Cycling Becomes The Prevention Option For COVID-19 In The New Normal Period

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JAKARTA - The plan to implement new norms requires the use of transportation to be accompanied by the implementation of the COVID-19 prevention protocol. This is because public transportation is the location with the most potential to transmit the corona virus.

Transportation observer from the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) Djoko Setijowarno said that people can use one of the safest forms of transportation from COVID-19, namely by cycling.

"Cycling is an option, because apart from avoiding crowds in closed spaces and avoiding queuing, cycling keeps the body healthy. Another benefit of cycling is to reduce air pollution," said Djoko in a virtual discussion broadcast on the Ministry of Transportation's Youtube account, Tuesday, June 2.

However, said Djoko, cycling for community mobility is possible in large, densely populated cities. This is because the distance traveled by residents in their activities in big cities is usually not too far away and can still be reached by bicycle.

In Indonesia, only Jakarta has committed to building 63 kilometers of bicycle paths from the target of 545 kilometers. Meanwhile, this year, according to Djoko, the target of continuing the construction of a 200-kilometer bicycle path is unlikely to be realized. This is because the budget is focused on handling the impact of the corona virus.

However, Djoko did not deny that there would be obstacles to changing people's daily patterns of riding by bicycle. Apart from weather reasons, the up and down contours of the road in some areas also make people lazy to use bicycles.

Moreover, nowadays most Indonesian people are accustomed to using motorbikes. Short, medium or long distance trips for the lower middle class, motorbikes are used.

"Motorbikes in Indonesia were created not for medium or medium distance travel, but for long-distance travel. The proof is that during the Eid homecoming period, which used to be a lot of buses, now use motorbikes," he said.

Therefore, Djoko suggested that the government can slowly make policies that prioritize cyclists and pedestrians, while dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

"We know that the president likes to distribute bicycles. Just make it a national program. Add the goal of using bicycles to be healthy from the spread of COVID-19," he concluded.