MikesBogotaBikeBlog

Medellin's Public Bicycles Roll Forward

2011-12-27T19:29:00.000-08:00

EnCicla riders ready to roll. (Photo: Medellin Transit Dep't)

While Bogotá's 'public bicycles' gather dust somewhere, Medellin is expanding its own system.

Bogotá would appear to lend itself more to public bicycles: it's a big, flat, dense city with a reputation as a cycling pioneer - and lots of traffic jams. But Medellin has been rolling forward with its program, called EnCicla, while Bogotá's is parked.

Jesus David Acero, the program's administrator and an official with Medellin's transit office, said Medellin's program has succeeded thanks to careful groundwork and planning -and most of all support from municipal and regional officials.

Medellin had cycling experts design its system, Acero said, and used specially-designed bicycles, together with software to manage the system.

Medellin's pre-designed bicycles.
(Photo: Medellin Transit Dep't)

In contrast, Acero says, Bogotá employed ordinary bicycles and neither carefully planned its pilot public bicycles project, nor has produced a thorough analysis of its results.

Still, Bogotá's public bike test program, called BiciBog, was quite well received and got good use - at least in its north Bogotá station. The south Bogotá trial received less demand, perhaps because many of the residents in the lower-income area have their own bicycles, as well as because of competition there from bicitaxis.

But Bogotá officials haven't indicated when or whether they'll continue the system. Acero says, however, that officials from the administration of incoming leftist Bogotá mayor Gustavo Petro have indicated interest in creating a public bike program here.

Meanwhile, Medellin's public bike program is still technically in its pilot stage, but has been extended until March of 2012 and expanded from being available to only the students of two universities to the public in general. Not one of the bikes, which are equipped with GPS trackers, has been stolen.

Currently, the program has 145 bicycles, 105 of which are in the city and 40 in a rural park area and 11 parking stations. Users pay nothing and get to use the bikes for one hour at a time. Those who go over the limit lose borrowing privileges for three days.

Bogotá's public bicycles in action. They weren't designed for shared use, however. And they're now collecting dust. (Despacio.org)

How much more the program can expand, Acero says, will depend on how much support they get from politicians and businesses. During 2011, the city funded the program with one (American) billion pesos, but Acer's hoping to get five times that much for 2012. Users have indicated a willingness to pay for the service, but only about 1,000 pesos per ride, so the program is seeking business sponsors.

The Medellin government "will have a hard time not expanding the public bikes program," Acero says, "because it's been very well accepted."

But Acero expresses lots of frustration about Bogotá's lack of progress. In fact, at this writing the folks in charge of BiciBog have yet to deliver their final report, which has been postponed at least once.

EnCicla's Facebook Page.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

La Ciclovia is Good Business!

2011-12-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

Ciclovia-type events' economic benefits far outweigh their costs.

Bogotá's fun, healthful Ciclovia is sometimes described as 'the world's longest street party.'

But it also gets criticized as a frivolous luxury which should be restricted to reduce inconveniences for cars. A few years ago, a congressman tried and failed to cut back La Ciclovia's ending time to noon from 2 p.m. for just that reason.

Kids ride new bikes on Bogotá's Ciclovia.

After all, everybody knows that automobile drivers are doing something important, while joggers, skaters and bicyclists are wasting time which could be better spent burning fossil fuels.

But now a study published in the Journal of Urban Health finds that Ciclovias, which were pioneered by Bogotá, are good for the economy, too.

The researchers looked at four Ciclovia-type events: in Bogotá and Medellin; Guadalajara, Mexico and San Francisco, California.

The researchers tried to evaluate to what extent the Ciclovía events increased participants' physical activity and also calculated the events' costs. Bogotá's Ciclovia came out first on all points. Firstly, it's the cheapest per-capita of all of the events, at only U.S. $6.00 per participant per year, compared to $6.5 for Guadalajara, $23.4 for Medellin and $70.5 for San Francisco. That's likely because of the Bogotá Ciclovia's great number of participants and greater frequency than the events in other cities. What's more, the Bogotá Ciclovia also produced more savings per peso or dollar invested than the other Ciclovias, all of which were 'profitable,' according to the study. Bogotá's Ciclovía returned between $3.23 and $4.26 for each dollar invested, Medellin's $1.83, Guadalajara's $1.02 to $1.23 and San Francisco's $2.32.

Doing aerobics in the Recrovia, part of the Ciclovia.

The 'profits' include only saved medical costs, and not the healthier people's greater productivity at work, which must be substantial.

The return on investment is lots bigger than that produced by a gymnasium or a swimming pool because the infrastructure - roads and parks - is already built.

Of course, La Ciclovía's real value is in the improved quality of life it produces. But cold economic numbers like these justify La Ciclovia for businessmen who are addicted to their cars, or even sell cars.

Comparative weekly costs of various physical activity programs. Bogotá's Ciclovia is the furthest left.
(Graph: BikePortland.org)

Thanks to this 'silly and inconvenient' Ciclovia event, their employees are happier, more productive, miss fewer days of work and have lower health care costs.

Now, if only Bogotá would improve cycling conditions during the other six days of the week!

See also: Study: Health benefits outweigh costs of ciclovia events

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Chevy's Battle Against the Bike!

2011-12-12T18:17:00.000-08:00

'Now, I ride a bicycle, but...With ChevyPlan I'll have my new Chevrolet'

Chevrolet has published this ad in Bogotá's El Espectador newspaper and Semana magazine, and likely other publications, inviting people to give up their bicycles for cars (Chevys, of course).

Chevy's plan for Bogota - even more traffic jams?

Naturally, car companies want to sell cars, even tho it's plain to anybody with eyes that automobiles are killing this city, with worsening noise, air pollution, sedentarism and traffic jams.

Of course, it's too much to expect the huge automobile industry to stop advertising. Still, it's particularly ugly to see them urging people to give up a healthy, efficient form of transit for a destructive one.

In response, Claudio Olivares Medina created this BicPlan on his Urban Cycling blog:

"Now I drive a car, but...a bicycle is fast, you have a good time and you laugh at the traffic congestion - and don't pay.

"Plan with intelligence. Mobilize yourself without stress, without debts and without Chevrolet."

Now, if only cycling had the auto industry's advertising budget!

One day, hoefully, cars and car advertising will be seen as what they are - as destructive as tobacco and smoking - and equally restricted.

Drive your life! With Nissan. In January, many thousands of additional cars will clog Bogotá's streets.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the...Bike Rack

2011-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

A bicycling family visits Bogotá's Central Cemetery.

The powers that be do respond - at least sometimes. All it took was a letter to the administration of Bogotá's Central Cemetery to get a much-needed bicycle parking rack installed in the main entrance. More than a year ago, the cemetery installed a rack at the rear entrance - also after Bogotá Bike Tours's request - but that side is far from many of the most important tombs.

Now, not only tourists, but, more importantly, local residents, can safely and conveniently visited loved ones' tombs by bicycle.

The cemetery has long had a parking lot for cars. So, the very fact that we had to request a bike rack shows the mentality that 'automobile parking is a right, while bicycle parking is a privilege' - even tho the law requires such places to offer bicycle parking.

Previously, visitors had to leave their bikes outside the gate - despite the ample space inside. Recently, while we were visiting the cemetery, thieves stole one of Bogotá Bike Tours' bikes.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

And Victory Goes to the Fittest

2011-11-14T17:27:00.001-08:00

There they go! A cyclist races a TransMilenio bus in Bogotá.

The University of the Andes sponsored the second-annual 'Transit Modalities Race' Friday, and once again the winner is: The bicycle!

On Jimenez Ave., private cars block each other,
TM buses and even a cyclist.

The race consisted of 12 commuters, three each in private cars, TransMilenio buses, regular buses and on bicycles, who left at 8 a.m. from three different spots around Bogotá and commuted to the Andes University, in La Candelaria.

The cyclists won far and away, averaging 21.5 kilometers per hour - leaving them time for a coffee and a long shower before the private cars arrived, having averaged only 15.5 KPH, barely ahead of the TransMilenio at 15.3 KPH. The regular bus averaged only 13.4 KPH. The cyclists in fact won all three races.

I was surprised, however, that the private car drivers beat the TM buses - albeit only by a hair. But the TM's time was really hurt by a last-place showing in one of the routes, from north Bogota, where it lost even to the regular bus. So I wonder whether that TM route experienced some extraordinary delay, such as an accident or a completely perverse traffic jam - most likely caused by private cars.

No way to travel: cars wait and wait in central Bogota.

A Bogotá Cicloruta.

On the other hand, the fact that the private cars were slower on all three routes than bicycles, and in one also lost to both the TM and the regular bus, underlines the insanity of investing millions of pesos in big, polluting machines which clog the roads and often carry only one or two people.

The bicycles' victory is particularly meaningful right now because both Bogotá and Medellin are carrying out pilot public bicycle projects. The news reports I've seen about the Medellin program have been positive, while those about Bogotá's, named BiciBog, have been mixed. Some transit experts opine that Bogotá's public bikes aren't comfortably designed or very durable and are too big for many Bogotanos, and that the stations aren't well located. Observers are also asking about where some of planning money went. (See, for example, Carlos Pardo's blog, where he also asks why the bikes are only for people over age 16, and why the instructions appear to restrict use to Ciclorutas - which would eliminate many destinations.)

BiciBog bikes. (Photo: El Espectador)

Planners have responded that these bikes are only for testing purposes, and that when the real system starts, it'll use especially-designed bikes. And that the same goes for the system of bicycle stations.

Yet, despite all of this, the bikes, which are free, appear to be receiving lots of use. This is encouraging. But creating a city-wide system will mean dealing with lots of problems, including crime and mechanical difficulties, Bogotá's helmet law and pollution and chaotic traffic, which make cycling unpleasant and even dangerous for your health.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

Is Biking in Bogotá Bad for You?

2011-11-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

Don't breathe deep: Cyclists on car-clogged Carrera 10.

Smokin' - a belching Bogotá bus.

I've seen a spate of articles recently celebrating the benefits of bicycling. For example, there's 'Secret to a long, healthy life: Bike to the store' on the U.S.'s National Public Radio, or this one about a study finding that replacing driving with cycling would save billions of dollars in fuel and car expenses, slash health expenses and improve air quality.

But is it true here in Bogota?

Cyclists on a Cicloruta on Calle 13.

A recent study by professors at the National University found that cyclists who used Ciclorutas along busy avenues suffered significantly more respiratory problems than those who used Ciclorutas exposed to less pollution. The strange thing about the study is that this doesn't mean only that Cicloruta users are at risk, but that all users of these avenues are, including the people in vehicles trapped in traffic jams.

Of course, this doesn't change cycling's great benefits for the city, in less pollution, traffic congestion and fuel consumption. And bicycling still reduces obesity and improves health in many ways, despite the pollution.

But I was disappointed by some of the comments other readers had left on the story, which criticized the academics for doing the study and the media for disseminating it 'Because it would discourage people from bicycling.'

A delivery cyclist wears a protective face mask.

That might be true. But, even if everybody stops cycling, the pollution will continue sickening Bogotanos in their homes, cars, buses and walking along streets. And, unless authorities take strong measures, it'll just get worse and worse and worse as more cars flood into the city, creating more congestion and the existing cars, buses and trucks age.

The solutions aren't complicated, altho they might be difficult to implement:

Newly-elected mayor needs to follow thru on his promise to create a London-style congestion charge for private vehicles. That would reduce congestion and pollution and provide more money for public transit.

A cyclist trapped by cars on Jimenez Ave.

The city needs to go ahead with implementation of the Integrated System of Public Transit, the SITP, which would impose some order on the private buses and phase out thousands of the oldest, and presumably the dirtiest, buses.

But, first and foremost, city officials need to enforce the law. EcoPetrol has promised to clean up Bogotá's gasoline and diesel fuels to international standards and officials must hold the company to its word. And EcoPetrol can afford to provide clean fuel for Colombia's capital city - the company earned record profits last year. Even more fundamentally, the city needs to enforce air pollution laws on vehicles and factories. Observation of many of Bogotá's cars, trucks and buses, some of which apparently run on coal, makes it obvious that pollution laws are a dead letter.

'Location of Ciclorutas can be damaging to health' - U.N. News Agency

Reinventing the bike

2011-11-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

A bike converted to electricity by La Salle University students.

La Salle University students have improved the bicycle! This group invented a system to modify a standard bike to battery power.

The battery wheel can be purchased by itself, altho it's not cheap: 800,000 pesos.

svargas55(at)unisalle(dot)edu(dot)co,

cttovar64(at)unisalle(dot)edu(dot)co

These two students invented a detachable bicycle basket, which converts into a wheeled cart for heavy loads.

It detaches....

And rolls along!

By Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours

November's La Bicicletada

2011-10-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

Cyclists ready to go!

For the last two years, students from Bogotá's Universidad Central have been organizing these monthly bicicletadas around various parts of central Bogotá. Their purpose is to have fun, see the city and encourage bicycle use, especially bicycle commuting. The last-Friday-of-the-month rides are open to students from all universities. The organizers told me they've motivated at least a few students to dust off their two-wheelers and head to school on them. Still, only a few dozen Central University students bike to school.

Today's ride, on bikes from Bogotá Bike Tours, visited the National Museum, Independence Park and the National Library.

See the slideshow on You Tube

On a nice bike lane, or Cicloruta.

