Car-Free Day is Bicyclists' Day

Cyclists ride down the newish bike lane on Carrera 7, over Calle 26.

This year's Car-Free Day, held Feb. 1, was supposed to be dedicated to pedestrians. 

Its star performers, however, were the bicyclists. 

Evening rush hour on Carrera Septina.

Calle 26, usually a long parking lot on weekdays, was a big bike lane yesterday.

And Calle 26 today, Feb. 2. Notice the difference?

Normally, it's difficult cycling across Paloquemao's parking lot. Yesterday, cyclists owned it.

Blog by Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Sad Face of Bogotá Cycling

A father-daughter outing - with anti-toxic face masks.

This cycling father and daughter pair struck me as tremendously sad, outfitted as they were with their anti-pollution face masks for a Saturday afternoon outing in central Bogotá. They looked more appropriate for a visit to a toxic dump or the scene of an industrial disaster. 

But, come to think of it, Bogotá may be the scene of a chronic and perpetual industrial disaster. 

Buses belching smoke near the intersection where I saw the masked father and daughter. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Bogotá's Masked Cyclists

"I don't want to eat dust," explained this woman, a foreigner, in Teusaquillo. 

Sadly, many cyclists in Bogotá feel obliged to wear masks to try to protect themselves from air pollution. It's terribly unfair that we cyclists suffer because others - including environmental authorities - ignore the law!

How'd you like to be cycling near this smog-belching TransMilenio bus, which I spotted on the 'Eje Ambiental,' (the so-called 'Environmental Axis.')

To this masked cyclist, whom I met on Calle 26, near the Universidad Nacional, I noted that laws do exist here limiting vehicle emissions. But the guy wasn't hopeful. "But here the laws are ignored," he observed.

A good place to ride?

Wouldn't you hate to be caught riding behind this smog-belching bus? (I was there.)

These guys, who were just gassed by a TransMilenio bus, forgot to wear their masks today. 

Even on the car-free section of Ave. Septima, this woman masks herself.

 By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours