Why cycle activity is not popular in Malaysian?

Why cycle activity is not popular in Malaysian?

I'm a kampung girl, when I'm in 7 years old, I already learn how to cycling....then I'm going to school by myself with bicycle until 16 years old, after I get the motorbike and car license  then I never use bicycle again and now it become a memory in my life...

Malaysians are seldom using bicycle as their daily transportation. From my point of view, there are some reasons after I am putting myself in this issue. Improvement in transportation technology makes cycling activity disqualified at this moment. Successful of railway train, cars and motorbike provide better convince to people for travel propose. However, there are certain reasons which giving larger impact to Malaysians that why are Malaysians not favorite in cycling activity.

1.       Climate;

Malaysia’s climate is hot and humid. It is really suffer to rinse yourself under the sun. Bicycle is transport without shelter. So, it is hard to apply of bicycle in daily life. Especially to adult who needs to compile their work under the sun. Mostly, car is preferable and affordable by Malaysians.

2.       Distance between living area to working area;

Distance between living areas to working area is an important issue to citizen in choosing their daily transportation. Bicycle is a move base on human’s energetic and combination system of bicycle. It is slower, taking longer time and energetic to travel from a place to another.

In addition, Malaysia is not a small country which not every Malaysian stay in where their work area. So, it is hard to apply bicycle to Malaysians.

3.       Environmental consciousness;

Malaysians’ environmental consciousness is low compare to others country. Malaysia is still under a bad environment friendly country after we get our development in these few years. The most influence issues are: Many forests had been developed; pollution in seas and rivers; and serious gaze issue.

In addition, most of Malaysians are working on their own benefits. And, they are not really love to giving their energetic by cycling on the road. Yet, motorbike will be preferable. Even, in small village, villages are used to motorbike to travel them even it just take only not more than 1 kilometer walk. How would cycling activity get back its glory if the situations in villages as above keeping influences to others?

4.       Bicycle Facilities.

Bicycle facilities are also an issue should be taking discuss. This is because there are lots of parents are not allows their children to cycle to school. They rather pay for the school bus services. They are not confident to the bicycle facilities in Malaysia.

Furthermore, we are having limit bicycle facilities in public places. Even recreation park, bicycle issue is seldom been highlight on its’ concept. Government should aware of bicycle facilities to provide a security and safety cycling to those cyclist, so this practice can be deliver to the next genetation.

Bicycle Facilities

Bicycle lanes are made by allocating part of a road to bicycles or by building off-road paths.

Bicycle lanes and paths should

form a network that connects homes, schools, workplaces, recreation facilities and shopping precincts

be well integrated with footpath crossings and bridges, and allow safe crossing of roads

not require the bicyclist to dismount frequently.

On-road bicycle lanes should be located on the outer edge of the road surface. They should be between 1.5 and 3 meters wide. Where traffic speeds or volumes are higher, wider lanes are needed, to allow more space between through traffic and bicycles.

On-road bicycle lanes can be indicated using painted line markings and can also be marked at regular intervals with a cycle symbol. They may also have a colored surface to increase their visibility. This is useful in complex environments, such as intersections.

On-road bicycle lanes can be created using existing sealed road space or by sealing the road shoulder.
Where traffic speeds and bicyclist numbers are too low to justify a bicycle lane, advisory signs can be used to remind other road users that bicyclists may also use the road.
 

 

 

 

 

Off-road bicycle paths are safer than on-road lanes, and can be used as part of on-road lanes to bypass road sections where mixing motor vehicles and bicyclists is not safe. Off-road bicycle paths are usually shared with pedestrians. Shared paths should be signed to encourage bicyclists to give way to pedestrians and to encourage pedestrians to keep to one side of the path.
 

 

 

Off-road bicycle paths should be between 2 and 5 metres wide (for both directions combined) depending on function (bicycles only, or shared) and bicycle and pedestrian volumes.

