On Your Bike, Bush!
In its heyday when the two wheels ruled the roads and were the preferred mode of transportation in China, even the former US President George Bush senior cycled around the city of Beijing when he was working there in the 70s.
The bicycles once enjoyed great honour and glory and, believe it or not, they were considered to be one of the three major items most coveted by newlyweds, along with a watch and sewing machine. There were even movies made about them. And, as far as brands were concerned, Phoenix and Flying Dove were the favourites those days as Bush senior would tell you.
With so much national pride attached to bicycles, the Chinese Government gave the older Bush a Flying Dove bike as a gift in 1992 during his visit to China as US president.
Unfortunately, the popularity of this two-wheeled environmentally friendly transportation tool has ebbed since mid 1990's. As a result, in 1999, only 1 million bicycles were sold throughout the country, compared with 30 million in 1994.
Rapid industrialisation is taking the glam out of the two-wheels and fueling an increase in motor vehicles. In the Bicycle Kingdom, the number of cars has been doubling every five years over the past 30 years. And it certainly doesnt take a rocket scientist to realise that an explosion in the number of motor vehicles in China will spell catastrophic disaster for the worlds climate.
But, there is still a gleam of hope at the end of the tunnel which is worth mentioning. A Chinese transport expert once likened an ideal transportation mix to the flow of blood in a human body.
In the body, public transport is just like the main vessels while bicycles are like the capillary vessels. The two should be complimentary.
Yeah, Long Live the King of the Road in China!