Entering the National Museum

Outside the National Museum

In Independence Park.

In Independence Park's information kiosk.

In front of the art-deco National Library of Colombia

Near the National Library.

A talk inside the National Library

Cycling back to the Central University, in the Las Aguas neighborhood.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Francisco Andres Buitrago Builds Bikes

2011-10-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Francisco Andres Buitrago designs these 'egronomic' bicycles. I tried them, and they are comfortable, altho they do require a bit of getting used to. The steering dynamics are very different from the bikes I'm used to.

Buitrago's bicycles can be fitted with different-sized wheels and forks of various lengths. I was concerned, however, about how well the long handlebars would withstand the stresses of use. But Buitrago says his bike has held up for years of daily use.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bicycle Week Winds Up With a Mural

2011-10-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

(Photos by Marriana Guhl)

Bogotá's Bicycle Week wound up last Sunday with the painting of a bicycle mural on 67th Street, just off of 7th Ave. (The supplies were payed for by Bogotá Bike Tours, which offers graffiti tours, and which might possibly make this mural part of our bike tours.) The grafiteros volunteered their time and skills.

The wall beforehand.

The result, with the bike model.

This mural, on Carrera 3 near Jorge Tadeo Univ., says 'I'm exercising thanks to the Nule.'* Unfortunately, I didn't see many bikes on this congested avenue. (El Toma Corriente makes electric and normal bicycles.)

*The Nule clan had the initial contract for building the express bus line on Calle 26, but mismanaged it and allegedly pocketed public money. They are now in prison, as is Mayor Samuel Moreno, who issued the contract.

Bici Polo in the Parque Nacional

2011-10-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

Today in Bogotá's National Park, as part of Bicycle Week, these guys (and a few girls) played bicycle polo. Bike polo really is a real sport, with rules, a website and everything, altho it appears that it's more commonly played on grass than concrete. And, after just a little while watching, it seemed clear to me that it's much more deserving of Olympic status than are somnorific activities like golf and baseball.

Most players used fixed-gear bikes, which allow for more manueverability.

Congratulating after a goal!

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

How to Make Bogotá Bikeable

2011-09-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Juan Pablo Garcia discusses bicycle use patterns.

At a conference in La Candelaria this evening, speakers talked about how to make Bogotá more bikeable.

Bogotá has, of course, become known globally for its pro-cycling projects, mostly the ciclorutas and Ciclovia. But, for all that Bogotá's done for bicycling, which is lots more than have many other developing world cities, today's speakers described the cup as half-empty.

Camilo Rey, of Verde Extremo, gave an impassioned talk about his group's mountain biking activities - which hopefully will translate into more people riding bikes in the city - in addition to loading them onto cars and pedaling across the countryside.

City Councilman Roberto Saenz, also a leader of Agenda Bogotá, gave some disappointing statistics. Bicycling proponents have complained a lot recently about the lack of maintenance and expansion of the city's Cicloruta network. But Saenz said that the city government in fact does have a big budget for the ciclorutas - but that city officials bungled the contract process and so cannot spend the money.

Saenz also talked about something which hits close to my heart and lungs. A couple of years ago, the state oil company EcoPetrol promised to slash the percentage of sulphur, the primary pollutant, from over a 1,000 parts per million down to 50 ppm, which is a respectable number for a developing country, albeit still much higher than that in the U.S. and Europe. Unsurprisingly, it hasn't happened, and Bogotá's diesel still contains a poisonous 300 ppm of sulphur. Pour that stuff into Bogotá's fleet of ancient cars and buses and its new fleet of cheap Chinese vehicles, and it's no wonder that many avenues are still smoky canyons. And why cyclists are forced to choke on fumes.

EcoPetrol had said that because of its lack of refining capacity it would import clean diesel in order to provide clean fuel for the capital. Instead, it looks like the EcoPetrol execs believe it's more important to increase profits and let Bogotanos continue breathing smoke until their new refinery is finally on line. Even so, Bogotá could still do lots to clean its air by junking dirty vehicles and enforcing pollution laws generally.

Saenz offered a scary statistic: some 300,000 new cars enter Colombia every year, delighting retailers but condemning the city to worsening traffic gridlock and pollution. It's easy to see that unless the city promotes alternative transport, it'll become unliveable. Nevertheless, insanely, city officials still appear to be building transport policy around an exploding number of private cars.

And Saenz made a key suggestion: Bogotá needs an official in city government with real power charged with advocating bicycling interests, to whom cyclists can go with complaints and ideas. As it is, the huge economic and cultural forces promoting an auto-based culture push the city that way, no matter how unsustainable that model proves itself.

Use of the Ciclorutas is rising - slowly.

Juan Pablo Garcia, an urban planning expert, showed a study 2010 of urban cycling which found that use of the Ciclorutas has been rising, albeit slowly. The study also found that demand for ciclorutas is much stronger in western Bogotá than on the city's easter side. That's likely because the west is poorer, and most of Bogotá's bike commuters are doing it save money rather than save the world. Sadly, only when more yuppies and execs start pedaling will bikes get priority. But those privileged people won't pull their two-wheelers out of the garage until cycling conditions improve. I call that a Catch-22.

Garcia also pointed out that use of the few TransMilenio stations with bike parking facilities is very unequal. (Why all TM stations don't have bike racks is beyond me).

In any case, Garcia said, the study fell on deaf ears in the city government transportation department.

Yours truly also pitched in, opining that, no matter how great the city's bicycle lanes may be, it won't be a good biking city until it controls pollution, tames traffic and until drivers learn to respect cyclists and pedestrians.

Finally, Jesus Acero described the advances of the public bicycles system in the city of Medellin, where the concept is actually advancing and will soon launch two pilot projects, one in the city and another in a park area outside of it. Their system sounds sophisticated - the bikes will have GPSs and use solar power. Users will have to register, and the first hour will be free. But they're dealing with a legal complication which will also hinder a public bikes program in Bogotá, if the city ever starts one. Medellin requires cyclists to wear helmets, but the sort of casual riders who will use the system aren't likely to carry bike helmets around with them all day. So, Acero said that as a sort of half-way solution, which sounds like a token gesture to city officials, they're going to give bike helmets to the first 100 people who sign up for the public bikes program. Hopefully, those people won't leave their helmets at home.

Even so, Medellin's biggest challenge is likely to be the city's hills.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours, the fun way to see the city!

Make Your Own Cicloruta!

2011-09-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

Bogotá's known for its network of bicycle lanes, known as Ciclorutas. But lots of streets frequented by cyclists lack them. As part of Bogotá's Bicycle Week, a group designated new 'Ciclorutas' by stenciling bicycles onto streets near the Central University.

Maybe it's working - a cyclist passes by.

The Universidad Central's parking lot has a practical bike rack - something rarely seen.

But the bicyclists' battle's still not won, as the number of cars shows.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Wednesday Bike Ride Rolls South!

2011-09-28T22:22:00.000-07:00

L to R: Andres, who guides the Wednesday rides, Camilo, an organizer of Bicycle Week, the Green Man, and someone I don't know.

This evening, in honor of Bicycle Week, the regular Ciclopaseo de los Miercoles (Wednesday Bicycle Ride) started out by the Universidad Central instead of is usual starting point in north Bogotá.

The ride, consisting of about 80 people, rode thru La Candelaria and then south, thru Belen, Las Cruces and other poor, rough neighborhoods where outsiders ordinarily have to be wary even during the day. Our group stuck together, and when someone got a flat tire, we all waited.

In La Plaza del Chorro, in La Candelaria

An overturned bike awaits its rider in La Plaza del Chorro.

Of the 80 riders, perhaps a half dozen were female - altho that might be more than the proportion of female cyclists in general in Bogotá.

Fixing a flat in South Bogotá.

During a repair stop in the poor Las Cruces neighborhood, residents watch the spectacle thru a window. They probable see few wealthy college kids here - much less after dark. Most of Bogotá's bicycle commuters are poor people doing it to save money, but for cultural reasons they're not likely to become activists for cycling.

A doll's leg protrudes from trash piled on a Las Cruces sidewalk.

I don't know the guy on the left, but on the right is German, who has advocated cycling as both a college professor and in his previous position handling transit issues for Bogotá's Chamber of Commerce.

In a blur of motion, my dog Parchita follows the group. She seems to enjoy herself, but a crowd of bicycles also confuses her.

A motorcycle cop appeared and escorted us part of the way, altho we had no incidents.

A pause.

This woman came out of a restaurant to ask what the heck was going on.

Getting ready to roll along Carrera 10. The city is building a TransMilenio express bus line along this avenue, but it doesn't appear to include a bike lane, as I understood new TM lines were supposed to. However, the sidewalk is wide enough that it's really irrelevent.

Smiling riders.

Green Man's green bike.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Ride the City - Bogotá

2011-09-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

A very nice Bogotá bike lane, this one connecting the National University to Simon Bolivar Park

Ride the City, a website which provides information for cyclists about routes, repair shops and destinations, now has a Bogotá page.

This provides another excuse for looking at the state of Bogotá's system of bike lanes, called ciclorutas.

Bogotá's ciclorutas have received lots of criticism recently for deterioration and lack of connectivity. While those criticisms are somewhat true, I don't find their condition worse than that of many Bogotá streets, which is often poor. And, while it's true that the ciclorutas often don't connect, they do go to many places. However, poor design - many are on sidewalks, where they fill with pedestrians, or run alongside congested roads, forcing cyclists to swallow diesel fumes - and lack of civic culture: the ciclorutas get blocked by cars and handcarts, discourages cyclists from using them (or bicycling at all).

In addition, I'd understood that all new TransMilenio lines were to include ciclorutas, but that doesn't appear to be happening at least on Calle 26, which runs to the airport. Some other places, the opposite is happening.

Here, a look at the good and (mostly) the bad, the new and the old, of Bogotá's ciclorutas.

Bicyclists on Calle 26, which has no bike lane, despite plenty of space for a bike lane.

A cyclist winds his way between cars and buses on Calle 26.

Calle 26 further west, near Simon Bolivar Park. Before TransMilenio construction, the cicloruta ran down the middle of the avenue. I hope that they don't have the new cicloruta jump between the sidewalk and avenue's center, which will discourage use.

This avenue connects Calle 26, which had a good cicloruta and hopefully will again, to Simon Bolivar Park, which is popular with bicyclists. So, I've never comprehended why this avenue lacks a cicloruta, despite plenty of space. (Photo taken during a Sunday Ciclovia, when the avenue is closed to cars. The rest of the week it's hazardous.)

In the Los Martires district cyclists ride in the street despite the presence of a cicloruta, which is just lines painted on a sidewalk.

The city put lots of money into these 200 meters of cicloruta, which are even protected by walls. The designers didn't consider that this would make the lane a convenient waiting and vending area for the nearby hospital, making it unusable for cyclists.

Carrera 3, in the Las Nieves area. The sidewalk used to have a cicloruta painted on it, but it disappeared during TransMilenio construction.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Fixies Fire Up Bogotá Bicycle Week

2011-09-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Fixed gear bike riders after a polo game in the National Park

Bogotá's Bicycle Week 2011 included a bicycle polo match in the National Park. I missed it, but got some pics of the colorful bicycles, almost all of which are 'fixies.'

Fixed-gear bicycles have become much more common here during the last few years, altho they still number in the low dozens, I suspect. They've also got their own very active organization: http://www.bogotafixed.com/

Fixing a fixie.

Skull and Simon Bolivar.

Bogotá Fixed

A bike polo player.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bicycle Week in Bogotá!

2011-09-25T07:56:00.000-07:00


Bicyclists on Bogotpa's world-renowned Ciclovia.

This is Bicycle Week in Bogotá. (Every week should be Bicycle Week, of course.)

Here's the schedule:

Friday Sept. 23rd
Discussion: The bicycle as a Means of Sustainable Transport
Jorge Tadeo University Carrera 4 No. 22-61
Sala de Artes Visuales Modulo 7 Piso 7
6 pm to 7 pm

Saturday 24th
Carnaval of Clean Transport
Sponsored by Greenpeace and 350.org

Sunday 25th
Extreme Sports - Exhibition of Bike Polo in the National Park
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bogotá Cup Mountain biking Championship.
Castillo de Marroquin
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Coloful bikes overlook Bogotá.

Weds. 28th
Videos about cycling in Bogotá
Universidad Central parking lot, Calle 22 No. 5-57
5 pm to 7 pm

Wednesday Ciclopaseo
Universidad Central parking lot, Calle 22 No. 5-57
7 pm to 9 pm

Thurs 29th
Request your Cicloruta and International Videos
Cicloruta connectiveness: 'Because the Ciclorutas continue...'
Universidad Central parking lot, Calle 22 No. 5-57
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Afternoon snack (You must arrive by bike)
Aseis Manos Restaurant Calle 22 No. 8-60/62
3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Forum-Workshop and Videos
Aseis Manos Restaurant Calle 22 No. 8-60/62
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday 30th
La Bicicletada, bicycle lunch and conferencias.
'Art, culture, gastronomy and environmentalism by bike'
Universidad Central parking lot, Calle 22 No. 5-57
11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bicycle Lunch (You must arrive by bike)
Aseis Manos Restaurant Calle 22 No. 8-60/62
Restaurant Asamira Carrera 3 No. 13-55 La Candelaria
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Conferences
Luis Angel Arango Library Calle 11 No. 4-14 La Candelaria
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, contact Mariana Guhl: 311-532-3959 or 323-9868 Ext. 1106 at the Universidad Central

Or Camilo Rey Ladino 310-226-7748

On Facebook and Twitter see: La Bicicletada

A cyclist rides (legally) on a sidewalk along a street with no bicycle lane.

