Have heard that Rwanda has banned bikes from asphalt roads. Trying to find out more. If anyone has links, please send?
(doesn't surprise me, classic 'high modernist'/anti-rural approach very typical of them, but still crazy)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
Rwanda bans bikes?
(15 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
-
Nothing about it showing on Google.
There are 'projects'.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yeah, I couldn't find it on google either, but found same links as you. Will report more as I hear it. My source is rather anti-government (she got sent to a 're-education camp'), but reliable!
Posted 13 years ago # -
It's Uneasy Riders come true!
Posted 13 years ago # -
here's a more positive story about the national cycling team from the New Yorker, also stuff on cargo bikes, mountain-bikes etc
Posted 13 years ago # -
R4 is very keen on reports about how great it is that developing countries* are building motorways everywhere. It is all to do with capitalist business people jumping ship from Europe and looking to make cash out of new places. They can make more money from car dependant nations so are keen to invest in getting them into that state. Learning from our mistakes is unlikely to happen. Although this does sound a wee bit extreme.
*whatever that actually means
Posted 13 years ago # -
"They can make more money from car dependant nations"
The new tobacco??
Posted 13 years ago # -
What do you mean "new"? Been going on here for decades.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The essence is that in Rwanda many laws recently have basically stopped the poor from existing - but only in the sense that we don't hear about them. Recent laws have stopped people walking barefoot for example. The latest law stops bikes from using the main roads in towns (which other vehicles are still allowed to use).
It would appear that the Rwandan government are trying to portray a clean and modern vision of the country (the article refers to it as a sort of Disneyland).
Right now I need to go to lunch so I'll leave SRD to do the full-on proper translation... :P
Posted 13 years ago # -
Yup. that's about right.
It's not clear to me if bikes are banned from the big tar roads that link cities and provinces only (eg trucking routes) or also the roads within cities, but it does seem to be both.
Lots of examples of people trying to take good to markets, people to hospitals etc. Police sometimes just deflate tyres, or fine people, but bikes also confiscated and sold at auction.
As Anth notes, there is a lot of pressure from the government to make the country seem modern, clean, etc which may be part of what drives this sort of decision. However, the justifications given in the story are all about safety, and it appears the decision has come from middle-level government, rather than the capital.
Posted 13 years ago # -
@anth Even with Chrome translation, it appears the authorities have indeed been reading Uneasy Riders with their irony filters off.
"It's for your own safety..."
Robert
Posted 13 years ago # -
Youtube http://www.naden.de/blog/bbvideo-bbpress-video-plugin -->
[+] Embed the video | clip of the 'tour of rwanda' (go eritrea!!!)" target="_blank">Video Download Get the Flash Video Posted 13 years ago # -
I've asked if I can reprint the story in English in the next citycycling...
Posted 13 years ago # -
This is not new in African countries run by despots, eager to appear brand new and shiny! Malawi under Kamuzu Banda (how he was revered and came cap in hand to Britain, where he had been educated, received lots of money, which he spent entirely on himself) when there was a prolonged drought in the 60's/70's people who were dying of starvation were dragged off the street/dirt roads and hidden behind houses when he did his "welfare tour" of the country to see how his people were faring, he saw no dying people and therefore did not buy maize or produce with the money he had been given by Britain. He did tours of hospitals where patients may be two to a bed with one on a raffia mat on the floor underneath, but when he toured there were all these people convalescing in the sun on mats...it did not take a genius to work out that the numbers outside could not possibly mean that there was one patient to a bed!! He chose to ignore it...and they died in their droves. We have a sentimental attitude and value life differently than in many third world countries. There are no benefits systems, if you don't work or grow your own produce you die, uncomplicated and simple. The wealthy Africans do not help their brethren and, indeed, are known to employ the poor and treat them abysmally, having been corrupted and infected with some sort of sick notion that because they have money they are so much better. Ironic really that a French speaking nation with an extremely poor humanitarian record, guilty of genocide, is attracting commercial interest from 1st world countries. How short is our memory when it comes to the dollar/yen/pound
Posted 13 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
