ibhayisikili
Ukugibela umjikelezo osimeme | Imigwaqo Emikhulu Yomhlaba
Kubahlali abaningi basemadolobheni, ukukhetha ukuhamba ngebhayisikili kunezinye izindlela zokuhamba eNyakatho Melika sekuthathe isici esibuhlungu kakhulu phakathi nobhadane lwe-COVID-19. Abagibeli bamabhayisikili bazizwa bephephe kakhudlwana ukuthi bangabi semikhawulweni eseduze yamabhasi, amathilamu, izitimela nezinye izindlela zokuhamba zomphakathi, naphezu kokuba abaqhubi bezokuthutha benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuphoqelela uhlobo oluthile lokuqhelelana nomphakathi.
Kepha isisekelo sokuhamba ngamabhayisikili okuphephile sase sibekwe amadolobha amaningi aseNyakatho Melika ngaphambi kwalolu bhubhane. Kuze kube ngasekuqaleni kweminyaka yawo-2000, imizila yamabhayisikili eNyakatho Melika yayiklanywe ngaphansi kwefilosofi yokuhamba ngebhayisikili - lapho umgibeli webhayisikili esebenzisa umzila wethrafikhi sengathi ibhayisikili yimoto. Lokhu bekukuhle kulabo bashayeli bamabhayisikili izincwadi zobunjiniyela ezibabiza ngokuthi “abanamandla nabangesabi” - ngokuvamile umgijimi noma owake waba umgijimi - okhululekile ukukuhlanganisa namathani ezinsimbi ezigijimayo.
Ndawonye kodwa ngokwehlukana: Imizila yamabhayisikili yaseVancouver ithokozelwa yimindeni ngisho nangehora lokujaha © David Arminas/World Highways
Kodwa kusukela ekuqaleni kwawo-2010, ukuhamba ngebhayisikili kwezimoto eNyakatho Melika kuthathelwe indawo ifilosofi yamabhayisikili esimeme. Lokhu kucabanga kwaqalwa amaDashi emuva ngeminyaka yawo-1970, kodwa futhi nayiMontreal eCanada njengowamukela kuqala ngeminyaka yawo-1990.
Iningi labagibeli bamabhayisikili alijabule ngokulixuba nensimbi. Abangenalo uvalo bafuna izinga eliphezulu lokuvikeleka komuntu siqu okusho imizila yamabhayisikili ehlukene eklanyelwe ukuphepha kusukela ekuqaleni - kubashayeli bezimoto kanye nabahamba ngamabhayisikili, kusho uTyler Golly, unjiniyela wezokuthutha kanye nomqondisi wophiko lwaseCanada lwase-US- esekelwe ku-Toole Design*, isikhungo sonjiniyela esibambe iqhaza kakhulu emzileni wamabhayisikili nokuklanywa komgwaqo.
Njengoba kuncipha ukuvalwa kwe-Covid futhi kuvuleke amabhizinisi namahhovisi engeziwe, ingabe abantu abaningi bazogibela amabhayisikili abo futhi basebenzise imizila yamabhayisikili?
“Ubani onempendulo? Esikwaziyo ukuthi kuthatha izinsuku ezingu-30 kuya kwezingu-60 ukwenza imikhuba emisha, kungaba ukuzivocavoca, ukudla noma ezinye izinto,” kusho uGolly ozinze edolobheni laseCanada elisentshonalanga ye-Edmonton. “Ukuvalwa kwezindawo kuqhubeke isikhathi eside kangaka kuvumela abantu ukuthi bahlole ukuhamba okuhlukile. Izitolo zamabhayisikili lapha [e-Edmonton] zizokutshela ukuthi muva nje zigcwele imibuzo mayelana namabhayisikili. Abantu abaningi babonakala belungisa amabhayisikili abo amadala bese bebuyela emgwaqeni.”
Umbuzo uthi ngabe uhulumeni uzowubheka yini umsebenzi wengqalasizinda yomzila wamabhayisikili njengengxenye yesikhuthazo sokwenza umnotho uthuthuke ngemuva kweCovid. "Ingabe bazophinde bakubone lokhu njengengxenye ye-ajenda yokuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu kanye nengqalasizinda eluhlaza esiza ngomoya ohlanzekile wasemadolobheni?"
