is a pure moral movement; we can create a better environment because we help reduce the number of cars on the streets, air pollution and the use of fossil fuels. "Our legacy to the younger generations is the luxury of breathable air, fuel and less congested streets."
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