Scenes from the Cachaco Ciclopaseo

2011-08-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

In the Cachaco Ciclopaseo, held last Saturday, riders wear clothing of times past. This year, Colombia's bicentennial, has brought an emphasis on history. Cachaco is slang for a Bogotá resident.

With a statue by Fernando Botero.

A passing cyclist races a horsecart.

This rider seems to be racing a Transmilenio bus - another Bogotá icon.

In front of the San Francisco Church, Bogotá's oldest. Center right, holding cap, is ride organizer David Serna, of Mejor en Bici.

In Renacimiento Park.

Back by the Botero sculpture.

Public Bicycles for Medellin

2011-07-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Simple and sturdy: Will Medellin's public bikes look like this one? (Photo: Facebook)

The city of Medellin plans to start up a public bicycles program this September, which would make it the first city in Colombia with such a system.

Better and faster on a bike? A traffic jam in Medellin.
(Photo: www.ecbloguer.com)

The program is to begin this September with 160 bicycles and continue at least until December, when it will be evaluated. The bicycles are being made by a local company, Bici-K, and will carry GPS trackers. The program is to operate 15 hours every day. The scheme will also include 45 bicycles in the Arví Natural Reserve, according to El Tiempo, altho it's not clear whether those are in addition to the 160 bikes. The city also plans to hire between 20 and 30 university students to administer the system.

Medellin has mild, warm weather conducive to cycling. But it rains a lot and the city is hilly. Hopefully, the system will succeed and serve to pressure Bogotá to create its own public bikes system.

According to my reading, Medellin will be the fourth city in South America and the fifth in Latin America with a public bicycles program, after Santiago, Chile; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina and Mexico City. The only such experiment I've heard of in Colombia were the public bikes on the campus of Bogotá's National University. That program was ended because many bicycles were stolen and damaged - despite the fact that the university is surrounded by a fence with security. However, the university had no system to track who was using the bicycles.

A prototype of the public bikes planned for Medelling, according to El Mundo newspaper.

A Bogotá city councilman announced plans years ago to create a public bikes program in Bogotá. But it hasn't moved forward, and I doubt its prospects until Bogotá improves cycling conditions by controlling pollution and taming the chaotic traffic.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Innovative Uses for Bogotá's Bike Lanes

2011-07-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Park an SUV...

Here's a photo essay showing some innovative uses for Bogotá's bicycle lanes, known as Ciclorutas.

Take a nap (note the extended legs and the 'stop' signs....

Park a horse and cart.

Talk with a friend....

Sell flowers.....

Rest while street vending. ....

Repair a bus....

Wait outside a hospital...

Or even ride a bicycle!

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

A High-Profile Bike Theft

2011-07-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

Enrique Peñalosa bicycling. No word on whether this is the bike which was stolen.

Today, while he was eating lunch in a north Bogotá restaurant, ex-Bogotá mayor and current mayoral candidate Enrique Peñalosa's bicycle was stolen off of the back of his campaign van. Peñalosa's bodyguard had gotten out of the vehicle to stop a nearby mugging, El Tiempo reports. No word on how much the bike was worth.

Bicycling on a Bogotá cicloruta.

Peñalosa, who is in a three-way tie in the campaign for mayor, is famous for greatly expanding Bogotá's network of bicycle routes, called Ciclorutas, during his 1998-2001 mayoral term. He also created Bogotá's world-famous Transmilenio express bus system.

This isn't Peñalosa's first experience with bike theft. In 1997 he was cycling thru a rough neighborhood of Cartagena when muggers stole his bike and other possessions. That time, the police were able to pressure the local criminals into returning the bike. This time, he may not be so fortunate.

The silver lining in this is that, if Peñalosa wins a second term as mayor, this may make him take bike theft and other crime more seriously. Certainly, the fear of getting one's bike stolen must dissuade lots of potential cyclists fearful of getting on their bicycles.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Andrés the Mushroom Pedaler

2011-05-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

Andrés may be the most ubiquitous and dedicated cyclists to be seen in central Bogotá. Six days a week, you'll see him pedaling the city delivering fresh mushrooms to stores, restaurants and even universities.

For 15 years, Andrés, 47, has been delivering the mushrooms which his brother grows on a farm in Chia, to Bogotá's north. He picks the mushrooms up in the market of Paloquemao and pedals 50 kilometers per day, he guesstimates, from around 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m., rain or shine, in the heat and cold, rain or shine, winding his way thru the city's horrendous traffic jams.

Bogotá has lots of other bicycle deliverers, who carry potatoes, cheese, pizzas and letters. But I don't think any other covers as much ground carrying as much weight as Andrés does. I see him in La Candelaria, around the National University, and I'm sure he also goes to lots of places I don't. A days delivering requires several trips, since he can only carry about half of the 100 kilograms he delivers every day in one load.

There's nothing fancy about the guy, on his old, beat-up bike and even more worn clothes. But he's usually smiling and cheerful, even in Bogotá's frequent downpours.

Even when he's sick, Andrés still delivers - "I can't lose my customers," he explains.

And Andrés has competition: Zeta mushrooms, which delivers by truck.

But Andrés prefers the agility and freedom he has on his bike. "I can stop wherever I want, I can go thru traffic, I don't get stuck in traffic jams."

Andrés' mushrooms are also cheaper and he gives more personalized service. Sometimes, a restaurant calls him at 7 or 8 p.m., desperate for mushrooms - and, if he can, Andrés delivers.

He hasn't switched to a motorcycle, in part because he likes the ecological aspect of cycling. And biking keeps him in shape.

"I was always thin," he observes, "but now I'm thinner."

Andrés also likes the independence. He's got a college degree in business administration and worked for years managing a relative's printing business. But he's happier now, because "I like the freedom."

And, with the mushroom delivery business Andrés and his wife are raising three children.

However, bicycle delivery in Bogotá does have its hazards. Andrés has suffered falls, tho never a serious accident. And he's had two bicycles stolen.

"I came back and they weren't there," he recalls.

Still, he doesn't use a lock, altho he is thinking about buying one.

Andrés rides away, more rolling proof that bicycles are effective transport in Bogotá.

Call Andres at 320-846-8359 .

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

A Dubious Distinction for Bogotá's Ciclorutas

2011-05-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Award worthy? A 'bike lane' in central Bogotá.

Bogotá's just received a 'best practice' honor from the Global Partners Innovation Exchange for its network of bicycle lanes.

But while Bogotá's bicycle lanes are an admirable and valuable accomplishment, the honor makes one ask: 'Have the awarders been reading the news over the past decade?'

A lonely bike lane in Bogotá's Teusaquillo neighborhood. (Of course, this was a Sunday.)

That's because, while Bogotá has spent recent years mostly neglecting its bike lane network, other cities in Latin American and around the world have been improving theirs.


Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio	Macri		pedaling his city.

Buenos Aires, for example, has been building a network which is to measure 196 kilometers and also offering subsidies to public employees who want to buy bikes.

Here's Buenos Aires' mayor cycling. I've never seen Bogotá's (now suspended) mayor on two wheels - perhaps because he's too busy getting involved in scandals.

Public bicycles in Mexico.

Mexico City, for its part, is setting up a public bicycles system, as has Buenos Aires, and creating bike lanes. Bogotá's own projected public bikes system has never gotten started.

Bogotá has accomplished lots for cycling, but nearly all of it is old news. Sections of its pioneering bike lane network are crumbling.

So, this award gives me a feeling of sadness for how little Bogotá's done for cycling recently.

This cyclist chose the street over a bike lane.

The award also recognizes the cycle path network for reducing the production of global warming gases. However, only a few percent of Bogotá commuters use bicycles, and I bet most of them would still pedal without the bike lanes. Often, they have no choice because they can't afford bus fare.

Bogotá has lots of opportunities to reduce its greenhouse gas production (and conventional pollution), but they will require political will to stand up to political and business forces such as the bus companies and the auto industry. With the mayor suspended and possibly on his way to join his senator-brother in prison, nothing will be accomplished during this administration.

Aged buses on Carrera 10.

City governments have repeatedly promised to junk the city's old bus fleet - but done little. They're supposed to be eliminated whenever the Integrated Public Transit System (SITP) is introduced. Whenever that happens.

A lone cyclist on Jimenez Ave.

Reducing pollution by phasing out the dirtiest buses and places effective restrictions on private car use would make cycling more pleasant and get lots more people on the road.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Kaos in Bogotá!

2011-04-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

And I'm not referring to this city's crazy traffic.

A group from Kaos Pilot, a Danish school which does hands-on classes about entrepeneurship and social development, is in Bogotá working on a variety of projects, including two to promote bicycling: they are helping a schoolteacher who is arranging a educational bicycling outings for students and also supporting the civil society organization Mejor en Bici. Mejor en Bici works to promote the daily use of bicycles for commuting and other purposes.

According to anecdotal observations, the number of Bogotá cyclists has increased recently, at least among the upper-income, folding bike crowd. Anyway, that's what David Serna, a student at Jorge Tadeo University and author of the colorful Cycle Chic Bogotá blog. But many of us suspect that the amongst the booming number of loud, obnoxious, dangerous and polluting motorcyclists on Bogotá's streets are many ex-cyclists, who 'moved up' to a more powerful vehicle.

Ex-Cyclists? Chaos on Bogotá's streets.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

A U.S. Expert's View

2011-03-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

Try biking this Cicloruta - we did!

A woman who works for a major United States city's bicycle lane program rode some of Bogotá's own Ciclorutas the other day with Bogotá Bike Tours - and she didn't give them a rave review.

(The woman, who works for a city which is expanding its own cycle route system, wanted to remain anonymous so as not to seem to be giving official views.)

A bike lane in a North American city.

We rode, or tried to, down the Cicloruta along the south side of 13th St., near downtown. But the Cicloruta was so mobbed by pedestrians that pedaling was nearly impossible. In her city, she said, the bike lanes are built on the streets, either inside or outside the line of parked automobiles. This means less conflict with pedestrians, but potentially more with car drivers.

Some parents, who worry about their children riding near traffic, might be more inclined to let their kids pedal down Bogotá-style sidewalk bike lanes, she suggested.

And, of course, traffic in Bogotá isn't traffic in the United States, where driving and pollution laws are enforced. In Bogotá, cars would undoubtedly invade bike lanes not protected by physical barriers. And, riding on the sidewalk, one is at least a bit distanced from Bogotá's highly-polluting vehicles, which are not burdened by catalytic converters.

Hazardous arcs?

The U.S. expert also observed that Bogotá's bike lanes are narrower than those in her city, and that those metal posts and arcs meant to divide Bogotá's Ciclorutas' lanes and to block cars from entering them pose a collision hazard themselves. "I don't think they'd meet our safety standards," she said. In her city, similar posts are made of flexible plastic.

In her city, too, the city has painted arrows and symbols on the streets directing cyclists to designated bike lanes.

The expert suggested that Bogotá cycling is faced with a sort of Catch 22: Too few cyclists ride Bogotá's streets (except perhaps during rush hour) to make people conscious of the bike lanes, or to make others feel like they'd be safe on their bikes.

So, Bogotá needs more cyclists out there in order to get more people bicycling!

What could start this positive cycle? She says Bogotá needs more cycling advocacy and suggests improving bicycling conditions, such as reducing pollution, as well as a government publicity campaign advocating cycling. It would be, certainly, much cheaper than the alternative - building more roads.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Updates

2011-03-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

Councilman Ferreira, his assistant Sandra, and Andrés Felipe debate.

A hearing not about La Ciclovia.

This Wednesday, City Councilman Carlos Orlando Ferreira had scheduled a public hearing on the future of La Ciclovia de la Septima. (The councilman apparently did not know that city officials had promised the cycling community that the Ciclovia would not fall victim to planned Transmilenio construction on Seventh Ave.)

As it turned out, I heard only one speaker even mention La Ciclovia, altho it did become very clear that nobody plans a bike lane for Seventh Ave. Almost all the speakers at the hearing talked only about whether or not a Transmilenio line should be built on La Septima, and if so, whether full-scale TM or Mayor Moreno's 'TM light idea.'

But I did talk to folks about bicycling issues, and got updates on several cycling subjects:

- Ferreira's much-ballyhooed public bikes program apparently has not advanced - but he says he hasn't abandoned it, either. Ferreira now plans to launch a pilot project in June. But he had no more details, such as in which neighborhood it would function, or how many bikes it would involve. Which suggests to me that it won't happen. And, as I've written before, to make public bikes succesful, Bogotá needs to solve problems such as the chaotic traffic and pollution so that people are willing to get on bicycles.

A Bogotá Cicloruta, near downtown.

- Mayor Moreno's promise to build 20 kilometers of new Ciclorutas hasn't happened. Andrés Felipe Vergara, a member of the city's Bicyclists' Consultant Group (Mesa de la Bicicleta) and leader of the Wednesday night bike rides, said the city recently built about a kilometer of new bike lane in north Bogotá, around 125th St. - but that this Cicloruta is poorly designed and impractical to use.

Andrés sketches a disjointed Cicloruta.

