Sustainable development warrants safe spaces to walk, cycle or use public transport that is affordable, accessible, available, convenient and comfortable for everyone.
My driving license expired on 30 July 2018. I actively drove car for almost 15 years and owned one too till August 2015. It was not a very frequent occurrence that my car had more people other than me. I can also say driving a car somewhere inflated my false ego, made me less sensitive or connected with those outside the windows of air conditioned car. It almost felt like cruising in a bubble. It guzzled fuel enough in a week or two that was more than the price I paid for a cycle I bought for myself on 24 June 2014. Imagine one time refueling cost of car was more than cost of brand new cycle! I cycled till 1997, drove car in between, and then again began tiptoeing back to cycle since June 2014. It took me sometime to cope and redefine the way I lived my life to get comfortable with new (and better and harmonious) way of living. Since past years I have happily cycled, walked and/or used public transport for commuting.
On individual level, we have to dissect market-based solutions that are being aggressively bombarded on us in multitude ways, to supposedly 'make our lives easy'. But often these market-based solutions are making lives miserable, not just for us, but also for others by damaging our planet. Do we want to be a puppet of the industry, or think for ourselves what's good way to live our life on the planet?
On government level, we have to vote those in power who not only strengthen public systems for universal healthcare, education, transport, nutrition and social security but also de-normalize and hold problematic industries to account for deceptive marketing tactics.
If public services are good and accessible to everyone, then private options will by default become redundant.
Roads do not belong only to car user. All of us need to reclaim our space on the road, and ensure everyone is able to commute safely and comfortably.
Bobby Ramakant CNS
(Bobby Ramakant is a World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General's WNTD Awardee, health and development justice activist, and part of CNS and Asha Parivar team. Follow him on Twitter @bobbyramakant, @cns_health or email: bobbyramakant|AT|yahoo.comEmail address)
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