Dear Editor,
In Hong Kong, there are different intense arguments about whether cycling should be allowed in Hong Kong streets or not. Does cycling benefit Hong Kong or bring bad impacts on Hong Kong? I will outline both the disadvantages and advantages of cycling on Hong Kong roads below.
One obvious argument against cycling on the roads is it is dangerous. The lives of cyclists are not well protected due to the bad road conditions in Hong Kong. Although Hong Kong is a very small place, the traffic load here is surprisingly heavy. Plenty of vehicles go in or go out around the clock because many commercial activities take place here. As more and more vehicles use the limited small piece of land in Hong Kong, traffic accidents are more likely to happen. In such a dangerous traffic condition, the cyclists may risk having traffic accidents with other vehicles very often. Taiwan is a place where cycling is allowed in the streets. The cases of cycling accidents have occurred more frequently in Taiwan in recent years. The death rate in cycling accidents is growing and it reaches the height of almost 140 victims killed every year. It is quite a horrible number. I cite this data to show how dangerous cycling in the streets is.
There are, of course, advantages of cycling on Hong Kong roads. It is more environmentally-friendly to use bicycles as a main form of transport in the streets. As the number of vehicles in Hong Kong is increasing, more and more waste gases are emitted. Those waste gases are extremely harmful to the surroundings. They may upset the ecological balance, badly damage the environment and even affect our health. However, no limited resources are used to pedal bicycles. To protect the earth, where we live, we should ride bicycles instead of using private cars. Cycling should be promoted especially in Hong Kong because Hong Kong’s environment is getting worse and worse due to soaring emission of waste gases.
It is very convenient for people to ride bicycles because cycling is very easy to learn. Also, we can get healthier physically and mentally when riding bicycles in the streets. Hong Kong people do not have much leisure time to exercise because they dedicate most of the time to their own work. Without doing sports, their health becomes poorer and poorer and they may have some severe diseases very often. To avoid this problem, Hong Kong people can ride to and off work and exercise at the same time. Hence, their bodies can be kept healthy physically. Moreover, since the competition among Hong Kong people is very fierce, every Hongkonger works under great pressure. They are always anxious and they live unhappily. Cycling in the streets provides a suitable way for Hong Kong people to release their stress, so that their working efficiency can be enhanced. They become healthier mentally.
To sum up, cycling should be allowed in the streets in Hong Kong because the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. At the same time, Hong Kong should build more facilities and take measures like designating cycling paths and passing laws to protect cyclists’ lives. Cycling will benefit Hong Kong certainly when there are good facilities.
Yours faithfully
Victor Chan
Chan Chun Ho