Udaba lwabantu abaningi ngesikhathi se-Covid bekuwukuqhelelana komphakathi. Lokhu kungaba nzima kwezokuthutha zomphakathi nakuba abaqhubi bezokuthutha abaningi bemise izindawo zokuxhumana nabantu ngamabhasi, ezitimeleni ezingaphansi komhlaba. Kodwa-ke, uyabuza, uma lezi zinhlelo zisuswa ngemuva kobhubhane lwe-Covid, ingabe abantu bazobuyela ekugibeleni izinto zokuhamba noma baqhubeke nokuhamba nokujikeleza?
Cabangela indlela amadolobha avale ngayo imizila yezimoto engasasetshenziswa kakhulu ngenxa yezimoto ezimbalwa emgwaqeni futhi azinikezela ukuhamba ngamabhayisikili. Abantu manje sebengase bawujwayele umbono kanye nendawo eyengeziwe yokuhamba nokuhamba ngamabhayisikili. “Konke kwenze mina, umndeni wami kanye nabanye babangane bami bangabaza mayelana nabantu kanye nokukhetha kokunyakaza,” usho kanje.
Isibonelo, i-Covid igcizelele isidingo sokuba nezinsiza ezengeziwe njengezitolo zezitolo, izitolo zegrosa nezitolo zezidakamizwa eduze nasekhaya, ebangeni elihambayo noma lokuhamba ngebhayisikili. "Lokhu kungashintsha izindawo ezisemadolobheni okusetshenzwa kuzo futhi kuguqule izindlela zokuhamba nengqalasizinda."
Iphephile eNyakatho Melika
Ukuhamba ngebhayisikili okusimeme kusho ukuklama umzila ngokusekelwe ezintweni ezimbili, kuchaza uGolly. “Eyokuqala, abantu bayawenza amaphutha. Okwesibili, umzimba womuntu usengozini kunoma yikuphi ukushayisana nemoto. Ngakho uklama umzila wamabhayisikili kanye nesistimu yomgwaqo evumela amaphutha abashayeli nabashayeli bamabhayisikili ukugwema ukulimala okubi noma ukufa.”
Indlela yamaDashi yayinezici ezimbili, esho. Lapho isivinini sezimoto singaphezu kwalokho okungabekezelelwa umzimba womuntu uma ubeshayisana, bahlukanise abashayeli bamabhayisikili nezimoto ngokwakha ithrekhi yamabhayisikili. Baqala ukuzifaka emadolobheni futhi bakha amade ukuze baxhumanise amadolobha namadolobha ahlukahlukene.
Esinye isici bekuwukwakha imigwaqo elungele amabhayisikili lapho ukugibela amabhayisikili nokuhamba ngezinyawo kuzoza kuqala kunabasebenzisi bezimoto ababephoqelekile ukuthi bashayele kancane ukuze bangalimazi noma ubani uma kuba nokushayisana. “Eqinisweni, uxuba abantu nezimoto ngesivinini esiphansi kuphela. ENyakatho Melika, ngaphansi kwefilosofi endala yamabhayisikili ezimoto, uxube abasebenzisi bobabili, kungakhathaliseki isivinini sezimoto, futhi babelana ngomgwaqo.”
Idizayini yomzila wamabhayisikili ihlanganisa izinhlobo ezintsha zezinto zokusebenza zamabhayisikili, kusukela kumamodeli asele nempahla kuya emishinini yokubukisa © David Arminas/World Highways
Lokhu bekulungile ngedlanzana labagibeli bamabhayisikili abanolwazi olunzulu ngokuzulazula kuthrafikhi. Leli qembu lisekhona. “Nokho, cishe abaqapheli ukuthi banezinga eliphakeme lokucindezeleka ebuchosheni nasemizimbeni yabo kodwa bangakwazi ukukulawula lokho. Abantu abaningi abakwazi. Ukuthola abangenamandla kangako nabangesabi ukuthi bazizwe bephephile yilokho ebengikwenza lapha e-Edmonton, eCalgary, eVictoria, e-Auckland, eHouston, eBoston naseWinnipeg.”
Ukuhamba ngebhayisikili nakho kwakusho ukuthi umgibeli webhayisikili uziphathe sengathi ibhayisikili yimoto futhi ihlukaniselana umgwaqo. Kuyisibopho kumshayeli webhayisikili ukuthi aziphathe ngendlela enesibopho sezimoto. “Angicabangi ukuthi isibopho esabiwe sokuphepha ngaphansi kokuhamba ngebhayisikili siyehliswa noma asisadingeki ngaphansi kokuhamba kwamabhayisikili okusimeme.”
Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-2000, amadolobha aseNyakatho Melika aqala ukwethula imizila yamabhayisikili ependiwe eyayingahlukanisiwe nemizila yezimoto. Umqondo wawuwukwenza abantu bazizwe bephephile futhi empeleni baphephe kakhudlwana.
“Lokhu kwenze okungenani abanye abantu bazizwe bephephile kodwa lokhu bekuyingcosana yesibalo sabantu abangaba ngamabhayisikili. Imizila ependiwe beyimincane kakhulu futhi ivamise ukuba semigwaqweni enesivinini esikhulu sezimoto nomthamo wezimoto,” usho kanje. “Iningi labantu alikazimisele ukugijima ngamabhayisikili kuleyo ndawo. Ayiphephile futhi ayikhululekile kubo. Abantu futhi ngeke bavumele izingane zabo zigibele kuleyo ndawo.”
Njengesibonelo, uthe, ucwaningo e-Edmonton ngonyaka wezi-2013 lwabonisa ukuthi abashayeli bezimoto, iningi labo okwakungabagibeli bamabhayisikili bezokungcebeleka, babona imizila ependiwe emisha ingasetshenziswa kakhulu. Baphinde baqaphela ukuthi imizila yabo yezimoto yenziwe yaba mincane ukuze ikwazi ukuthwala ucezu lomgwaqo olungase lusetshenziswe. Abashayeli bezimoto “bakhungathekile” ukuthi badela indawo, esho.
I-Montreal ingeyokuqala
I-Montreal kwaba idolobha lokuqala laseNyakatho Melika ukuthatha inselelo yokwakha inethiwekhi yomzila wamabhayisikili wesitayela saseYurophu. I-Velo Quebec*, ezinze eMontreal, yayihamba phambili ezinhlanganweni ezikhuthaza ukugibela amabhayisikili ezazihileleke ekwakhiweni komzila wamabhayisikili, kusho uGolly. Umhlahlandlela wokuklama we-Velo Quebec usetshenziswa njengenkomba yamadolobha amaningi aseNyakatho Melika njengesibonelo salokho okungenziwa ukuze kukhuthazwe ukuhamba kwamabhayisikili ezwenikazi, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni zasemadolobheni ezisenyakatho.
Esinye isici esihlukanise iMontreal ukuthi imizila yamabhayisikili yedolobha iklanyelwe ukusulwa kalula eqhweni naseqhweni lasebusika. Naphezu kwamadolobha amaningi asenyakatho ne-US kanye namadolobha amaningi aseCanada anobusika obunzima njengeMontreal, lokhu akuzange kucatshangelwe kakhulu emuva ngeminyaka yawo-1990, ngisho nanamuhla ngezinye izikhathi, kusho uGolly. Kodwa namuhla, ukuduma kokugibela amabhayisikili kusho ukuthi kukhona abagibeli bamabhayisikili emadolobheni amaningi abazongena esimweni sezulu esingaphansi kweqanda ngamabhayisikili manje asehlomele ukugibela ubusika. Lokhu kuyiqiniso ikakhulukazi ngalawa okuthiwa amabhayisikili anamafutha anamathayi afana nebhaluni nabambayo. Akhona namathayi agcwele amabhayisikili.
“ICalgary [eningizimu ye-Edmonton] ibika ukuthi cishe amaphesenti angu-30 abagibeli basehlobo bayaqhubeka nokugibela ebusika futhi lapha e-Edmonton cishe umuntu oyedwa kwabayisithupha [17%]. Lokhu kuhle kakhulu uma kubhekwa ukuthi enye yenethiwekhi yamabhayisikili yedolobha ngalinye ayixhumekile ngendlela ezoba ngayo nokuthi izindlela zokususa iqhwa neqhwa zisathuthuka.” Okuphawuleka nakakhulu ukuthi izinga lokushisa lasebusika lingahamba lizungeze -20oC izinsuku zilandelana bese lehla liye ku-35°C izinsuku ezimbalwa.
Ngokujabulisayo, amadolobha amaningi kakhulu abelana ngolwazi mayelana nesakhiwo somzila wamabhayisikili kanye nedatha. Ezinye izinto azibonakali kangako, njengokushintsha ukulandelana kwamarobhothi ukuze kungene abashayeli bamabhayisikili. “Kunenethiwekhi yokwabelana ngolwazi esiza ukucobelelana ngemibono kontanga. Thina, njengomeluleki, sineqhaza okufanele silibambe ngokubonisa ikhasimende lethu ubunkimbinkimbi bokuhlela umzila wamabhayisikili futhi sibonisa izinto okungenzeka ukuthi lalingakaze licabange ngazo ngaphambi kokuba liyokwenza amathenda.”