- Andrés also pointed out a fundamental problem with the city's Ciclorutas - they were built and are (supposed to be) maintained by about four different public agencies - the city's Transit agency, the Urban Development Institute (IDU), the water district, and maybe even more. Each agency has built some stretches of Ciclorutas, but there's little coordination between them, so the network is disjointed and unconnected. Also, many are poorly maintained, and with such a variety of agencies, it's hard pinning responsibilities.

- Andrés also gave me a sad news item. The Mesa de la Bicicleta, a sort of citizens' consultancy group on cycling issues, has ceased to meet. Andrés said this is because nobody listened to their proposals. The Moreno administration has never seemed interested in cycling issues.

The Las Aguas bicycle parking facility.

- Finally, the bicycle parking building at the Las Aguas TM station is operating, and is being used, altho demand has not been overwhelming. Today, I counted about a dozen bikes hanging inside (it has some 140 spaces) - which at least means a dozen cyclists' lives facilitated - and perhaps a few more bikes on the road. The facility opened after sitting empty for years, and only after cyclists held a mock funeral in protest.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Hit and Run on the 13th

2011-02-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

Broken bike

Enrique was cycling along the Carrera 13 cicloruta this afternoon a bit after 5 p.m., assuming that on the cicloruta bicycles had some sort of priority - or at least some respect.

Enrique's scraped arm

That changed when a car pulling out across the sidewalk hit his rear wheel, causing him to run into a pole and fall off the bike. The bike's fork was bent backwards, the derailleurs twisted and the chainring bent. Enrique was scraped and bruised but otherwise alright.

By the time Enrique picked himself and looked around, the driver who'd hit him had left the scene - undoubtedly angry at the impudent cyclist who'd had the nerve to get in front of his vehicle. It's a wonder, incidentally, that the driver was able to leave the scene at all, amidst the avenue's rush hour traffic congestion.

The scene later on on La 13 - nothing moving but the bikes.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bicycle Theft on La Ciclovía - Redux!

2011-02-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

Why would a thief carry off a bike instead of riding it? Why would a bike thief wear a mask? But the photo's dramatic!

It's a real problem. Today, one of Bogotá Bike Tours' bikes got stolen, from a client. She had gotten off of the bike on Seventh Ave. and 64th St., during La Ciclovia, when some guys dressed in cycling clothing approached her and invited her on rides up a road outside of Bogotá. Suddenly, one of them pulled out a knife, another hopped on the bicycle, and that was it.

I'll point out that this wasn't just any old bike, but a shiny new aluminum frame bike. The best way to not have this happen to you is to ride an old, or old-looking bike.

It's happened many times before, to us and to others. Few items are easier to make off with than a bicycle, or easier to sell. I suspect that they'll repaint ours or send it to Medellin or elsewhere to fence. And, the best place to steal a bike is on La Ciclovia, where all you have to do is sit back and wait until a vulnerable-looking person passes by on a nice bike.

Obviously, in a city of eight million people, the police can't be everywhere. And, in any case, every time I visit a police station to place a denuncia - which I've done more than once - the cops complain that their hands are tied by Colombian law, and that using 'bait bikes' would mean illegal entrapment.

These thieves are not kids who spot an opportunity, but organized rings which prey regularly on cyclists. So, catching them would mean recovering lots of bikes and preventing many future thefts.

Anti-theft advice consists mostly of locking your bike securely, with one or even two U-locks.

But this advice isn't worth much against Bogotá thieves, who aren't shy about taking the bike from its rider - whether by deceit, threat or physical strength.

On La Ciclovia: Your bike could be next!

In a previous incident, the thieves also worked in a team. One blocked the cyclist's path along La Ciclovía, forcing him to stop. Then his buddy pulled the rider off of the bike and hopped on himself. In a moment, they were gone. I've heard of other cases in which the thieves simply befriend the victim and then ask to try out their bike. You can image what happens next.

The one thing which can stop these thefts is public action. If the many people nearby would only respond by yelling at the thieves, grabbing the stolen bike's rear wheel, blocking the thief's path - any of many things which meant almost no risk to themselves - the thief might very well have gotten caught, and might even seek a different line of work.

My advice: Carry a lock, be aware of who's around you. And, most of all, don't be vain. Ride an older bike or make your new bike look older and worn!

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá's Car-Free Day

2011-02-04T22:09:00.000-08:00


University of the Andes students pedaling home. But how many of these generally wealthy kids will leave the car at home and make bicycling a habit?

Car-Free Day 2011, on Thursday Feb. 3, brought out more cyclists, but not the crowds of pedalers I'd hoped for. More importantly - do Car-Free Days create any lasting changes?

Certainly, the streets were less congested and bicycling more bearable. Here are some cyclists passing our clean-air protest on Seventh Ave., enjoying more than the usual road space, and slightly cleaner-than-normal air. El Tiempo reported that the number of cyclists increased 46 percent on Car-Free Day.

A few of us from Bogotá Bike Tours protested the city's horrendous and clearly uncontrolled pollution. I felt a lot like Don Quijote charging windmills as we hung out our banners and talked about air pollution to pedestrians who mostly walked past uninterested, often smoking.

I reflected on how many bogotanos were likely complaining right then that their favorite TV show was canceled, that there are no grapes in the market, that the car is dirty, that the maid is late, that the ice cream is frozen too hard...and only four of us out of those nine million bogotanos were out protesting something which must sicken and kill thousands of people every year.

During our protest, a sampling of Bogotá's bicyclists passed by, including several fixie riders on their super-light machines, a Spanish woman who told us about the Bicing public bikes in Barcelona and, most memorably, Green Man with his lighted-up bike, who carries on a constant and very quixotic campaign for environmental sanity.

This guy felt the need to wear a facemask even on Car-Free Day, rebaptized Clean Air Day.

I doubt the day will spur any lasting changes in bogotanos' behavior, or respect for cyclists and other non-motorized travelers. The day after, pollution was back out in force, and cars once again blocked pedestrian and cyclsts-access, because nobody counts in this town unless they're motorized!

Here's our bike tour cruising through the normally car-choked Santa Fe neighborhood.

And here's that same stretch of street the next day. See the smog-belching truck?

We ended the day in the National Park with a protest against pollution. Both Parchita and Green Man, as well as some guys on fixie bikes, turned out in support.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Colombia's Great Bike Racing Tradition

2011-01-13T17:43:00.000-08:00

Thanks to its Spanish inheritance and many mountains, Colombia may have produced more great bicycle racers per capita than any other nation outside of Europe. Until Jan. 31, the Archivo de Bogotá has an exhibition about Colombian bicycle racing, its heroes and the epic Vuelta a Colombia. In Colombia, bike racing really rates, and may be the second most popular pro sport after futbol (soccer).

The Vuelta a Colombia is shorter than the Tour de France, but its passes are higher, making it one of the most demanding bicycle stage races in the world.

Vuelta Champs of Yesteryear

Perhaps thanks to Colombia's many mountains, the country has produced many great climbers. In fact, since 1985 four of the Tour de France's King of the Mountains title holders have been Colombian, the last two being Santiago Botero and Mauricio Soler.

Santiago Botero overlooking a classic bicycle

Probably my favorite aspect of the exhibition was the look at a time when the races seemed more epic, the sport more innocent and every victory wasn't tainted by doping accusations. And remember those sleak, elegant bikes with Campagnolo components, made by Italian craftsmen steeped in cycling tradition, rather than some factory in East Asia, where the workers couldn't care less whether they were making parts for boats, planes or bicycles.

Ramón Hoyos Vallejo, winner of the third Vuelta, got the girl.

Slogging up a hill in the 1961 Vuelta.

Juan Pachon and Miguel Samaca, riders from other eras, now compete in sales on Carrera 13.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bike Stolen!

2010-12-19T19:04:00.000-08:00

Today, a kid who helps out Bogotá Bike Tours was riding up Seventh Ave. delivering a bicycle to a hotel in North Bogotá when another cyclist blocked his path. When the kid braked, another guy pulled him to the ground and jumped onto his bike and rode off.

Thus, Bogotá Bike Tours lost the best bike we had, and an almost unique one. So, look out for a large blue bike with 'Diamond' written on its lower tube.

Bicycles are very stealeable, since they're small, portable, easy to hide and hard to trace. Most anti-theft advice involves buying a better lock. But if thieves are willing to pull you right off of your bike, it's hard to imagine how to stop them. Unless....

In this case, the kid said the Ciclovia was quite busy when he got mugged, at about 10:30 a.m. Lots of folks were around, and many even stopped riding to watch the crime. But nobody did anything. If only a few of the other cyclists had blocked the thief with their own bikes or grabbed his shirt, he probably would have leaped off of the bike and hotfooted away. After all, from my experience it doesn't take much to dissuade thieves, who are usually cowardly types going after easy money. If criminals were into challenging themselves, they'd get jobs and work.

But nobody did anything - even though their own bicycle could be next.

Bystander apathy is terribly common in Bogotá. A few months ago, a friend and his girlfriend got mugged by several kids with knives. A bunch of guys doing roadwork just a couple of yards away saw the crime, but did nothing. Perhaps they were afraid of getting mugged themselves on their way home from work. Or, maybe, like the local security guard who, I was told, was threatened the other day by a pair of professional muggers on a motorbike, who told him: 'You interfered with our mugging someone the other day. Do that again, and we're going to get you!'

As long as the general, law-abiding, public remains passive and afraid, criminals will continue stealing almost worry-free.

But it doesn't take much. A few months ago I witnessed three kids mug a young couple. Perhaps I should have charged them swinging a board or something. Instead, after some hesitation, I just screamed at them to stop. Amazingly, the muggers did, and ran off. Other people in the street had apparently also seen the incident, but did nothing.

When we filed the police report about today's stolen bike, however, the officer made a good point about our own apathy. Once before, a bicycle got stolen from in front of our shop. Two of us went down to the shops notorious for buying and selling used, obviously stolen, bikes at absurdly low prices. There we found the guy standing with his hand on my just-bought bike. By threatening him with the police, we forced the guy to return the bike.

But we didn't file any police report, leaving the shop free to continue fencing other people's stolen bicycles.

I also asked him why, then, they didn't do something about the city's grave problem of sewer lid thievery. All they'd have to do would be hire some homeless person to visit scrap buyers with a lid, and see which ones bought it. Unlike bicycles, nobody has their own sewer lids, so the buyer and seller are by definition thieves. No, he said, that would be 'inducing someone to commit a crime,' and a sharp lawyer would free his client on such a defense.

I've heard this before. Can it really be true that Colombia doesn't allow such a fundamental police strategy as a sting operation?

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

My Battle Up La Cicloruta de la 13/11

2010-12-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

Live a video game! Ride Bogotá's Ciclorutas!

Bogotá's Ciclorutas are supposed to facilitate the lives of cyclists, but it certainly doesn't always seem that way.

Today, I rode from downtown to the Foreign Ministry to the DAS police headquarters, most of the way on one of Bogotá's most important Ciclorutas, the one on carreras 13 and then 11.

A typical scene on the 'bike route.'

Would anybody tolerate pedestrians blocking cars this way?

Many times, as I hurried behind schedule, I had to brake suddenly and swerve around delivery vehicles, cars (at intersections) and pedestrians, who wandered across the bikeway or suddenly veered into it. I suppose that you can't blame them. While the Cicloruta receives significant use, it's not constant enough to keep pedestrians aware of it. This arrangement is a tragedy waiting to happen. Once, I almost slammed into a woman carrying an infant who wandered across the cycle path.

Even these cops weren't shy about standing in the Cicloruta

I don't usually advocate broadening streets, but in this case an in-street bike lane, with a barrier to protect it from cars, would be much more useful and probably safer than the sidewalk set-up. But on the other hand, it'd force cyclists to swallow even more diesel exhaust.

Hmm...wonder what this Cicloruta, along Jimenez Ave., is used for.

Unfortunately, a substantial number of Cicloruta users were motorized monsters, who belong out on the street. During my ride north and south I encountered five motorized bikes on the Cicloruta. Apparently, no law applies to vehicles with such small engines. Enforcement is another issue. Lacking any pollution or noise controls, motorized bikes are bad enough. But once their presence becomes accepted on Ciclorutas I fear that regular motorcycles will follow.

Bicycle or motorcycle? At least we're cycle-pooling.

After fixing a flat, I arrived at the Foreign Ministry office with only minutes to spare before it closed at 12 noon. I rushed into the automobile parking lot across the street, where I'd left my bike before - but something had changed.

"We don't receive bikes here," the attendant told me.

"But the law requires you to!" I protested.

"Show me the law," he told me.

I had no time to argue, and went around the corner to lock my bike to a tree.

No bicycles allowed any more.

On the way home, a downpour had made room on the Cicloruta.

At least the rain makes room.

On the way, I encountered El Toma Corriente's shop. They sell electric bikes designed in Colombia but built in China out of Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese parts. (Why can't Colombia build such things competitively???) The bikes cost a bit - 1.8 million pesos ($1,000) and upward. And the batteries must be replaced after about 1,000 recharging cycles - and constitute half of the bikes' cost.

