Bike usage in Southern Africa

[chap]

Came across this photo gallery on the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/8377070.stm

It is amazing how versatile the bicycle is, in parts of Southern Africa, they are used as taxis, 'Boda Bodas'. Although, what is interesting is how these innovative uses are so similar throughout the world, e.g the Far East, Southern Asia, and in parts of Europe. Alas, in the UK & Irelands the proud traditions are dying out e.g. the Irish bicycle men who used them in rural settings, and the fact that the Dutch bicycle was traditionally refered to as the English bike.

Let's hope their time comes again. To the bicycle, the ubiquitous and truly green vehicle!

 

[Globalti]

The first pic is Rwanda, not Southern Africa.

Anyway, yes, bikes are used as a means of transport by poor Africans. Meanwhile Africans with money aspire to the status of owning a car and wouldn't be seen dead riding a bike.

 

[Alan Whicker]

There was a Blue Peter appeal back in the late 70s to raise money to get bicycles for medics in rural Africa. They must have been tough old things - I read recently that these bikes are only just being replaced by small motorcycles.

 

[Globalti]

Africa is being flooded with small Chinese-made motorcycles, there are container-loads of them coming in on every freighter.

Example of the menace of motorcycles: http://thenewnigerians.blogspot.com/2009/05/nigeria-okada-menace.html

 

[Amanda P]

Mrs Uncle Phil and I were once mending a puncture by the side of the road into Mombassa. A chap riding by stopped to offer help. We had quite a long chat. He turned out to be a doctor on his rounds.

His bike was a Chinese mountain-bike type thing, befitting his status as a shanty town doctor. All the other local bike owners had "Flying Pigeon" single-speed roadsters, usually with reinforcements made of wrought iron to support twenty gallons of water, palm wine, the children or the wife.

The availability of motorcycles just means that bike-owning filters down to poorer levels of society; it's not all bad.

 

[chap]

The first pic is Rwanda, not Southern Africa.

Anyway, yes, bikes are used as a means of transport by poor Africans. Meanwhile Africans with money aspire to the status of owning a car and wouldn't be seen dead riding a bike.

Well done gold star, this post should have been names Bike usage in 'Central Africa'.

I think your concluding sentence is a global phenomena, particularly prevalent in poorer communities. Which is why bike-use in this country is seen as something kids, the 'poor' (as in derogatory, by the working class), or more fittingly a middle-call thing.

This probably goes some way to explaining a facet of the hatred exhibited by the proud 'white-van-man' towards us humble adult cyclists.

 

[jay clock]

I have just been in Kenya and Tanzania for a few weeks (back yday) and took tons of bike pics. I particularly took pics of a boda-boda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boda-boda which is a bike taxi.

And Rwanda is in the southern half of Africa - it is closer to the southern point than the northern point.....

 

[chap]

I have just been in Kenya and Tanzania for a few weeks (back yday) and took tons of bike pics. I particularly took pics of a boda-boda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boda-boda which is a bike taxi.

And Rwanda is in the southern half of Africa - it is closer to the southern point than the northern point.....

My original line of reasoning, although for arguments sake we can correctly(?) say central - even though we know we are right