Ladies on two wheels

Women have always been discouraged to be on the road, thanks to our immensely patriarchal society. While female drivers are not unheard of anymore, a female on two wheels is a completely different story.

Although bicycles and motorcycles are far cheaper and more convenient than a car, women worry about the safety issues.

“My biggest concern is, someone can just push me off my motorcycle and ride away on it. Since they are so open unlike a car, anything can happen,” says Anisha, a university student who rides her bicycle around her home but is thinking of buying a scooter.

We city dwellers hear about the free lives of women working in the small towns of Bangladesh and villages. It is normal for women working in NGOs that have projects in rural areas and require frequent field visits to ride their scooters or bicycles everywhere, and they have been doing so for years.

It’s not so common in Dhaka, however, because of problems like heavy traffic, high crime rates and the availability of other modes of transport.

Although a motorcycle is a huge financial commitment, a bicycle is not, and can be used by girls if they get on the road with a little bit of courage. On the other hand, a motorcycle –so much cheaper than a car — is something a working woman can afford.

Both options are easy decisions for so many women abroad, but here in Bangladesh we remain hesitant when thinking outside the box.

Star Lifestyle spoke to some women who use bicycles and scooters on a daily basis because we all wanted to know how on earth they do it! There are actually quite a few female bicycle enthusiasts in Dhaka.

Ladies on two wheels

Rozina Akter is a student of Eden College who lives in Azimpur and rides her bicycle everywhere. She lives in a girls’ hostel so a few of her friends decided to buy cycles instead of spending all their money on rickshaw fares. Many women prefer cycling to work if they live nearby instead of taking a rickshaw or walking. Cycling groups like BDCyclists have regular events where cyclists get together to go to a particular destination, and there are lots of women who attend these events.

Motorcycling, however, is a very different story. As mentioned before, the level of commitment it requires is the primary reason we don’t see a lot of women on the roads riding them.

Ladies on two wheelsTasmina Mursalin is an architect who bought her Hero Honda Pleasure just six months ago. She rides her bike to work, on weekends and sometimes also for shopping. Security is of course a huge problem in the streets of Dhaka.

“I feel a bit insecure when I run late at work,” says Tasmina. “There’s a two way concern: one for myself and the other for my scooter.” Since it is still unusual for girls to be on scooters, Tasmina is subject to comments around her when she is on the road.

“I am waiting eagerly to see more girls on the streets as riders. Just a little courage will bring you forward,” she adds.

Kazi Ratna rides her Hero Honda Pleasure Scooty for a total of 54 km everyday, from her house in Jatrabari to her office in Banani and back. Although 54 km does not sound that long in mathematical terms, by Dhaka standards it is a painfully lengthy commute that can take hours if the traffic decides to be cruel. She faces a multitude of problems, especially because she is usually on extremely busy roads and does not live in the more sheltered and liberal suburbs of Dhaka.

“The drivers on the road purposely create problems for me. They drive me into a corner and refuse to give me enough space to go.” And the drivers are not the only ones who take part in the harassment.

“People literally stop in the middle of the road, sometimes just in front of me because they want to get a look at a lady rider. I have to be extremely careful.”

Ratna hopes that instead of being afraid, girls decide to start riding bikes. There is strength in numbers, and she thinks that people will only stop the harassment when they get used to the idea of girls riding motorcycles.

Women who want to buy bicycles or motorcycles should remember these key requirements: they must be able to be aware of their surroundings, think and act quickly and stay brave. It’s important not to be afraid of accidents. Accidents happen to everyone, and will be minimal as long as you are careful.

“I had to face muggers once,” says Ratna. “It’s important to put on a brave face so that no one can take advantage of you. If you use some common sense, you can deal with these situations.”

Neda Shakiba lives in Baridhara DOHS and works in Dhanmondi and stresses on the need to maintain a positive attitude. Neda learnt to ride a motorcycle from her father and her friends and has been riding for a long time. She bought her first bike in 2006 and now owns a Honda Activa scooter.

Neda does not hesitate to drive her scooter everywhere she goes, sometimes even going all the way to Ashulia. She has also been to weddings on her scooter, fully decked in a sari. Her scooter is custom made so that she can have a child ride with her safely and carry groceries at the same time.
Ladies on two wheelsWhen asked about what problems Neda faces when riding her scooter, she replies, “No problems! The freedom overpowers every problem there might be like the heat, the rain, the cold, the pollution or occasional flat tyre… it’s all worth it. My advice to girls is: toughen up and face independence!”

Although these inspiring ladies are of different age groups, locations and occupations, they all have one thing in common: They simply choose to not care about what people around them think because the benefits of independence far outweigh the costs. Women driving cars was also an alien concept in Dhaka not too long ago, but it’s not to say that they don’t face their fair share of problems and uncomfortable stares even today.

If you love cycling but don’t feel like you can go out alone, find a few like-minded girlfriends who might be eager to go out with you. And if you’ve always wanted to be that really cool girl who rides a motorbike, and money is not an issue, why not just go for it?

Those of us who keep wishing and wanting should face our fears and jump in. Of course there are a few risks involved, but we ladies need to help each other out and change society’s attitude as a collective unit.

So borrow a bicycle, head outside on a sunny day and feel the wind in your hair. Thanks to all the strikes, there are plenty of empty roads to take advantage of!


Source: Daily Star