But e-bikes don't pollute or make noise and require much less maintenance than gasoline-powered bikes. And, here in Colombia, where most electricity comes from hydropower, they contribute much less to global warming, as well. I've seen at least two e-bike vendors in Bogotá, (the other sells Ezip Currie bikes) but the guys at El Toma Corriente told me there are about seven.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Arboreal Bicycle Parking

2010-12-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

Secure bicycle parking can be hard to find in Bogotá. Many car parking lots refuse bicycles - despite the law requiring them to accept them. Or, try locking your bike to a pole on a sidewalk and you could be pounced on (as I've been) by police and security guards enraged at this violation of civil order. On the other hand, if you do manage to park your bike in public, don't be too surprised if it's a bit lighter on your return.

But this guy, whom we met during a bike tour, did manage to find secure bicycle parking - and on an upper story, no less. His treehouse is alongside the Iglesia Santa Ana in the Teusaquillo neighborhood.

See anything funny about those trees on the left?

No lock needed up here.

Taking the down elevator.

Tree man

Here's the tree man, Glautier Nieves Estrada, on his bike. He's lived up there for seven years and appears happy with his lodgings, despite some hostility from neighbors. He makes his living by scavenging the trash for saleable recyclables, so he's doing his bit for the environment.

He comes from a peasant family from the Valle del Cauca region. They were driven out by paramilitaries, who this man said chopped their victims into pieces, and became more of Colombia's millions of people displaced by the country's armed conflict. He lost contact with all of his relatives, including his three daughters.

UPDATE In early January 2011 the man's house disappeared from his tree. I'd heard that some neighbors had complained about him, so perhaps they removed his things while he was gone. He's probably under a bridge, now.

Or, perhaps he reunited with his daughters. We can always hope.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá's Nocturnal Ciclovia - is no Ciclovia at all!

2010-12-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

Is this a Ciclovía?

Bogotá's annual Nocturnal 'Ciclovía' happened on Dec. 8. Thousands and thousands of bogotanos, almost all of them on foot, packed Bogotá's central avenues and parks and had a great time admiring the Christmas lights. But, with the streets so crowded that you could barely turn around, it was no Ciclovía!

Any room to cycle here?

Bogotá BikeTours managed to do a tour, (with lots of walking). Why is it that one night when it's impossible to bicycle on La Septima is our biggest night of the year?

The National Park was all lit up.

And Independence Park was full of flying fish!

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá Pedaling Backwards?

2010-11-28T18:54:00.000-08:00

Public bicycles in Santiago, Chile

Traditionally, when Latin American urban cycling came up, Bogotá, Colombia was the subject. After all, Bogotá pioneered the Ciclovía and built the region's largest network of bicycle paths.

But all that was several mayors ago. Bogotá's recent mayors not only have ceased extending the bicycle route network, but they've let much of it decay. And, while La Ciclovía is great, parts of it have been chopped off, mostly to make way for extensions of the city's Transmilenio express-bus system.

Meanwhile, other Latin American cities have been moving forward with bicycle promotion, and some of what they're doing is impressive.

Mexico City's Ecobicis

In Mexico City, where the city loans out bikes for Sunday rides, they've created a public bicycle system called Ecobici and are building 94 kilometers of bicycle lanes (named Ciclovias), including one along Paseo de la Reforma, the city's principal avenue. The great importance of these changes are that they give cycling greater visibility and status. Isolated bike lanes are controversial even among cyclists, but when cyclists have their own, protected, lane along La Reforma that sends a strong message: Non-motorized transport is important and deserves respect!

You won't get far on this Bogotá Bike Lane

Santiago, Chile is also extending its bike path network, and its La Providencia neighborhood has created a public bicycle system which is expanding.

But perhaps Buenos Aires, Argentina deserves the laurels for its biking plans. The city is not only planning a public bicycle system and building 100 kms of bike lanes, it also offers city employees subsidies for bicycle purchases.

Bicycling in Buenos Aires (where you don't have to dodge pedestrians)

How about Bogotá? Unfortunately, with the exception of the bike parking structures at four Transmilenio stations - which opened only years after being built, Bogotá's recent advances for cycling could fit inside this number: 0.

Certainly, none of these projects are easy or uncontroversial. Some cyclists call separated bike lanes dangerous, saying that they segregate cyclists, who should have equal rights with cars on the road. That makes sense in London, Toronto and Melbourne, where traffic is civilized and drivers respect cyclists' rights. But in Bogotá many people will dare venture out on two wheels only when they feel protected in a special lane from the chaos of the city's aggressive motorized traffic.

Where do I go from here? Between a bus and the curb on Bogotá's Seventh Ave.

And it's not clear how viable a public bikes program would be in Bogotá, particularly in the center. After all, the National University tried the idea on its campus, which is surrounded by a fence, and finally had to give up after too many bikes were damaged and stolen.

It also appears clear to me that the best thing Bogotá can do for cycling doesn't even relate directly to cycling. That would be to tame the city's traffic (through demand management) and take real steps to reduce pollution. For this, hopefully the ongoing extentions to the city's Transmilenio system and the implementation of the Integrated Public Transit System (SITP) will finally modernize the buses reign in the traffic chaos.

One that's done, then bike lanes and a public bicycle program could just succeed.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

La Ciclovía de la Septima Survives! (But keep watching)

2010-11-22T19:13:00.000-08:00

At a meeting today in Bogotá's Urban Development Institute (IDU), officials made three key promises:

* During the impending year-long construction of a Transmilenio line on Bogotá's Seventh Ave., La Ciclovía will be given an alternative route.

* Once the TM line is operating - supposedly at the end of 2011 - La Ciclovía will return to Seventh Ave.

* And the 26 St. Ciclovía, which disappeared for construction of another TM line, will return once work is (finally) done.

The officials also committed to looking again at the Ciclovía lines which disappeared from 30th and Boyaca Sts because of Transmilenio.

But before we declare complete victory, look at the official proposed alternative Seventh Ave. Ciclovía route:

After following Seventh Ave. as normal past the Bullfighting Stadium, the route turns right uphill, to 5th Ave. and then north for about 15 blocks, passing through the infamous La Perseverancia neighborhood, and then turning down through the National Park, passing through Teusaquillo to 17th Ave. and then north to 73rd St., which goes back to Seventh Ave.

Expect a substantial drop in Ciclovía participation. The climb and the need to pass through La Perseverancia and other rough areas along 17th Ave. will discourage people, as will the much greater length.

But let's look at it from the perspective that no other possible route could equal 7th Ave., which is broad, flat and passes by many of the city's landmarks. (The officials at the meeting said that keeping La Ciclovía on 7th Ave. was not realistic: there will be lots of heavy equipment and excavations, and much of the street will be shut down by the construction.)

The officials said they considered: safety, traffic needs and the importance of passing through the National Park.

Angelica Lozano, leader of an organization defending La Ciclovía, proposed an alternative route following Caracas Ave.. for much of its length. But officials asserted that the Transmilenio operating on the same street pose too great a risk for the Ciclovía crowd, which includes seniors, children and pets, so that option didn't sound probable.

The most positive news from the meeting was officials' promise that the Ciclovía will return to Seventh Ave. when construction is completed, hopefully by the end of 2011. And officials appear to have thought through the coexistence of the Ciclovía and Transmilenio on Seventh Ave. The plan is for all traffic, including TM, to use only Seventh Ave's western half during Ciclovía hours. The difference between Seventh Ave. and Caracas's TM lines is that Caracas is one of TM's trunk corridors, meaning a much greater frequency of buses. In contrast, some of Caracas Ave's buses can be diverted onto Caracas Ave. during La Ciclovía.

The Ciclovia on 26th St., which passes the Central Cemetery, the Nacho and the airport, disappeared without warning.

Don't overlook the tremendous contrast between the fates of 26th Street's Ciclovía and 7th Ave.'s. The 26th St. Ciclovia was closed months ago with no public discussion, outcry or replacement plans. Those who have demonstrated, collected signatures and spoken out in the media in defense of Seventh Ave's Ciclovía deserve credit for making public officials take cyclists and others into account.

During the meeting, we were entertained by the blaring horns from traffic jams a dozen floors below and several blocks away. Those traffic jams will only grow worse as 110,000 additional cars enter Bogotá every year. Hopefully, perhaps, tal vez, this meeting will start a new official attitude giving cyclists and other clean transport priority over cars, or at least a fighting chance.

Certainly, it's hard to imagine a transport system that's dirtier, slower and less efficient than the traffic on Seventh and Fifth Avenues, which run on either side of the IDU building, and offer no room for cyclists.

Seventh Ave. Nothing moving. Any room for bikes?

There's certainly lots left to be done in Bogotá. Will they build a bike route or other facilities for cyclists on Seventh Ave? Will the planned TM line on Sixth St. include a Cicloruta? Will the IDU HQ building replace the bike parking rack it used to have by its entrance?

There used to be a bike rack here.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours.

Flashmob for Mobility - but Tomorrow?

2010-11-18T16:14:00.000-08:00

Today, a group of students of the Universidad Jorge Tadeo, an important Bogotá private university, held a 'flashmob' today. For the students, communication students, this event was one of their semester projects.

We started out by donning cardboard car costumes in a neighboring parking lot, and then rolling out onto the street, where we formed a caravan and moved down the street honking on little plastic horns. Predictably, we caused a traffic jam behind us, and the drivers immediately began leaning on their horns. After all, losing three minutes of television time is much more important than witnessing a dozen college students parading down the street wearing colored cardboard cars and blowing on blaring plastic horns. But, there's a principle involved here: nothing ever has a right to get in the way of cars, except for other cars.

We deposited the cardboard cars on the Tadeo's concrete plaza and mounted our bikes and road in circles, demonstrating that cars cause traffic jams and how much faster and more agile bicycles are.

Afterwards, I asked several of the students how they commuted to university: 'by bus, they said. Too far to bicycle.'

To its credit (and in obedience to the law) Tadeo U. has bicycle parking, consisting of a small rack in a sprawling auto parking lot a block away from the campus where thousands of students study. (I have been told that in order to use the bike rack, you have to sign up before the semester starts.) Today, there was only one bike parked there, and I'd be willing to bet that it belongs to a local security guard or the parking lot employee.

The flashmob students whom I'd accompanied pedaled their bikes across the parking lot and loaded them into a car for the trip home.

Everybody put on your car costumes!

After motoring up the street and causing a traffic jam, the car costumes com off.

After abandoning the cars....

With trees on our backs, we rode around the campus.

Afterwards, the students pedaled into the university's car parking lot. Note the lonely bike rack. The students loaded the bikes into a car for the drive home.

On nearby 19th Ave. the traffic made its own traffic jam, without students' help.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Fight Continues for La Ciclovía de la Septima!

2010-11-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Save La Ciclovía! cries Yolanda.

Today, Bogotá's annual Day of the Bicycle, a crack team of defenders of La Ciclovía de la Septima gathered thousands of signatures in support of the most important section of Bogotá's Ciclovía.

Just about everyone we talked to gave enthusiastic support - that's no surprise: After all, La Ciclovia provides wholesome, healthy, fun, and above all FREE recreation for all Bogotanos. La Ciclovía has also given worldwide fame to Colombia's capital. La Ciclovía also generates thousands of jobs for vendors, musicians and bike repair people. And experts say that each peso invested by the city in La Ciclovía pays back much more in public health and quality of life. So it's sad that in recent years sections have been chopped off of La Ciclovía, mostly for Transmilenio expansions. It will be downright tragic if La Septima, La Ciclovía's most important section, goes too.

Yolanda, for her energy and optimism, Angelica, for her charisma and dedication, Aristobulo for his ability to get things done, Juan Sebastian for moving gears and levers in city government, the folks at Mejor en Bici and La Ciclovía Se Respeta and many others all deserve Bogotá's gratitude for their efforts to defend one of the city's greatest institutions.
By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Aristobulo, Angelica, Yolanda and others.

A few of the thousands of Ciclovía riders.

Green Man speaks out for La Ciclovía

Kids sign for La Ciclovía

Juan, of Bogotá Bike Tours, for La Ciclovía

Even Parchita turned out for La Ciclovía

Bogotá's Bicycle Day

2010-11-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

Every day should be 'bicycle day'. November 14 was Bogotá's bicycle day. The day celebrated bikes, but unfortunately did not promote practical cycling. The emphasis unfortunately was on acrobatics and zaniness.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Some scenes in the National Park.

See the daring young man on the flying bike!

These bikes are called Harleys (without the noise).

The weird bikes competition.

One-of-a-kind Harley wooden bike.

This man, who trains dogs, pedaled a dogmobile.


Green Man, who has a one-man campaign to green up Bogotá's mindset, made an appearance.

The Bicitaxistas Fight for their Right to Pedal!

2010-11-11T18:35:00.000-08:00

They're quick, agile, quiet, non-polluting and inexpensive. Sounds like the perfect vehicle, right? Right.

But not if you drive a traditional polluting taxicab and believe they're taking away your business.

Thousands of bicitaxis - pedal-powered rickshaws which can carry two or three passengers in back - work in Bogotá, carrying passengers for short distances. However, as a recent El Tiempo story pointed out, they're all illegal.

It's insane. A city with terrible and worsening traffic congestion and lots of pollution prohibits clean transport. But it's not surprising, considering that the regular taxi drivers pack a political wallop and want to protect their turf. This is despite the bicitaxistas' argument that they don't compete much with auto-taxis, since they carry people only short distances, rarely more than a dozen blocks.

All of which is irrelevant, anyway. The bicitaxis are less expensive, maybe faster and non-polluting. They deserve to run the polluting machines out of business.

Instead, the city has managed to call the 'solution' a 'problem.'

