Around three percent of the population in Mexico regularly commutes by bicycle, according to Aldo Andrés Silva Dávila, head of the Road Safety Education Department at the Ministry of Urban Development and Mobility.
However, nearly 50 percent of Mexicans own a bicycle.
In an interview with Quadratín, on the occasion of World Bicycle Day, Silva Dávila explained that approximately half of the national population owns at least one bicycle.
The primary use of bicycles is for sport or recreation, with fewer people using them as their usual means of transportation.
This is based on studies conducted on bicycle mobility since 2018 and data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) on road users in Mexico.
Among the factors influencing the proportion of bicycle users as a regular means of transportation, compared to other forms of mobility, Aldo Andrés Silva mentioned the persistent association of car ownership with economic and social success, while bicycles are linked in the collective imagination with precariousness.
He also mentioned the need to expand cycling or cyclist-friendly infrastructure, such as bike lanes, priority lanes for cyclists, and bicycle parking facilities.
Finally, he cited the lack of a road safety culture that allows motorists, in particular, to understand the hierarchy of road users, with pedestrians, the most vulnerable, at the top, followed by cyclists and other users of non-motorized vehicles.
Regarding the growing use of electric vehicles, such as scooters and bicycles, he stated that they do not pose a risk to pedestrians as long as they do not exceed 25 kilometers per hour.
He added that the fear generated by their presence has outweighed the actual accidents involving them.
He reiterated that the cycling population has great potential for growth and many advantages over other forms of transportation, such as lower air pollution, reduced traffic congestion, increased physical activity, and more inclusive spaces.
This Wednesday, the Morelia Administrative Center (CAM) hosted a special edition of the Bike School, an activity developed by the municipality as part of the Sunday recreational bike route, in commemoration of World Bicycle Day.
From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. this Wednesday, the Bike School offered basic lessons on bicycle use, as well as sharing recommendations with participants for a safe and enjoyable experience.
It is usually held in the Historic Center on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., coinciding with the Sunday recreational bike route.
In addition, there is the Roller Skating School, also part of the Sunday recreational bike route, which provides participants with the basics of roller skating.
Source: quadratin
