Cairo biking initiative

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Cairo biking initiative

Post by newcastle »

Egypt’s oldest social change incubator, Nahdet al-Mahrousa, has launched a new initiative in May, titled “Sekketak Khadra” (“Your Path is Green”), which aims to transform Cairo into a greener, more bike-friendly city.

The initiative comes with good timing, as Egyptian Streets reported on Wednesday that Cairo has been designated the second most polluted city in the world by the World Heath Organisation.

Nahdet al-Mahrousa’s communications manager, Rana al-Sadek, told Egypt Independent that “the idea behind the initiative is to encourage people to leave their cars behind and opt for biking instead.” She explained how the initiative has created partnerships with organisations such as the Danish Embassy in Cairo, the Cairo Governorate, UN Habitat, and local community partner, Heliopolis Heritage. The aim is to install 100 bike racks in the capital, accommodating up to 200 bicycles, which is set to be completed by the end of May.

Surveys were conducted asking people where the best places would be for the bike racks, with the results highlighting Masr al-Gedida in Heliopolis and Downtown. Over 100 locations in these areas were chosen, with good security and cameras. The initiative is also planning racks in Korba.

https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/05/20/ ... nitiative/

You've got to be kidding?!

Sounds like an initiative to reduce the population
:lol:


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Re: Cairo biking initiative

Post by Hafiz »

Bike tracks - will the government build them to reduce the space available to cars and spend lots of money?

Nice idea but it needs government planning - unlikely. The heat of summer is also another problem. Theft and shortage of repair shops might be a problem as would road surface and appalling car driver behavior. In some situations reluctance to use night lights on cars would be a danger. I suspect that the attitude of the average bus driver, cab driver and many normal drivers towards cyclists is contempt.

Even in western cities with demarked bike lanes the injuries/deaths are many times those of car drivers or people on public transport.

The pollution/dust/sand storms would be a real problem.

I suspect this is an Upper Class Cairo leftist initiative with all the organizing skills that go with that - but good skills in getting money from western embassies and NGO's, but maybe bikes could work better in regional cities like Luxor and the coastal cities surrounded by battlements. In some of these locations the faux dignity of the Lower Middle and Middle Class might be an impediment.
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