Pity the poor bicitaxista. He works 12 hours a day, one tells me, and can take in about 30 - 40,000 pesos. But, if his taxi is rented, about 15,000 of that goes to the owner, leaving him only some $8 to $13 for a day's sweating. Income depends on factors like the weather, mechanical troubles, and the day of the week.

The bicitaxistas also have to contend with the police, who sometimes confiscate their pedicabs, requiring a 200,000 peso retrieval charge from
patios. A new bicitaxi costs about two million pesos.

But, as difficult and low-paid as it is, the bicitaxis provide jobs for many people who, because of their age, life history or lack of skills, can't find other kinds of work.

Armando, who has pedaled a bicitaxi for almost a decade near the Plaza de los Martires in central Bogotá, says that about 60 bicitaxistas work in the area, carrying passengers primarily between the Transmilenio station and the San Andresitos shops as far as a dozen blocks west.

Reduce pollution - ban the bicitaxis!

The bicitaxis don't pollute or make noise, Armando points out, and they can often zig zag their way through traffic. He acknowledges that in an accident a bicitaxi is more vulnerable than a car, but points out a bicitaxi can often leave its passenger on their doorstep, protecting them from street crime.

And, they charge much less than a polluting taxi - just 1,000 pesos to carry someone 12 blocks. And, they do something regular taxis don't - they carry together people who arrive separately, meaning less expensive and more efficient transport for everyone.

Armando blames authorities' resistance to legalizing the bicitaxis on the drivers of regular, polluting taxis. But he says the bicitaxistas are organizing and lobbying politicians. They've even blocked the nearby Transmilenio line to get attention.

"We keep on growing," he says of their numbers.

But the city's close-minded policies, controlled by vested interests, are blind to the bicitaxis' advantages.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Overwhelmed by traffic jams? Ban the bicitaxis!

The Battle for Seventh Avenue's Ciclovía Continues

2010-10-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

Seventh Ave. Ciclovia - under threat?

Suddenly, it seems, the start of Transmilenio construction on Seventh Ave., scheduled for Dec. 28, is almost upon us - and we still don't know what that means for La Ciclovía's most important section.

La Ciclovia is of course a Bogotá tradition and has been imitated (but never equaled) by many cities across North and South America. Of the hundreds of kilometers of streets which are closed to cars on Sundays and holidays, Seventh Ave. is by far the most important due to its popularity with users and because it passes many of the capital's most important historical and political landmarks, as well as parks and neighborhoods.

La Ciclovía is a big part of the reason why Bogotá is sometimes (mistakenly) ranked as one of the world's most bike-friendly cities.

However, La Ciclovia's most important section of is now endangered by plans to expand the city's Transmilenio express bus system along Seventh. The Ciclovia route on 26th Street, which goes to the airport, was erased a year ago when the city began work on a TM line along that avenue. (Work there continues, apparently interminably, over budget and waaaay behind schedule.)

We don't object to TM expansion - today Seventh Ave. is chaotic and polluted. But we don't want to see this Bogotá tradition mortally wounded. Disappearance of Seventh Avenue's Ciclovia would not only hurt businesses like Bogotá Bike Tours, it would also deprive many thousands of bogotanos of their Sunday recreation and cut the incomes of the hundreds of mainly poor people who sell food and repair bicycles along Seventh Ave. every Sunday and Holiday.

We defenders of La Ciclovía are demanding that officials designate an alternate route during construction and that La Ciclovía return to its most important corridor once construction is completed.

La Ciclovía's defenders are planning a big march Nov. 14, Day of the Bicycle, from the National Park to Bolivar Square, demanding that La Ciclovía de la Septima be saved!!! Read more at: www.lacicloviaserespeta.com

Aristobulo, who repairs bikes near the National Park, and friends, show off invitations to the march!

Yolanda, who prepares food along La Ciclovia, and skateboarder friends go all out in defense of La Ciclovia!


Yolanda's flyer announcing the march to save La Ciclovia!

Finally!!! You Can Park Your Bike!

2010-10-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

The Las Aguas facility, on Jimenez Ave.

The squeaky wheel does get the grease, at least sometimes. In a sort of landmark for Bogotá cyclists, following recent protests. The bicycle parking buildings built years ago in the Puntos de Encuento at four Transmilenio stations are finally open to receive bicycles. Now, let the cyclists come!

The parking lots are located in the Alcala (Autopista Norte and 138th St.), Las Aguas (Eje Ambiental and 18th St.), Mundo Aventura (Ave. Americas and Boyacá) and the Tintal (Ciudad de Cali Ave. and Americas Ave.) TM stations. They're open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8 to 5 on Saturdays.

The service is free. Just bring your bike, cedula and your lock.

Parchita waits to park herself!

But we'll see how long it lasts. The city is looking for private businesspeople to run the parking facilities. But it's hard to see how anybody could pay rent and actually make money operating the things. Today, I visited the one in Las Aguas and the guard told me that only a few people a day were leaving bikes there, altho, hopefully, those numbers will improve.

The city needs to publicize the service and remember that cycling is a public benefit deserving public subsidies, because it reduces traffic congestion and pollution and improves people's health.

Blog written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours.

Respect La Ciclovia!

2010-10-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

Finally, someone with a bit of economic (and apparently political) pull has pitched in in defense of La Ciclovia de la Septima. http://www.lacicloviaserespeta.com/ The campaign is being led by Angelica Lozano, ex-mayor of the Chapinero neighboood.

La Septima, or Seventh Avenue, is the most important section of La Ciclovia, and passes by many of the city's most important landmarks. However, the city plans to expand the Transmilenio express bus system along Seventh. The Ciclovia's 26th St. branch already disappeared for the construction of Transmilenio on that street - without any public consultation or legal process. We don't want the same to happen on Seventh Ave.

With construction set to start perhaps as early as November, let's hope it's not too late.

Angelica Lozano, ex-mayor of the Chapinero neighborhood.

The organization apparently consists of residents of neighborhoods like Chapinero and others along La Ciclovia.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours.

Bogotá Bike Week Wraps us with a Ride

2010-10-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

Bogotá Bike Week wrapped up today with a one of the biggest bike rides seen in Bogotá outside of La Ciclovia and about the closest this city's come to a Critical Mass ride. It was a nice celebration of the elegance of cycling, especially when we pedaled past traffic jams, and hopefully brought some attention to cyclists.

This man came with his bike bus.

Sadly, for this cyclist, the ride made plain many of the things which can make cycling here so difficult. We passed congested streets, old smog-trailing buses and along ciclorutas where we had to dodge pedestrians. On the way to the ride, Juan and I had passed several cars parked unmolested on sidewalks....And then there's that pedantic, compulsive unreasonable rulemaking for the sake of rulemaking. The ride ended at the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano - which must have a student body in the thousands - and I was told has a bike rack with spaces for only 20 bicycles, as well as a requirement that users sign up at the beginning of the semester to use the rack.

What possible rationality could there be behind that?

This blog written by Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

The indomitable Parchita in the lead.

A Funeral for Bicycle Week

2010-10-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

Requiem for a Parking Lot That Never Was

(Photos by Carlos Felipe Pardo)

Bogotá's Bicycle Week (schedule here) kicked off on Monday with a downer - a funeral. But maybe the episode should be better called a stillbirth.

In 2006, if my memory serves, Bogotá built four 'Meeting points' at Transmilenio stations, each including public bathrooms, vendors' kiosks and a bicycle parking facility. The reason for the name seems lost to history, but the goal was admirable: to generate more activity around the stations, provide badly-needed public bathrooms and encourage clean transport to TM stations. The bicycle parking buildings are large and sophisticated, despite some basic engineering faults (like constructing the walls out of wooden slats, which let rain in, and installing a sophisticated and expensive elevator, that is sure to fail after a few months).

Incomprehensibly, however, four years later the expensive parking facility by Las Aguas station, near La Candelaria, has never opened. That tragic fact was commemorated with the funeral held by members of Bogotá's Mesa de la Bicicleta, a city advisory group on cycling issues.

Each time I've spoken to the parking lot's security guards they've assured me that the facility would open in six months or at the beginning of the next year, which has never happened. The latest explanation is that they're waiting for expansion work to finish on the adjoining TM line. That makes no sense, since the TM line has never halted operations.

The most consistent explanation I've heard about why the parking facility's never opened is that the city wants someone to agree to operate it - something only Bill Gates might do, since it's unlikely to make a profit. That demonstrates a

fundamental misconception about bicycle parking facilities. Naturally, they don't generate profits themselves. But they benefit the city by encouraging cycling and therefore reducing the much greater costs in noise, pollution, congestion, infrastructure demands and other huge costs and quality of life impacts created by cars.

In addition to the funeral, this year's Bicycle Week also includes conferences, group rides and other events.

Bicycle Week 2010 comes, unfortunately, at a difficult time for cycling in Bogotá, when City Hall appears to give cycling little importance, the city's Ciclorutas are falling apart and congestion, pollution and traffic chaos make biking this city a real challenge.

This blog written by Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours

What a Congestion Charge Could Do for Cycling

2010-09-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

And end in sight for Bogotá's traffic jams?

Luis Willumsen

The other day, Luis Willumsen, a transit consultant from London proposed a radical cure for Bogotá's transit mess. While his proposal makes no mention of bicycles, it would likely do wonders for cycling in the city: that Bogotá create a London-style congestion fee for motorized vehicles entering the city center.

Such a fee would do wonders for traffic and social equity, and it'd inevitably give a big boost to cycling, for several reasons. This is true in part because part of the income from such a fee would likely go to pro-cycling projects such as bicycle lanes. More importantly, less congestion would do wonders for the quality of cycling in this city, where riders now have to fight their way through ranks of stalled cars and buses, whose frustrated drivers lean on their horns and block cyclists' paths just out of general jerkiness. A congestion fee would ease up traffic and tension and reduce both the number of vehicles and pollution. Finally, by raising the cost of driving, it would push some commuters off of four wheels and onto two.

It's important to note that a congestion charge only monetizes - and probably reduces - costs which motorists are paying already, in time lost waiting in traffic jams and in fuel burnt during hours of idling - not to mention the medical costs of all of that stress.

Worried Samuel better do something.

Imposing a congestion fee is tough politically - but several factors make it more realistic in Bogotá's case: Here, only a minority of residents own private cars, and they're not supporters of Mayor Samuel Moreno anyway; the city, and Moreno in particular, have shown a willingness to take measures motorists dislike, particularly the city's ineffective and perhaps even counterproductive 'Pico y Placa' law. Finally, Moreno is so unpopular that he's got nothing to lose by trying an unpopular but potentially revolutionary transit policy.

This blog by Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours

Those Daring Young Men on their Flying Bikes!

2010-09-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Recently along Bogotá's Ciclovia they've been setting up these big ramps for these daring young men flip and fly through the air.

Will he come down in one piece?

This kid seemed to be the best. He skidded out once, but got back on the bike and kept going.

Bikes Off of Bogotá's Streets?

2010-09-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

Bad guys! Cyclists not using a Cicloruta.

Are Bogotá's famed Ciclorutas - one of the prides of the cycling community - being turned into a liability for Bogotá's cyclists?

That's what it sounds like from this Sunday's opinion column in El Tiempo by Carlos Felipe Pardo. Pardo says that several cyclists have reported being stopped, ticketed and fined for riding on streets that lacked ciclorutas but were within five kilometers of a Cicloruta.

Carlos Felipe Pardo is a clearheaded supporter of cycling and sustainable transport who's worked for several international transit agencies. That's why one's got to take his concerns seriously, as bizarre as this one sounds.

There's a Cicloruta here - can you see it?

If this has really become city policy (based on no law that I know of), then it's a great formula for eliminating cycling in the city. As impressive as Bogotá's Ciclorutas are compared to those in the rest of Latin America, they lead only to a limited number of places. And many are in deplorable shape, damaged by potholes and obstructed by pedestrians and delivery vehicles. Anyone who expects cyclists to ride five kilometers out of their way to find a cicloruta and then five more kilometers back to find their original destination, is living in a different reality. It suggests a terrible double standard - when car drivers don't hesitate to lean on their horns because of two-second delays and routinely park on sidewalks.

Will your wheels survive this Cicloruta?

Such a policy - if real - also seems based on a belief that cyclists are delicate creatures unfit to venture near motorized vehicles. And that cyclists are neither important themselves nor headed anywhere important enough to be in a hurry to get there.

Certainly bicyclists, balanced on two wheels without a steel shell surrounding them, are much more vulnerable than car drivers. But all over the world cyclists can and do share roads and highways with motor vehicles. And it's the motor vehicle drivers' responsibility to respect cyclists, not cyclists' responsibility to clear out of their way - particularly in a city in which drivers routinely invade pedestrians' space in crosswalks and on sidewalks.

Another message is that bicycles aren't practical transportation vehicles, but should be restricted to Ciclorutas, sidewalks and public parks - even tho at least one important Bogotá public park prohibits bicycles, for reasons which completely escape me (and probably the park authorities as well).

Restricting cyclists' rights is no way to improve traffic safety. And, as Pardo predicts, many frustrated cyclists will likely buy motorcycles - which are notoriously dangerous as well as polluting.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Is This Really How to Get People onto Bikes?

2010-09-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

The other day, this group of city employees pedaled up Seventh Ave. to the National Park, about 40 blocks. On a typically smoggy morning, they rode up Seventh St. amidst belching buses and cars which - at least normally - would be trying to run them off the road.

This was the municipal government's campaign, called Bicivilizate, to promote bicycle commuting amongst its employees. On the one hand, it's a small miracle that the Samuel Moreno administration is paying any attention at all to bicycles. Unfortunately, however, this attention isn't very productive. I'd like to know how many of last Friday's pedalers dusted off that old bike the next day, and how many told themselves: 'Thank God that death-defying experience was only a one-time thing!'

As well-intended as it may have been, one-time stunts like this won't bring the sorts of mindset changes necessary to make bicycle commuting grow. What I'd really like to know is whether these employees' offices provide secure bicycle parking, whether they have showers and lockers available and whether they provide any subsidies comparable to the free parking they likely offer car drivers.

Most of all, I'd like to know whether a person who does ride to work is met with respect or teasing and condescension.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it's worth repeating that what Bogotá needs is real control of pollution, respect from car drivers for cyclists and pedestrians and lots of traffic calming measures - not to mention that holy grail traffic rationalization: a congestion tax. This blog by Mike, of Bogota Bike Tours.

How'd you like to pedal behind this bus?

Bikes and Tinto

2010-09-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

Bikes, coffee, tea, cigarettes and something more...

I passed this tiny bike repair shop in Bogotá's Palermo neighborhood. As the sign says, they repair bikes and also sell coffee, tea and other drinks. Inside, about four bikes hung from the right wall, in back stood a work bench and crowded against the left wall two tiny tables for sipping coffe and tea. The good-natured owner said he'd been in business for eight years and that things were going well. When I told him about Bogotá Bike Tours renting bikes for 15,000 pesos for four hours, he laughed hard and said that back in the 1970s he'd rented bikes for five centavos per hour. That seems too cheap even for way back then. Today, the smallest Colombian coin in circulation is 50 pesos.

(Ignore any possible conflict between cycling and smoking.)

This blog written by Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá's Ciclovia Goes Global!

2010-09-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

Thirty five years ago a group of Bogotá bicyclists managed to persuade city authorities to shut down several blocks of streets for them to ride around on Sundays.

Seventh Ave. Ciclovia in Bogotá

Today, that Ciclovia stretches more than 120 kms and every Sunday and most holidays attracts thousands of participants, who turn out on skates, bikes, wheelchairs and on foot. Many call it the world's longest street party. And ex-Mayor Enrique Peñalosa says it's the only time that bogotanos of different classes mix on a fairly equal basis.

Another impressive thing has been happening: In recent years, with greater international concern about the need for doing physical activity, as well as a growing realization that car culture is killing our cities and their residents, the Ciclovia concept has been spreading - first across Colombia, then the continent, and then the globe.

Quito, Ecuador's Ciclopaseo

As far as I've heard, no other Ciclovia equals the dimensions or the frequency of Bogotá's Ciclovia, which occupies some of the capital's most important avenues. Perhaps the most ambitious outside Colombia is Quito Ecuador's Ciclopaseo, which runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday during the dry season and every other Sunday during the rainy season.

Some cities have staged one- or two-time Ciclovias, while numerous U.S. cities have established apparently regular events, often called 'Summer Streets' or 'Sunday Streets.' The concept has been embraced even in some redneck, not-hippy places such as Montana, North Carolina and Winnipeg, Canada.

In many of the cities, drivers have pressured to have the Ciclovias cut back - even though the Ciclovias occupy a small proportion of city streets, and generally only during the hours of least traffic.

Let a million Ciclovias roll!

Here's a list of websites about some international Ciclovias:

London, England:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/events/article-23872945-on-your-bike-for-londons-sky-ride.do

US Cities:

Missoula, Montana http://www.sundaystreetsmissoula.org/

San Francisco, Ca. http://sundaystreetssf.com/

Oakland, Ca. http://oaklandnorth.net/2010/06/28/oaklavia—oakland’s-own-sunday-streets/

New York City: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/home/home.shtml

Seattle, Wa http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/summerstreets.htm

San Jose, Ca.

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/05/17/san-jose-celebrates-first-viavelo-opens-downtown-streets-to-people/

Miami, Florida http://bikemiamiblog.wordpress.com/

Portland, Or. http://www.portlandcarfreeday.org/?p=72

Winnipeg, Canada

http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/

This blog written by Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours

Bogotá Bike Fatalities

2010-08-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

According to a report the other day in El Tiempo newspaper bicycle (and motorcycle) fatalities have risen dramatically. As for motorcyclists - well, they are crazy. Most of the city's motorcyclists are messengers. Combine the qualities of a risk-taking personality with the power of a big motor between the thighs and lots of deadlines, and there's no surprise that lots of them skid out and smash into other vehicles.

Many cyclists, of course, also ignore traffic laws. But since all they've got is leg power instead of horse power at their command, they're much less capable of doing themselves or others harm. Rather, I see many cyclists endangered by those rushing taxis and motorcycles which run stop signs and red lights and turn right across cross walks, taking for granted that pedestrians and cyclists will rush out of their way.

Still, there's a big asterisk by the bike fatalities stats: Between January and August 2009 four cyclists were killed on Bogotá streets, which shot up to 12 deaths this year. That is tragic and worrisome. But, in a city of eight million, numbers like 4 and 12 might not be statistically significant.

Nevertheless, there are some basic things which transit authorities ought to do. For a start, they could actually enforce basic traffic laws like stopping at stop signs. Wait at any Bogotá intersection and you'll see car after car, and particularly taxis, sailing past stop signs - even in pedestrian-heavy neighborhoods like La Candelaria. Inevitably, there are lots of car-car collisions and deaths of pedestrians and cyclists are also inevitable.

Another factor is the nation's failure to punish drunk drivers - even those who kill people - despite a law passed last year supposed to impose real punishments for drunk driving.

Another step is to use the media and the law to give pedestrians and bicyclists priority in traffic - as they have in just about every other country in the world.

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours

John Vileikis Makes Bikes!

2010-08-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

Check out John Vileikis' hand-made wooden bikes for kids, and his very practical three-wheeled
familymobiles! John can be contacted, in Bogota, at: Cell: 315-782-2863 Fixed: 285-5462
E-mail: johnvileikis (arroba) yahoo (.) es

Adaptable for cargo or kids!

John and his own cruiser.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

Where did BicirrUN run off to?

2010-08-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

BicirrUN was a program of free public bicycles for use on the Bogotá' campus of Colombia's National University. The Bogotá campus, formally called the 'University City,' is huge, so walking between classes can take time.

BicirrUN, begun in 2006, consisted of some 300 bicycles (at a time) distributed across the campus. These were simple one-speeds (the campus is flat) with only one brake and often just a cable in place of the lower tube and were left in bike racks and by building entrances so that people could grab them and ride to their destinations, where they left them for someone else.

Besides saving time and (human) energy and popularizing cycling, the university bikes program also served as a template for a possible city-wide public bicycles program.

The project was Bogotá's third large experiment for promoting cycling, following the Ciclovia and the Cicloruta bike path system. It could be seen as a pilot for a possible municipal public bicycle system. Unfortunately, so far it has failed.

Unfortunately, in 2009 the program was folded and the bikes placed in deep storage below the university's nursing building. According to reports, the program cost too much - some of the bikes disappeared and many more were damaged by people doing things like going down stairs and leaping from rocks. It became unsustainable.

Fortunately, administrators are looking for a way to restart BicirrUN. They've talked about an education campaign and/or requiring users to check out their bikes, like library books.

How could the program be made viable?

An electronic credit card-type system is just out of reach because of cost.

And having people check out bikes for 20-minute periods also seems impractical. The university would need an army of monitor to administer the system.

But what if bikes were checked out for 24-hour periods? Users might also receive locks, or have to bring their own. Such a system might also permit students to take the bikes of campus, so that they'd become commuter vehicles as well. In case of damage or loss, the user would be required to pay the costs or lose the right to participate in the system.

Another note: Lots of National University students and faculty bring their own bikes onto campus. The campus is crowded with entrepeneurs who rent cell-phones, sell food, pirated music and other stuff. So, why hasn't anybody thot of creating a bike repair shop or stand on campus?

In Bogotá Bikes are More than Bikes

2010-08-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

Lots of boxes!

In Bogotá, Colombia, the bicycle isn't just for personal transport and recreation - it's also a cargo vehicle, a family SUV/station wagon - even a place of business.
(By Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours)

iThumbs up for two kids on two wheels.

Going and bringing bananas

Pedaling empanadas.

Push them potatoes! Some carry as many as six 100-pound potato sacks!

Juggling boxes

Biblical bike

On the way home.

This mom don't need no SUV.

Newspapers and candy for sale.

A bike with five 100-lb 'arrobas' of potatoes.

Here comes the soda.

Twin transport.

Wednsday Night Bike Tours

2010-07-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday night (every other when school is on) dozens or hundreds of cyclists meet at 6:45 p.m. at the Welcome bike shop on Calle 92 and Carrera 11, in north Bogotá, and then head out for a good-natured Ciclopaseo de los Miercoles. The Ciclopaseos usually last several hours and pass through some obscure and even sketchy parts of the city.

The best thing about the rides is the celebration of cycling in mass, as well as a cycling demonstration of bicycle power! They are the nearest thing Bogotá has to its own Critical Mass.

This week, the Ciclopaseo visited Bogotá Bike Tours.

Forget About Carbon Fiber!

2010-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Dario, a Colombian native, has bicycle toured for about three years on his light, mean machine, complete with a four burner electric stove, a beer crate full of belongings and a bulletin board of newspaper articles tacked on the back. Each place he goes, he works in painting or repairing shoes to pay his way to the next place. 'It's the best way to see the country,' he said.

Dario's spent three years traveling and pedaled to Brazil and plans to go to Ecuador.

This blog by Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours

The Shortsighted National Bicycle Congress

2010-07-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

It's time for the National Congress of Bicycles, when everybody working in the industry - or at least the manufacturers and retailers - get together to - market more bicicletas!

The bicycle industry appears to carry real economic weight in Bogota - go down Jimenez Ave. and you'll find the city's 'bicycle row' - many blocks crowded mostly with bike shops, and many businesses, including some big ones such as beer companies, use bikes or tricycles to do deliveries. Yet, bikes aren't very visible in advertising. Open the paper or turn on the TV, and it's all about cars, cars, cars (and tobacco and liquor).

However, the biggest failing of the industry, it seems to me, is the lack of notable efforts to promote a cycling culture. Related to this, I suspect, is Colombia's unequal distribution of wealth - a lot of people (over 40 %) are poor, and a small proportion are very, very rich. And Colombians are very class conscious!

Many low-income people ride bikes to work, or for work, just because it saves them money. But the bicycle industry takes them for granted. These people HAVE TO buy bikes. And, anyway, they use cheap or used bikes, which generate small profit margins, if any at all. Rather, it's the rich who buy the pricey, high-margin Treks, Cannondales and aluminum frame bikes. This is the expanding market and the one retailers chase after.

But these cyclists don't ride their bikes to work: Don't be silly! That makes you look like a poor person! These folks drive their cars to work and then load the bikes onto them on weekends for a pedal around the countryside.

So, what we really need here are more cars to load those bikes onto.

Call the bike industry's focus on selling short-term thinking. Perhaps someday Bogota could be like Portland, San Francisco or Amsterdam, with reams of yuppies pedaling to work on their Dahons. But that's a long way off. So, why bother to work toward it?

Looking at the Bicycle Congress's agenda, I see talks by economists, a bicycle race announcer, an expert in customer relations. I see nothing about transit or commuting - which is natural, if these bikes are never intended to touch an urban road.

Bamboo Bikes Come to Colombia!

2010-07-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

The new wave in bike manufacture is one of the oldest building materials known to humanity - bamboo!

Bike builders say that bamboo has great flexibility and strength characteristics, which mean bamboo can turn into all sorts of bikes, including even high-preformance racers. Now it turns out that someone in Medellin is building bicicletas de bambu. It'll be nice if someone finally starts building hi-performance bikes in Colombia, particularly if they're made from an environmentally-friendly material.

It'll be even better, however, if someone starts making practical cargo and basic transport bikes out of bamboo. It's being done in Africa. Why not here?

This blog written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

Steal my Bike!

2010-06-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

The other day at Bogota Bike Tours we negligently left a bike outside, leaning against the wall. Predictably, someone came by and grabbed it and took off.

I rode around on my bike searching for the guy, but no luck. Where might a bike thief head? I rode down Jimenez Ave., which is one of Bogotá's 'bike shop rows.' Many stores there sell fancy new bikes - and a few sell nice used bikes at unreasonably low prices. Everybody knows that most of these bikes are stolen. (When I had first moved to Bogotá, I innocently went to one of these shops and bought a cheap bike. But when I took the bike to a nearby workshop to have it tuned up, the folks there informed me that it was most likely stolen. So I looked at the owner's card they'd given me and discoverd that the name on it was a (probably nonexistent) shop in Medellin. I took the bike back, and, by threatening them with troubles with the cops, got my money back. Then I bought a new bike, which got stolen soon after.)

So, I headed down to the stolen bike strip, where, lo and behold, one of the shopowners was standing in his doorway holding my bike, which he'd just purchased.

"This is my bike," I said, putting my hand on the handlebar.

"Well, I just bought it." He wasn't sympathetic.

