Ever since he met with an accident in January 2014, Prakash Rajgopal, a software engineer, stopped using his motorcycle. He now cycles to his workplace, Infosys, from his residence on Bogadi-Gaddige Road in the city, a distance of about 7.5 km.
Doesn’t he find cycling 15 km every day to his workplace and back an arduous, back-breaking exercise? Prakash (34) almost breathlessly reels out the advantages of cycling. Apart from helping him keep physically fit, he finds cycling safer than riding a motorcycle.
Prakash is not alone. He is among the 52 members of Mysuru Chapter of Thunderbolts, an Infosys Cycling Club and one of the 22 employees, whose only mode of transport to office is a cycle. As many as 13 employees cycled to work every day during 2014.
Prakash, who started cycling while he was working in Bengaluru, finds the roads of Mysuru more fun and cycle-friendly. “Compared to Bengaluru, there is not much traffic in Mysuru, particularly the Ring Road and other roads I use to commute between office and home”.
His colleague, Anantha Bondade, uses a cycle with gear to commute about 7 km every day between office and home. He said that the government authorities can encourage more people to take to cycling by creating dedicated cycling lanes.
Similiarly, Dayanand Padasalgi, whose doctor advised him physical exercise to counter his acidity a couple of months ago, is now glad that he took to cycling that rid him of his ailment. Pedalling about 10 km every day between home to office, Mr. Dayanand says the cyclists in his company not only make it a point to make use of the shower facilities in their campus after reaching office, but also wear the necessary safety gear including helmets and jackets that reflect light while cycling. “Helmets are compulsory. And we also ensure lights for the cycle if we have to ride after sunset”, he added.
