Stress Management: Riding a Bike in London by Davide Rama
The first time I came to London, I was so strung out (and bored!) because I was having to use the public transport. Everyone was using mobile phones all the time and not engaging with each other. I and other people around me were not feeling free - people were stressed, the bus was noisy. There were so many horrible smells of petrol and people struggling with breathing because of pollution. That’s not even to mention the underground which was even worse! It was a strange feeling.
In the little town where I was from in Sardinia, Italy, I would have seen 2 or 3 other people on the bus. It was much much quieter and much less busy….That said, I have a long history on two wheels which goes back to my childhood: I got my first (red) BMX bike when I was around seven years old. Riding a bike from a young age gave me confidence on the road, and now I actually don’t mind cycling in traffic too much - I’m very good at staying in my lane!
Commuting into Central London on the bus every day was very stressful - the noise, the busyness, the chaos…it was really overwhelming. I was trying to see the positives because I was experiencing a big new city, trying to get a job, learning English and understanding all the ways of a different culture.
It feels useful to remember those times and to see how much has changed for the better since then…
After a while of coming into Central London on the bus, I began to wonder about using a bicycle instead… My thinking was that it would give me more freedom and independence. Six months later, I got my first racing bike. I got it for really cheap: about £30. In this huge city, it was an exciting challenge to deal with so many cars, the rain and wet roads, crazy drivers who were all in a rush trying to get to work…
For the first time, I was not feeling lonely. There were many other bike riders around me in the same situation - we were all part of a cycling community. I felt to free - just as I has felt as a child in Sardinia. Wow! Riding my red racing bike around the city was true love. Red means passion for me. As well as giving me more of a sense of community and belonging, cycling was such good exercise. The exercise really keeps me in good health - and when I remember my step dad who sadly passed away when he was 50 due a big heart attack, it makes me want to really look after myself.
Cycling for me is a lot of fun. It was a nice surprise for me discovering that the summer in London is actually really beautiful: the trees, the colours. I cycled everywhere, and it was wonderful to not have the barrier of the glass that you have in a bus or a car. There are so many parks and green spaces to relax in in London, where you can enjoy the flowers, the blue sky with clouds, the wind and all the elements - those spaces are definitely best visited on a bicycle.
Cycling is absolutely the best form of transport in London: it is environmentally friendly, great exercise, and I feel fortunate to be one of the people who has discovered the many benefits of cycling in this amazing city.