"It was just stolen from me," I said, angry.

"If you want it, then pay me what I paid for it. 50,000 pesos (about $27.00)."

"You give it back to me," I insisted, "or you'll have trouble with the police. You shouldn't buy things which are stolen."

"Just take it," he relented with disgust.

A funny story, but also a pathetic one. I read that in San Francisco, California, the police plan to do a sting operation, which will involve placing tracking devices in bikes to be used as lures. When those bikes get stolen, the cops will track them to find out who's fencing the stolen bikes.

Here in Bogotá we don't need a sting op with expensive tracking devices. I and lots of other people know exactly who is dealing in stolen bikes. Why don't the cops do anything?

The State of Bogotá's Ciclorutas

2010-06-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

Bogotá has what is called the largest network of bicycle routes on the continent. But it's no secret that many of them are in lousy shape, as El Tiempo newspaper reports.
http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/bogota/alarma-por-estado-de-ciclorrutas_7753741-1

But, at least Bogotá does have a network of bike ways, even though a good number of them are barely usable, due to disrepair or because they're blocked by pedestrians and delivery vehicles.

Once again, more than repair potholes, Bogotá needs to make fundamental changes, such as taking away street space from cars and giving it to bikes. And reducing pollution and traffic chaos. And teaching motorists to respect other, non-motorized vehicles.

This blog written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

License to Drive = License to Kill?

2010-06-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago, Fabián Rolando Méndez ran over and killed a cyclist.

On April 10 of this year, driving his truck drunk, Mendéz crashed into a woman and three girls, injuring all of them, two of the girls severely.

Today, after two months in prison, Méndez, of the city of Bucaramanga, is back on the street. The lawyer representing the victims said: "Mr. Mendez didn't want to injure, or much less kill, these girls. It was an accident."

And Mendéz did apologize - so, we should feel sorry for him. After all, how many drivers have the bad luck to have four pedestrians and a cyclist get in their way in only a dead - especially when they are driving drunk, and so have limited control. The pedestrians should have known better.

Sarcasm aside, a judge reduced Mendez's charges, so that he's now out of jail, even though at least two of his maimed victims are still in the hospital, having reconstructive surgery.

Ask yourself: If Mr. Mendez had been using a chainsaw, a gun, a hammer or a knife and gotten drunk and injured four people, after having killed one person the same way, would they have called it an accident?

What about if Mendez had been a taxi driver or construction worker, instead of a member of a prominent family, and ex-director of the city's Sports and Recreation Institute?

What if Mendéz's victim had been driving an expensive truck himself?

But, when the weapon is a car or truck and the person wielding it is influential and the victims simple pedestrians or cyclists, then killing or maiming are evidently forgiveable mistakes in Colombia.

Méndez's crime moved local residents to march through Bucaramanga demanding justice for the injured woman and girls. There's even a Facebook group demanding that Mendéz pay for what he did.

This blog written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

Pedestrianization, Parking

2010-06-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Free ADN newspaper, of all places, has published several articles relevant to cycling.

Eleventh St., from Carrera 2 down past the Plaza Bolivar, to Carrera 10 (in La Candelaria), is to become a 'pedestrian corridor,' with restricted vehicular access.

Pedestrianization of the center will do lots of good for Bogotá. Taxis and other motor vehicles often race thru here, ignoring stop signs. With all the kids around as well as persons under the influence in this neighborhood, it's amazing that more pedestrians don't get hit. The great majority of people in La Candelaria are students and tourists, who move mostly by foot. And most neighborhood residents don't own cars. So, it's not right (is it anywhere?) that the car-using minority tyrannizes the self-propelled majority.

But I have one concern: on some other pedestrianized streets in the center, bicyclists are required to get off and walk - even tho I've never seen or heard of a bicycle-pedestrian accident in this area. What are the plans for 11th St.?

'No hay dinero para el deporte' - No money for sports!

Until recently, a sports tax was included on phone bills to pay for things such as physical activities for kids and seniors, as well as the Sunday/holiday Ciclovia. A judge recently suspended the tax, however. ADN reports that the city expected this tax to generate about $150 million in 2013, which will be lost unless the judge's decision gets reversed.

The Ciclovia, for one, has already been cut back. Will this mean they'll hack off more sections?

(On the other hand, with ETB providing such lousy and expensive phone service, it's not surprising that nobody wants to pay for it.)

Bike Parking lots Inaugurated

They've opened a bike parking facility in the Recaurte Transmillenio Station for 162 bikes. That's a good thing. There are also already much larger bike parking lots at some major TM stations, with a total capacity for 1,640 bikes.

The lots have been criticized, however, as under-used. On average, they receive only about 480 bikes per day.

In my opinion, the city committed a fundamental, conceptual mistake by building a few huge and expensive bike parking lots, instead of doing something simple and cheap like placing bike racks at every station. As a result, most TM stations have no bike parking, while these few huge parking lots sit mostly empty. But monumental structures appear oh so much more impressive.

Meanwhile, unfortunately and absurdly, four 'Meeting points,' at TM stations, built years ago, and with capacity for hundreds of bikes, have never opened. That's because the city wants someone to take them on as a concession and run them for a profit - economically unrealistic right now.

Bike parking should be a free, subsidized service, since cycling contributes so much to cities' and individuals' health.

While writing this, I've found two facebook forums on bike parking in Bogota:

Free parking for bicycles in Bogotá.

For the right to park bicycles in Bogotá.

This blog written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours and Rentals

And what about Bicitaxis?

2010-05-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

How about a form of transportation which is clean, generates little congestion, and can even be a tourist attraction?

Sounds ideal. But Bogotá's response is: Don't allow them!

Thousands of bicitaxis, or bike taxis, operate in Bogotá, carrying people for short distances, often near Transmilenio stations. Unfortunately, they're not recognized by the vehicle code, and are therefore illegal. Still, in many neighborhoods, the police have tolerated the bicitaxis and let them work. But a new version of the Transit Code would reportedly ban the bicitaxis completely.

As it is, the bicitaxi operators, who are generally poor people and often displaced victims of Colombia's violence, often get hassled by police and sometimes their vehicles are even impounded. The bicitaxi operators have protested many times, demanding that the vehicle code be amended to recognize their vehicles, but without luck.

Unfortunately, pedal taxi operators don't have powerful allies, while their enemies, the regular taxi drivers, do. It's long been a general suspicion that the organizations of regular taxi drivers have blocked the bicitaxis' legalization.

Perhaps some sane politician will choose public interest over politics and take a stand for these humble, hard-working people who are providing such a good service.

Victory at the Cemetery!

2010-04-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it took months and lots of phone calls and nagging, but they finally installed a simple bike rack in the Central Cemetery. Hopefully, the other cemeteries will follow - as the law requires.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease!

Another observation: Good for the Consorcio Renacer, which manages the cemeteries, for having the common sense to install a simple, inexpensive, unpretentious bike rack. In contrast, the City of Bogotá has built four expensive and sophisticated bike parking facilities - which have sat unused for years. http://mikesbogotabikeblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-not-park-bicycles.html

Unfortunately, the 'Bikes prohibited' sign is still there on the cemetery's front gate:

This blog pedaled to you by Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours

Blocked Again!

2010-04-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

A common sight for cyclists everywhere - thoughtless drivers blocking bike lanes. This lane, in the Parkway in Bogotá's Teusaquillo neighborhood, is also used by pedestrians, wheelchair users, skaters and others. But this man clearly doesn't care. He even appears proud. (After I said somethign to him, he did say 'You're right' and move his car. A tiny victory.)

Imagine, just for a second, a bicyclist parking his bike sideways across a car lane. It would be a scandal! A criminal act! At least, an act of civil disobedience requiring imprisonment. This blog brought to you by Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours and Rentals

Bogotá's Traffic Chaos

2010-03-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

What's this scene of commuters piling into a truck got to do with bicycling? Plenty!
Today, the city's commercial bus drivers went on strike. That's bad, because so many people depend on the buses here. But the drivers were striking against the city's policies designed to organize and clean up the city's dirty, chaotic and inefficient private buses.
That's fundamental for cyclists, because the city's chaos can make cycling dangerous and unpleasant, not to mention the damage from the pollution belched by buses like these below. Of course, many private vehicles also pollute unjustifiably, especially those new Chinese trucks. But, in Bogotá, buses still generate the lion's share of vehicle pollution, and until now many are obviously flouting the law - to the harm of all of us. The bus owners' strike shows that finally the city is really cracking down - or trying to.
In the end, the strike lasted four days, until the city agreed to give the bus companies a bigger slice of the income from the planned Integrated Transit System. With that system, some 8,000 older buses are supposed to be junked and replaced with 2,000 larger, cleaner and more-efficient buses. Let's all cross our fingers!

Ecoaire is a clean air organization created by, of all people, Ecopetrol, Colombia's state oil company.
This page is supposed to provide Bogotá's daily air quality, but I can't get it to work.
Here's my take on Bogotá transit on my other blog.
This blog is written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours and Rentals

Bogotá's Central Cemetery: Bicycles Not Welcome Here!

2010-02-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

Here's Jorge, who visits his relative's grave every Monday, and has to lock his bike outside the gate.

Bogotá's Central Cemetery is a city unto itself, with thousands of graves, including those of ex-presidents, mayors and other luminaries. In this highly-Catholic nation, many people visit their relatives' gravesites regularly. But don't think about coming here on a bicycle - because you won't find a place to park. The cemetery's security guards explained to me that there isn't enough room - but there IS plenty of room, and there's even room enough for a parking lot for CARS! It's yet another example of the mindset which takes automobile parking for granted but considers bicycle parking a luxury - even in a polluted, car-choked city like Bogotá. I contacted the city department in charge of the cemeteries, and learned that they are required by law to provide bicycle parking - a law they've successfully ignored. But the guy in charge did send a letter to the contractor managing the cemeteries asking them to install bike racks.

We'll see what happens.

This blog is written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá's Car-Free Day

2010-02-05T09:22:00.000-08:00

Car-Free Day

Feb. 4 was Bogotá's annual Car-Free Day, a decade-old tradition. It's one of the few cities to have such an event. Car-Free Day's goal is primarily to demonstrate to auto-addicts that they CAN get to work or school by means other than the private automobile (or taxis, which abounded). Yesterday, congestion dropped dramatically and carbon monoxide 43 percent, but the many old buses meant that pollution continued.

Unfortunately, since car-free day is only one day, many car owners simply postpone things until the day after, producing more congestion on Feb. 5. The city should rather have such days weekly or monthly, so that it becomes a custom rather than an oddity. Bogotá's pico y placa law prohibits cars from circulating two days each week, according to the last digit on their license plates. However, the rule also promotes the purchasing of second, often used, cars. The best solution by far would be a London-style congestion tax.

This blog is written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

Happy Birthday Ciclovia?

2009-12-23T22:12:00.000-08:00

So, the other week, Bogotá's famous Ciclovía celebrated its 35th birthday the other day. This Bogotá institution began with a few cyclists riding a several-block-long circuit along Seventh Ave., and has expanded into a major source of pride and recreation for millions of Bogotanos, and has been imitated (but not equalled) in other city, with names such as Via Verde and Sunday (or Summer) Streets.

Unfortunately, recent mayors have not given Bogotá's Ciclovia the importance and priority that it deserves and needs to continue playing such an important role for the health and recreation of millions of Bogotanos.

Last year, without public consultation, the city government suspended La Ciclovia along one of its major avenues, 26th St., because of work for expansion of the city's Transmilenio express bus system. To many of us, it seems that La Ciclovia could have continued functioning on 26th St.

Now, many of us are worried that the same story will be repeated on 7th Ave., which is La Ciclovía's most popular, important and visible section. ÇWithout either Seventh Ave. or 26th St., La Ciclovia will be barely a shadow of its full self, millions of people will lose access to their recreation and hundreds of people who sell foods or services along the route will lose their incomes.

The other day, I met with officials of the District's Institute of Recreation and Sport (IDRD), to talk about this and other issues. unfortunately, I left feeling less confident than ever in La Ciclovia's future. Will the Ciclovia be given an alternative, parallel route during construction on Seventh Ave.? Well, the officials told me, they've asked for one, but the decision is not up to them. I saw no sign that they had taken any sort of real stand to defend this institution which benefits so many people in Bogota. Similarly, I haven't seen mobilization on the part of the hundreds of informal vendors who depend on the Seventh Ave. Ciclovia for an important part of their income. Unfortunately, this sort of resignation in the face of the 'inevitable' and the decisions of authorities seems to be characteristic of Colombian society.

Similarly, when I asked the officials about dealing with the growing problem of motor-powered bicycles producing noise and pollution on La Ciclovia, they basically shrugged their shoulders and said they had no legal way of excluding these machines. Are SUVs next?

Let's just hope that the Ciclovia survives to see more 'Happy Birthdays.'

2009-12-15T16:22:00.000-08:00

But just don't call it a Ciclovia!
Dec. 10 was Bogotá's famous 'Ciclovia Nocturna,' or Nocturnal Ciclovía. Besides being at night, there was another difference between it and the normal Sunday/holiday Ciclovías - Seventh Ave. was so crowded that you could hardly walk, much less cycle, on it! Bogotá's world-famous Ciclovia is a wonderful institution. And so is this evening, when major avenues are taken from cars and given to the people. But this once-a-year event should better be called a pede-via or caminatavia.

This blog is written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours