Cycle Activism in Hong Kong (Reverse the Cycle Ban on MTR)

[Phillip Stevens]

For years Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (the MTR) has turned a blind eye to recreational cyclists
taking their bicycles with them on MTR trains. Their simple requirement was to remove the front
wheel to make them a little shorter overall. We would put our cycles at the end of the carriages, or
in unused wheelchair bays, and we mainly travelled at off-peak times (weekends, etc). Everybody was
happy with this solution.

Recently, because of an arson attempt in one of the MTR stations, the MTR has imposed a strict ban
on cycles, (perhaps seeing bicycles as potential incendiary devices?).

Hong Kong's cyclists (and there are a lot of us) need to use the MTR to get to Lantau Island or the
mainland when we want to get away from the urban crush that is Hong Kong Island. There is no
alternative to using the MTR except to use a car. Most people in HKG can neither afford nor need to
own a car. And this ban clearly affects those who are least able to afford to own one.

Please help us out by signing the petition at the URL below. http://www.PetitionOnline.com/mtr4bike/

You might never get a chance to ride the quiet roads of Lantau Island or climb the 1000m Tai Mo Shan
mountain, unless you help us to reverse the MTR's decision.

Thanks in advance, Phillip

 

[kittylg]

I agree with you in every single word you said. In addition, cycling is environmentally friendly and serve as a healthy alternative to our ways of commuting.

By the way, do you know where can I obtain statistics on MTR's complains/accidents? I would like to register my concern with MTR's bike ban by facts and concerns. They talked about the potential danger of bikes on passengers -- I would like to know their grounds on making this statement.

Originally posted by Phillip Stevens
For years Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (the MTR) has turned a blind eye to recreational cyclists
taking their bicycles with them on MTR trains. Their simple requirement was to remove the front
wheel to make them a little shorter overall. We would put our cycles at the end of the carriages, or
in unused wheelchair bays, and we mainly travelled at off-peak times (weekends, etc). Everybody was
happy with this solution.

Recently, because of an arson attempt in one of the MTR stations, the MTR has imposed a strict ban
on cycles, (perhaps seeing bicycles as potential incendiary devices?).

Hong Kong's cyclists (and there are a lot of us) need to use the MTR to get to Lantau Island or the
mainland when we want to get away from the urban crush that is Hong Kong Island. There is no
alternative to using the MTR except to use a car. Most people in HKG can neither afford nor need to
own a car. And this ban clearly affects those who are least able to afford to own one.

Please help us out by signing the petition at the URL below. http://www.PetitionOnline.com/mtr4bike/

You might never get a chance to ride the quiet roads of Lantau Island or climb the 1000m Tai Mo Shan
mountain, unless you help us to reverse the MTR's decision.

Thanks in advance, Phillip