The Hindu : Kerala News : Bicycles making a comeback

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Thursday, Jun 05, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala

Bicycles making a comeback

Staff Reporter

My car will remain a symbol of luxury in my porch, says a small firm owner

KOCHI: “What is the price of a cycle,” was the immediate response of Nikhil, a second year BA student of Maharaja’s College, when told about the petrol price hike.

Cycles which were on a come back trail to the city roads of late, thanks to the strict drive of the police against drunken-driving, have suddenly become all the more endearing to the city folks. Even among teetotallers.

“I have been thinking of a cycle ever since I came to know that the petrol pumps are about to stop filling petrol below one litre,” he says. If he was hesitant to choose cycle over his beloved bike, the price hike has sealed the decision in favour of the cycle.

“Even at the earlier price, I was finding it difficult to fill one litre of petrol every time. Now with the prices going over Rs.50 a litre, I just can’t afford it,” he said.

Sanjay K.V., who runs a small private firm in the city and baulks at the thought of anything involving physical exertion, has become an ardent fan of cycles overnight. “Actually, cycling is good for health, you know,” he grins.

But it was clear that petrol price hike was behind his new found love for cycles. “I was least bothered about past increase in petrol prices, for whatever the price was I used to fill petrol in my bike for Rs.50. I used to get a little over one litre for that price,” he quips. For him, the price of a litre of petrol going over Rs.50 was more of a psychological thing. “That I am paying more than Rs.50 for a litre is a bit disturbing,” he says.

What about his car? “From now on, it will remain as a symbol of luxury in my porch. Nothing more,” he says.

“Rise in petrol prices is just like global warming. No one can stop it,” Jayadeep Narasimhan, manager of a company selling bathroom fittings, turned philosophical. For Jayadeep, who loves his evening drinks and has been going around asking whether there were legal provisions that exempted cyclists from the net of police’s drunken-drive campaign, the petrol hike has come as a blessing in disguise. “Let’s go cycling,” he exhorts as if the price hike has liberated him.

He was sympathetic of those who frantically filled petrol on Wednesday before the price rise came into effect. “We are not going to overcome this problem by filling petrol for a lower price for one last time,” he avers.

Meanwhile, owners of shops selling cycles say that it is too early to predict the impact of fuel price hike on their sales. “We haven’t received any additional inquires today,” Kalesh, who owns a shop at the busy Broadway says. “We have been doing brisk business for the last two months. But that usually happens during summer vacation,” he says. He is keeping his fingers crossed on the prospects of sales during the coming days.

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