 

http://toolkit.irap.org/default.asp?page=treatment&id=1 

Bicycling is a sustainable and affordable method of transport

Bicycles require less to be spent on road infrastructure than heavier, larger vehicles. Owning a bicycle significantly improves the opportunities for education and employment of people on low incomes, particularly in rural areas of low income countries (Bicycle Empowerment Network, Bicycle reference manual for developing countries). In higher income countries cycling is an environmentally friendly and healthy activity.
However, cyclists are amongst the most vulnerable of all road users. In some countries where cycles are a primary mode of transport, cyclist death and injury can form a significant component of all casualties. The severity of cyclist crashes is often much higher than passenger or heavy vehicle crashes in similar situations, due to lack of physical protection.
The level of risk experienced by cyclists is related to the following contributory factors

Interaction with larger vehicles (cars, trucks and buses)

Road surface issues (such as roughness, potholes or debris on the road)

Speed environment - both for cyclists and other vehicles

Road design and traffic management

Inadequate physical separation from traffic

Other obstructions on the road.The severity of cyclist crashes is strongly dependent on the speed of traffic. Research shows that the chances of a cyclist surviving an impact with a motorised vehicle reduces dramatically above 30 km/h, and even at lower speeds than this, serious harm can be caused, especially to elderly or child cyclists.
In many places brakes and a bell are required for a bicycle to be ridden on the road (WHO World report on road traffic injury prevention). Bells are useful to alert other road users to the presence of a bicycle, and can help avoid collisions with other non-motorised road users. Many also require that the bicycle has front and rear reflectors, and sometimes battery powered front and rear lights if the bicycle is to be ridden after dark (Bicycle Laws and Penalties – RTA Centre for Road Safety). Wearing a helmet is also often required ( Treatments\Safe People\Helmet and Protective clothing ).
To reduce the risk of falls and collisions, bicycle riders should be encouraged and educated to

wear appropriate safety clothing and helmets

use designated cycle routes, tracks and lanes where available

keep tube tyres inflated to the pressure printed on the side of the tyre

ensure wheels are properly tightened to the frame of the bicycle and spokes are not broken

ensure that brakes are in good working order – this can be checked by applying the brakes while walking the bike

keep the chain oiled to slow down wear and reduce the likelihood of it breaking.Well designed cyclist training courses with on-road components can also be effective (RoSPA road safety advice- Cycling).
In many developing countries, there are few skilled repairers, and repairs are rarely made with the correct spare parts (Bicycle reference manual for developing countries). Therefore, programs such as the Bicycle Empowerment Network, which imports recycled bicycles and also trains people to become bicycle repairers are of value.
Further information on bicycle safety can be found at BikeSafe’s Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System website (BikeSafe – Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System). This is an online resource providing practitioners with up-to-date information about how to improve the safety and mobility of cyclists within the transportation system.
 http://toolkit.irap.org/default.asp?page=roaduser&id=4 

Bicycle Facilities in Malaysia

Cycling activity was encourage in Penang, Malaysia. The Malaysian Insider taking note our PM and Penang Chief Minister were cycling with 5000 students of Penang at Straits Quay, Tanjong Tokong, Penang. In addition, some bicycles were gift to these 5000 students in Penang state. In the other hands, Penang Chief Minster had announced Penang Bike Week at mid June of the year 2011. 

By refer to wikipedia, Urban planners responsibility are Urban planning (urban, city, and town planning) incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities. And, we as planners shall respond to create a safety traffic and environment to our culture - cycling. In addition, trishaw which is a transformation of bicycle had become Malaysian culture especially in Penang and Melaka. However, traffic safety issue to this kind of transportation was not giving any priority in our nation rules of road.

Why am I sharing this topic in my blog?

I am seeking topic from the PLANetizen and I found that issue of bicycle lane was in the top 10 of year 2010. In addition, it seems to be some topic which really related to our development in Penang state. This title just flip some images in Penang, that "Penang" means to me. I wonder safety of Penang people and some of trishaw cyclists when they are cycling in a busy and dangerous traffic in Penang state just as the images beside. And, I do think that this encouragement of bicycle activity shall be go on, because it really benefits to human life style and environment friendly. So, we as planners shall reserve a better traffic safety to this activity. 

