A Safety Ride Goes Wrong

A group of bike readers on their way to the bike forum in Medellin.

On the road: Biking toward Medellin.
(Photo: Twitter)

To demonstrate their commitment to cycling, as well as travel in healthy, planet-friendly fashion, a group of 25 Bogotá cyclists decided to pedal the 450 kilometers from Bogotá to the Fourth Bicycle Forum, being held right now in Medellin.

Along the way, they would develop plans for safe cycling. After all, one of forum's presentations was to be 'Creating Safe Streets.'

However, safety issues became very concrete for the group when, early in the morning of Feb. 23, several of the group's riders were hit by a truck.

'This morning at 5:45 a.m. a truck ran over us,' participant Manuel Lancheros wrote on Facebook. 'Paula Alejandra Enciso and I ended up badly injured and lost our bicycles. We will continue our trip to Medellin by car. See you there!'

"My knees are banged up, my elbows are scraped," Enciso told El Tiempo.

Fortunately, their injuries were minor and both were released after a short hospital stay.

'I feel much better now,' Lancheros added the next day.

Ironically, the Bike Forum was founded in Brazil several years ago after a driver ran over some 20 cyclists.

Manuel and Paula in the hospital. (Photo: Twitter)

By Mike Ceaser of Bogotá Bike Tours.

Armored Invasion of La Ciclovía!

This Sunday, this armored car driver decided that La Ciclovía provided a convenient route to wherever he was heading. The folks in charge of La Ciclovia, who presumably are there to defend cyclists' rights and safety, either didn't notice or didn't care.

Unfortunately, the incident is symptomatic of the way motorized vehicles, particularly motorcycle, invade cyclists' territory.



Blog by Mike Ceaser, of Bogota Bike Tours

Finally, a Flat Fixer at La Nacho!

Flats fixed here, finally!

A crowded bike rack on the
National University campus.

Since my first visit many years ago to the National University, with its thousands of bikes, I've been perplexed by the fact that the campus lacks a public bike repair shop. After all, it's not as tho the campus lacked entrepreneurs: the campus's walkways are crowded with food and arts and crafts vendors.

Now, finally, someone has partially filled this inexplicable hole by setting up a flat fixing kiosk by the university's 26th St. entrance.

Perhaps this will inspire a few more ambitious people to set up bike repair shops around this city, where most bike shops are irrationally concentrated along a few streets.

A cyclist on the National University campus.

Blog by Mike Ceaser of Bogota Bike Tours.

More Bikes, Fewer Cars - For One Day

A momentary bicycle-jam on Carrera Septima as these cyclists wait for a light to change.

Air pollution dropped 21%, and the city was lots quieter and more peaceful during Bogotá's 2015 Car-Free Day. And, even compared to previous years, my unscientific impression is that this year many more cyclists turned out. 

But will they pedal again another day?

Lots of pedalers turned out today - but how many of them will pedal tomorrow?

Not all the streets are as cycle-friendly as la Septima. This guy's maneuvering between buses on Carrera 10.

Don't ride behind me. Nearby, a bus belches smoke. It's Car-Free Day, not pollution-free day, silly.

Back on the friendly Carrera Septima. 

This usually congested street in downtown was so clear that these guys could ride against traffic.

The IDRD's public lending bikes reappeared today. But will they tomorrow?

A moto-bici illegally uses an exclusive TransMilenio bus lane. 

This year for the first time no-car day was also no-motorcycle day. But, insanely, the prohibition did not extend to the moto-bicis, bicycles equipped with gasoline engines, which make lots of noise and pollute more than do many cars.

But today's El Tiempo also carried this disastrous new item: New car sales as ahead of last year's record new car sales.

Blog by Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours