In today's HK Economic Journal, 勁翔 highlights the closed minds of First Ferry and the Government towards cyclists. On his way to participate in the Ride of Silence, he was thrown off the Mui-Wo Central ferry because he had the temerity to carry on his folding bike. (Perhaps they thought their ferry couldn't cope with the extra loading?)
The government still refuses to recognise cycling as a kind of transport, despite that hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers cycle every day, getting around simply and efficiently. And so there is no pressure on transport operators, such as First Ferry and MTRC, to be part of an integrated transportation system. Hong Kong is mostly flat, and the distances we travel are mostly short - perfect for cycling in fact.
Here's what he had to say:
沉默的騎行
勁翔
早一陣子,我去了「沉默的騎行」,悼念去年的馬路上被撞死撞傷的單車族。死亡人數,十人。
在香港騎單車,你不想找麻煩,麻煩自動找上門。我打算坐比較舒服又便宜的慢船,在梅窩碼頭被伯伯截停,臉有難色的說單車要另外購票,十六元多,比乘客票更貴。這樣一程船下來,要花三十元。