Existing bicycle traffic in Malaysia

Existing bicycle traffic in whole Malaysia is very week even area nearby schools' area. Although there are some practice of marking bicycle lane on the existing road in Penang and hanging bicycle sign board in certain Penang and Selangor areas. However, these practice since haven't great full to encourage Malaysian to cycle. This is because our country does not provide a safety bicycle traffic and bicycle parking to our people. And, how people willing to practice this exercise, than?

Proposal Bicycle Facilities
By referring to Anilnetto.com on how Copenhagen and other European cities manage their bicycle facilities, I am realise that our country does not focus well in "bicycle issue" since we get our nation. This is why I am sharing a video of bicycle facilities in others country in below. Maybe, we would having this kind of bicycle in our country in future, who knows? Cheers :)

Title of Video: Copenhagen Bike Paths - An Example To All Cities

By Bee Kee

2.41AM 11/12/2011 (Saturday)

development vs sustainable

project 2 Research

Penang is the most developed and economically important state in Malaysia and now it is highly urbanized and industrialized. In Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP), Penang is the third-largest regional contributor after Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. The transformation of Penang are related with the land use planning. Land use planning is the process of organizing, managing, and regulating the use of land and their resources to meet the socio-economic development of the country. Now, ongoing development in Penang are increasing, so land use is always keeping update. However, impacts of this transformation also may lay stress on because it may bring other negative issues. In this research I will focus on Batu Maung, Penang due to the Penang second bridge construct over here and may bring out other development in this area. The objective of this research is to identify the land use changes in Batu Maung, Penang and identify the physical impacts of the transformation in present and future.

GATED COMMUNITY

About gated community.....

a residential community with secured, gated and guarded surroundings.This type of community are become popular in Malaysia. Initially, this developmental concept was limited to luxurious condominiums and apartment but now it has been developed further to other types of landed property.

GATED COMMUNITY （GC）

GC is defined as a group of residents or community who live in a guarded fenced area whether in high-rise property such as apartment, condominium and town-house or in landed property such as bungalow, terrace or detached houses. However, the understanding of ‘gated community’ in Malaysia is more focused on groups of residents or community who live in landed property with strata title. The development of GC is consistent with the provisions of section 6 (1A) of the Strata Titles Act 1985 (Act 318). 

project 1 spatial design and costing

Students select an area of study and prepare of study and prepare a site analysis of the area. Based on the site analysis, students propose a concept plan and a layout plan of a community interactive space, which includes elements of design, landscape and costing.
1.1 Element of spatial design
about design
Design is the imaginative creation of possible forms and arrangements, together with the means of achieving them, which might be useful for human purpose. There are four stage of design:

• object design--of a single object or a standardized series of them (a building, a chair, a bridge)
• project design--of a defined geographic area, however large, in while there is a definite client, a concrete program, a foreseeable time of completion and effective control over the significant aspects of form ( a housing project, a new campus)
• system design--of a functionally connected set of objects, which may extend over large areas but do not make a complete environment (a arterial system, a lighting system)
• city or environmental design--of the general spatial arrangement of activities and objects over an extended area, where the client is multiple, the program indeterminate, control partial and there is no state of completion.

source: Willian I Goodman (1968) principles and practice of urban planning 4th.ed.
Auckland University of Technology says, “Spatial Design involves the study and research of relationships between people and their environments to enable the design and manipulation of spaces that respond in a progressive manner to the nature of these relationships.” Design and environments all connect together is the primary idea behind spatial design. It denotes an active response toward the creation of efficiently operating environments that serve the purposes and needs of people.

site analysis
Site analysis is an inventory completed as a preparatory step to site planning , a form of urban planning which involves research, analysis, and synthesis.(Wikipedia)
The purpose of the site analysis is to record and evaluate information on the site and its surroundings, and to use this evaluation in the design response. Site analysis is more than just collecting information about the site. The site analysis should identify issues that will influence the design of a development in order to make a considered response to both site opportunities and constraints, to provide a good quality living environment, and respect, acknowledge and improve the character of the area.

location

KAMPUNG SUNGAI UDANG BESAR, MUKIM 10, BLOK PERANCANGAN 6- SRI AMPANGAN-KG SUNGAI ACHCH, DAERAH SEBERANG PERAI SELATAN, PULAU PINANG, MALAYSIA

Concept plan