Driving bicycles in Lagos state
Naijaholic
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One of the things that I love that some Lagos people are now doing is driving bicycles. I'm not just referring to children who drive small bicycles but I'm talking of adults, some of whom I know, that drive bicycles as a form of exercise. It's a good lifestyle and it's safer than taking an Okada or driving one.Yes, many people in Lagos state can afford to buy their own personal cars because Lagos is the richest state in Nigeria in terms of people but' she's the poorest in terms of traffic. Driving bicycles can help keep many cars at home and keep the roads decongested.I remember one time when I went to buy fuel at a petrol station in Surulere along the Ojuelegba road and after buying fuel, I was about the come back but noticed that there was road block caused by a coaster bus which had suddenly broken down and the tyres have come off. That was the closest route I could follow to head back home but it had been blocked by a broken down vehicle which should not have been on the road in the first place if the FRSC were doing their job effectively. If I had been walking home with my legs rather than driving, I could still have passed that route but because I was driving a car, I had to go back and follow a longer route through Idi-Araba and Itire road. If I had been also driving cicycles, I would have reached home much earlier than driving my own car. It's not that bicycles are faster than cars but they can afford traffic much better than cars.A lot of Lagosians have cars since they can afford it but a good number of those cars don't deserve to be on the road as they either break down to cause traffic or cause traffic and air pollution by the mere state of their numbers on the road. If more Lagosians drive bicycles, there would be less traffic and the air would be much cleaner.
Nowadays, a growing number of rich people in Lagos state are buying bicycles for personal use. Some use it to go to Church/Mosque, some use it to go to work. Some drive their bicycles to do exercise while some drive it for fun. People who buy and drive bicycles in Lagos are not doing it because they are poor or can't afford to buy a car because some I know are already millionaires but they just like the fact that a bicycle can do certain things a car or personal vehicle cannot do.I wish that Lagosians would declare a bicycle day during which they would park all their fuel guzzling vehicles at home and just drive only bicycles. I bet that the petrol stations would feel the pinch.If more Lagosians drive bicycles, they would save money on fuel and live longer lives and I would wish all car owners in Lagos unite one day and say not to petrol by just driving their bicycles to work. The air would be cleaner, they would not spend time in traffic and they would also be doing good exercise.Driving a bicycle in Lagos state does have some challenges such as trying not to get hit by a fast moving vehicle or even having the energy to pedal them. I know that it can be hard for very fat Lagosians to drive bicycles but it' what they really need to do if they want to lose weight and stay healthy.Some Nigerians who drive bicycles tend to wear safety kits when doing so while many just drive them like that. If you want to stay safe while driving a bicycle in Nigeria given that there are not many things on the road than can protect you such as a bicycle only lane, road cameras and so on, it's best to wear the complete safety kit such as a helmet, front lights, anti-reflection back, knee pads, goggles, elbow pads and gloves. All those mentioned items would help you drive safely but you should also keep and eye on the road and know when the apply the brakes and the safest routes to follow to your destination.When driving bicycles in a busy state of Nigeria like Lagos, it's best to follow roads where there are fewer cars that are also slow moving than roads where there are a lot of cars that are fast moving. Always stay on a slow moving lane and don't try to stay on a fast moving lane when driving on a high speed road. You should avoid the express ways entirely if you are driving a bicycle in Lagos state and rather take an alternative route.Many people drive bicycles in Lagos but they mostly use it for short distances rather than for long distance journeys. Bicycles are not as highly regulated by the government as other vehicles are and so everyone is free to drive it as long as they can handle it.
Posted by Felix Okoli on Wednesday July 20, 2016 at 12:36:59:
Nowadays, a growing number of rich people in Lagos state are buying bicycles for personal use. Some use it to go to Church/Mosque, some use it to go to work. Some drive their bicycles to do exercise while some drive it for fun. People who buy and drive bicycles in Lagos are not doing it because they are poor or can't afford to buy a car because some I know are already millionaires but they just like the fact that a bicycle can do certain things a car or personal vehicle cannot do.I wish that Lagosians would declare a bicycle day during which they would park all their fuel guzzling vehicles at home and just drive only bicycles. I bet that the petrol stations would feel the pinch.If more Lagosians drive bicycles, they would save money on fuel and live longer lives and I would wish all car owners in Lagos unite one day and say not to petrol by just driving their bicycles to work. The air would be cleaner, they would not spend time in traffic and they would also be doing good exercise.Driving a bicycle in Lagos state does have some challenges such as trying not to get hit by a fast moving vehicle or even having the energy to pedal them. I know that it can be hard for very fat Lagosians to drive bicycles but it' what they really need to do if they want to lose weight and stay healthy.Some Nigerians who drive bicycles tend to wear safety kits when doing so while many just drive them like that. If you want to stay safe while driving a bicycle in Nigeria given that there are not many things on the road than can protect you such as a bicycle only lane, road cameras and so on, it's best to wear the complete safety kit such as a helmet, front lights, anti-reflection back, knee pads, goggles, elbow pads and gloves. All those mentioned items would help you drive safely but you should also keep and eye on the road and know when the apply the brakes and the safest routes to follow to your destination.When driving bicycles in a busy state of Nigeria like Lagos, it's best to follow roads where there are fewer cars that are also slow moving than roads where there are a lot of cars that are fast moving. Always stay on a slow moving lane and don't try to stay on a fast moving lane when driving on a high speed road. You should avoid the express ways entirely if you are driving a bicycle in Lagos state and rather take an alternative route.Many people drive bicycles in Lagos but they mostly use it for short distances rather than for long distance journeys. Bicycles are not as highly regulated by the government as other vehicles are and so everyone is free to drive it as long as they can handle it.
Posted by Felix Okoli on Wednesday July 20, 2016 at 12:36:59: