Tis the time to share A Ride

For those of us who have watched travel shows, it wouldn’t come off as a surprise to note that one of the main modes of transportion in countries like Indonesia is bike taxis. These taxis are hired on a regular basis to drop you to your destination. Well, and now, bike taxis are said to be reintroduced to Bengaluru soon! The government is contemplating a rather interesting move – allowing operations of bike taxis and car pooling by amending the Motor Vehicles Act. This move has been made with two objectives in mind – to reduce pressure on our city roads and to make people shift to shared mobility. Young Bengalureans share their views.... 

Iman Sadhu, a consultant who has used bike taxis before, believes that it will be beneficial. “Bike taxis in the city had to be removed due to various regulations that came up. Gurgaon is the only place where I have seen bike taxis in full operation. It is great for shorter distances but having said that, the rider’s safety is at stake. But from what I have seen, the riders are pretty decent. It will be great as bike taxis will lead to a  reduced number of cars hence helping combat the existing high levels of pollution.” 

Abishek Gnanraj, a full-time musician feels that this initiative will have a 50-50 percent response. He says, “On one hand it  reduces pollution and pressure on road but on the other hand, safety also needs to be considered. Shared mobility is definitely a positive sign. 50 percent of cars on the road usually have just one commuter which makes no sense. Bike taxis are efficient as bikes are more equipped to navigate through the traffic better.” 

Sapna Bhagat, an intelligence analyst, wonders how safe it will be for women. She adds, “This initiative has both pro and cons. Getting to a destination will be much quicker. But, I am not really confident and comfortable being on the pavillion of a bike with an unknown person riding. Having the bike as well as the rider verified by the police is what would work.”

Sociologist Swati C says, “All in all,  this initiative is a good idea. But, the success of it depends entirely on the infrastructural facilities which Bengaluru doesn’t possess at the moment. Just like how the concept of pink cabs gained a lot of momentum in India; for this idea to work, I feel a designated number of bikes need to be set aside for women with women riders. This will not only ensure their safety, but also make them more comfortable using bike taxis.”