Thursday 2 October 2008

Our Bikes

You have asked for them. Here you have our bikes.

Rita has a Sawan and I have a Hamilton. Both are bicycles Made in India.

Mozambican stores sell these bikes and here in Chókwè you have hundreds of people with these models pedaling on the streets.

Youngsters prefer the BMX and the racing styles. Older persons and people that work in the agriculture fields prefer the classical model.

It's the Mozambican Cycle Style.

Wednesday 1 October 2008

Police on bikes


Recently some European and North American countries have launched police bike patrols. In Portugal, my homeland, most of the medium and big cities have this and the media is always talking about the advantages of bike patrols. Mozambique has also police on bikes. They make communitarian surveillance and the bikes and training were offered by the USA. Here, a photo taken from the newspaper, they look very modern and ready to pedal and get the bad guys. I would love to see them on the streets.

Two bicycles in Xai-Xai

Two bicycles in Xai-Xai, very near to the train station. Note that one has a poster saying: "Cuidado Comigo", which means "Be careful with me" or "Don't mess with me".

This message always intrigued me as it can have these two different meanings. It can say: "hey drivers, be careful with me as I am more fragile than you". In Portuguese "Cuidado Comigo" it also can pass the message of a empowered cyclist that is not afraid to take his/her place on the street and affirm him/her self.

At least, it is sure that he/she is communicating with other road users. This is one of the most import things to do while cycling. Communicate, communicate, communicate. It is something very basic to every human being.