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Bicycle communities speak up about cycling ethics
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Cyclists pass through Kota Tua, West Jakarta, on Dec. 20. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
I
n light of a recent backlash against a road cyclist peloton on social media, other cyclists and cycling communities have spoken up on the ethics that cyclists should follow, while also reminding each other that they are a “minority” among other vehicles.
The Bike to Work (B2W) Indonesia community posted on May 28 an infographic on its social media about basic ethics in cycling, which include indicating when turning left or right, stopping at a red light, staying in the left lane and cycling in small groups. "This is just ethics, not rules. It is advice to prioritize manners when cycling on the highway,” the caption said. The ethics were taken from a piece in tabloid Cosmo Bikers in 2014.
The source of the uproar was a picture of a motorcyclist giving the finger to two rows of road cyclists in the middle of the highway. It was taken by @gaya.bersepeda on Instagram, who has now seemingly deleted all the pictures. As the picture circulated on Instagram and Twitter, social media users were up in arms against the cyclists, with many accusing them of being “arrogant” and “selfish” for taking up a huge portion of the road.
“These rich road cyclists have been making the street restless, lately. If we scold or just honk at them, it could backfire on us as they are mostly bosses,” one account said. “They can buy the expensive road bike and its gears and yet they can’t ride neatly [on the side of the road]?” said another.
Chairman of Bike to Work Indonesia Poetoet Soedarjanto said in an interview with Radio Republik Indonesia that these cyclists had violated Law No. 22/2009 on road traffic and transportation, articles 102 and 108 of which state that non-motorized vehicles should always be in the left lane. “First, you have to follow the rules. Second, understand that you are not the only one on the road,” he said to cyclists and other vehicle drivers in general. “It’s very simple, actually.”
The sentiment is shared by the vice chairman of the Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI)’s community department Toto Sugito, “That ‘share the road’ spirit is what we always have to do,” he said on Semur’s podcast episode about the issue. “[Cyclists] used to be a minority, but we are aware that bicycles are slower than other vehicles. So we have to be aware that we need to be at the side of the road.” he continued, while stating that there were also many cyclists who rode in an orderly manner.
The Jakarta administration has now regulated that peloton road cyclists can only be on the highway from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. on weekdays. As for the road cyclists who violated the law, Polda Metro Jaya traffic director Kombes Sambodo Purnomo Yogo told The Jakarta Post that “they will be dealt with, eventually,” stating that they were prioritizing educational and preventive measures first. “For now, we will escort those who are still on the highway after 6:30 a.m.”
