Short but successful experiment.
I live at Parel and work at Lower Parel. I am fortunate that the distance of my commute is less than 2kms. Yet, if I were to travel this distance by car, it would take me 30 minutes to reach work vs the 10 minutes it takes me on my cycle.
https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Ashok+Towers,+Dr+SS+Rao+Rd,+Gundecha+Garden,+Mumbai,+Maharashtra/Kewal+Industrial+Estate,+Senapati+Bapat+Marg,+Lower+Parel,+Mumbai,+Maharashtra/@18.9955896,72.8279499,16z/
Here are my reasons why it's such a great option to commute on a cycle:
1) Manoeuvrability. Easily makes up for speed on Mumbai roads.
1) Supposedly cyclists in India are not entitled to the traffic rules
2) The dual benefits of being a pedestrian when you want to and a vehicle otherwise
3) You can create lanes where there are none with enough space for a cycle to go through
4) Ability to make use of shortcuts by being able to carry your bike over vehicle blockades
I don't think it's right that there are no road rules for cycles. On the other hand, if road bikes fell under the same category as other 2 wheelers I assume I'd end up violating quite a few traffic rules.
Driving a car I used to hate 2-wheeler for their blatant disrespect to traffic rules (including #2 from my list of advantages), but I've come to realise that it's practically impossible in Mumbai traffic to expect bikers to follow road rules. It's too congested, polluted and hot to continuously obey right-of-way and right-of-order rules.
Happy to hear what other people think.
