I resolved to bike to work at least once a week in 2010. I did not realized the benefits of biking until I was five months “down the road”.
Let me share an excerpt from my diary.
Wednesday, March 19. Car today.
I tried to leave work at 5 p.m. The last two days I worked quite late and wanted to have dinner with the kids.
I work on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, and live in Cipinang, East Jakarta.
I started home along Jl. Casablanca and arrived at home at 7 p.m. Two hours. Twelve kilometers. I walk faster on my treadmill.
I was physically and mentally exhausted. I exploded at my daughter’s slightest misbehavior.
Let’s contrast that with my experience the previous day.
Tuesday, March 18. Bike today.
Meeting extended. I could leave only after 8:30 p.m. Road was empty. I arrived in 35 minutes. Speed was 25 kilometers per hour.
I arrived sweating and palpitating but felt energized rather than exhausted from the exertion.
After cooling down, eating dinner and showering, I was in good mood. I watched a DVD with my daughter.
I fell asleep quickly and slept deeply.
If I am to have a better mental and physical well-being and spend more quality time with my family, I must bike more often and leave the car in the garage.
After five months, I can say commuting by bike is more advantageous than driving.
Biking is obviously faster than driving. I glide between stuck cars, and bike on sidewalks — or sometimes on the busway lane between 5 and 6 p.m. (I see endangered species more often than I do TransJakarta buses at 5 p.m.). I save a substantial amount on gasoline and parking, more than
Rp 500,000 (US$55) a month.
Naysayers argue against biking, citing safety and pollution risks. I refute those complaints with a good helmet and mask, a sense of timing — and by choosing a road less travelled.
A bicycle is safer than a motor bike. Your speed is limited by your muscle power. Unless you’re Lance Armstrong, you’ll be pedalling along at 20 to 30 kilometers per hour.
For the uninitiated, I suggest you try to bike your home-to-office route over the weekend first.
Buy a good — but not expensive bike — unless you want it stolen on the first day. Choose a multiple-speed bike so you won’t kill yourself on overpasses. Invest in a good helmet ($20) and mask ($10).
Search mailing lists, such as the Bike To Work community, to find someone who shares your bike route. As in diving, biking with a buddy is more fun and a lot safer.
Find a parking space for your bike. In my case, I park at a mosque behind Wisma BNI 46 building, Central Jakarta.
Check out the shower facilities. You may find your office has a shower (as does mine) or that you can shower in the mosque if you tip the marbot (mosque attendant).
I soon discovered that biking has an unexpected benefit. I learned that ladies dig a man who braves the roads on a bike.
Members of the opposite sex in the elevator frequently asked me if I bike. Of course I did, I answered, I was dressed in shorts! So for those who are still single, biking may increase your desirability.
Finally, there is a strong bond between bike lovers — even when they do not know one another. On the street, we salute and greet each other. We feel we are a rare and special breed. We conquer the road and the cars stuck in traffic. They are the lambs and we are the lions.
I may not convince you, but after five months of trying, I am converted.
I will bike more often, at least two or three days per week. Rather than waiting for pollution in Jakarta to clear or for formal bike lanes, I’ll bike now and enjoy the rewards.
— Pradono Handojo
