Everybody enjoys cycling. While travelling, I came to notice that cycling made everything a whole lot more fun! I was a lot more at home cycling in South East Asia than I was in Australia or New Zealand. But I guess it could be just me and experiences may differ. Now there are a lot of you who are cynical about the safety of cycling, but there is an undeniable romance when cycling through the streets and perceiving things differently to walking. Also, it is generally cheap to rent a cycle while covering more area than should you have been walking. Here are a few things to remember especially when cycling in Asia...
Acclimatize
When you first arrive in a new city/town/village, look around and gauge your comfort level cycling in a particular place in regards to the pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
If you do decide to cycle to get around places then remember to...
Glue yourself on/besides the footpaths
Its good to try and map out a safe zone while cycling as many a countries won't have a cycling lane. Footpaths are always a safe bet although cycling on them is frowned upon in some of the countries (especially the western ones). But only once you dare to venture out of the footpath and on to the road, does life get more interesting.
I distinctly remember, getting off my bicycle to take a picture of a shrine in Siem Reap placed on a roundabout. I stood in between the lanes and happily took shots for few minutes, until I looked back and saw a bus with the driver calmly waiting for me to finish taking the shots. As I smiled sheepishly he let go a broad smile and waved his hands as if to say "don't worry about it". Only once he'd driven past did I realised I'd held a long queue of cars.
As you feel more comfortable, you can venture out on the middle of the road(if safe), ensuring to not hold the traffic but always remember...
Be aware and stick your hand out when in doubt
The most important thing about cycling is to always be aware. You'd be hard pressed to find a cycling helmet when renting a cycle in Asia. So for your own safety always be aware of your surroundings: animals, inanimate objects, vehicles, pedestrians and other cyclists.
The most useful method of indication while cycling is to stick your hand out. Turning left, right or just plain stopping, talking with your hand is the best way to go.
Don't be nervous...
Here's why.. many of the drivers will be more careful around cyclists. My friend who wasn't a confident cyclist said she found cycling in Asia relaxing when compared to New Zealand simply because the cars moved a lot slower and the drivers were a lot more careful as they were used to dealing with a lot of people. Motorists in Asia are a lot more forgiving and enormously considerate when around a cyclist.
So next time you are in Asia, I'd highly recommend renting a cycle wherever possible and enjoying those sights and sounds in a variety of ways.