Uma uklama umgwaqo, unezimoto eziklamayo ezikusiza ukuthi ukhethe ububanzi bomzila futhi uhlonze irediya yekhona ukuze izimoto zikwazi ukusula ukujika. Ngokufanayo nangemizila yamabhayisikili, kuchaza uGolly. Ibhayisikili ngokwalo liyimoto yokuklama futhi liza ngezimo nosayizi abahlukahlukene manje, kusukela kumabhayisikili ajwayelekile kuya kuma-recumbent, amabhayisikili ezimpahla, ngisho namabhayisikili amathathu. Ekuklameni okuthuthuke kakhulu, izimoto zokulungisa zasehlobo nasebusika kufanele zicatshangelwe.
Imigwaqo elungele amabhayisikili: isivinini sezimoto esinensayo singanciphisa ukulimala okubi uma kwenzeka kungqubuzana nomgibeli webhayisikili e-Victoria, British Columbia © David Arminas/World Highways
“Emadolobheni abandayo, enye yezimoto eziklamayo ingase ibe ne-snowplough encane futhi ububanzi bomzila buvumelane nobuchwepheshe obutholakalayo,” usho kanje. “Futhi, umklamo kufanele uhlanganise nendawo lapho iqhwa elisusiwe lingagcinwa khona lize lithathwe. Ngakho umklamo womzila ungase uhluke, kuye ngokuthi uthola iqhwa elingakanani; side kangakanani isikhathi seqhwa; amazinga okushisa asebusika.
“Isibonelo, ingabe iqhwa lizoncibilika ngokushesha ngemva kokuwa? Ingabe iqhwa liwugqinsi futhi linzima ukulidudula noma liyaphapha futhi lisuswa kalula ngamanani amakhulu? E-Edmonton, basebenzisela ukususa iqhwa amanye amashanela amancane abawasebenzisa ngezinye izikhathi zonyaka emigwaqweni yabahamba ngezinyawo ezindaweni ezisemaphandleni,” usho kanje. "Idolobha kungase kudingeke lenze isabelomali semishini yokususa iqhwa yomzila wamabhayisikili."
Uma uqhathanisa imiklamo kusukela eminyakeni eyi-10 edlule, inani lezinhlobo zemizila yomjikelezo liya liba lincane ngenxa yemiklamo engcono kudatha eyengeziwe. Umqondo uwukwenza ukusetshenziswa kwabo kube enembile. Kodwa noma kunomklamo ongcono kakhulu, imfundo yokuthi isetshenziswa kanjani futhi ijwayelane nayo iyadingeka, kubashayeli bezimoto nabahamba ngamabhayisikili. Abashayeli bazofuna ukwazi mayelana nokuthi yini okufanele bayibheke. Ngisho nabahamba ngezinyawo bangabuza ukuthi bahamba kanjani emzileni wamabhayisikili uma befuna ukufika esitobhini.
Ukhomba ukuqaliswa kwemizila emisha e-Edmonton naseCalgary eCanada naseHouston esifundazweni sase-Texas sase-US. Iseluleko sinikezwa kokubili abashayeli nabagibeli bamabhayisikili emarobhothini noma lapho abagibeli bamabhayisikili bengase bame khona, ezimpambanweni zomgwaqo, noma abashayeli abapaka izimoto zabo.
“Ngokujwayelekile la madolobha anethimba lemigwaqo noma amanxusa asemgwaqweni,” usho kanje. “Laba bantu, ngokuvamile abafundi ngesikhathi sabo sekhefu lasehlobo, banikeza amapheshana olwazi, baphendule imibuzo, basize abagibeli bamabhayisikili bahambe ezimpambanweni zomgwaqo ezintsha noma behlise imibono yabasebenzisi bomgwaqo ngabahleli bedolobha.”
Imishala
Izimpawu zomzila womgwaqo namabhayisikili kufanele zifundeke kubo bonke abasebenzisi, noma ngabe bahamba ngezinyawo, bahamba ngebhayisikili noma beshayela. Udinga ukwazi okufanele ukwenze kodwa nokuthi yini abanye abantu okufanele bayenze. Ngakho-ke ukumaka kumele kube nokuqondisisa.
“Izindawo zokubeka imijondolo kuya ngobubanzi bomgwaqo. Emgwaqweni omncane, cishe izoba maphakathi nomgwaqo. Emizileni ebanzi, ingaya ohlangothini olulodwa lomgwaqo.”
Uma ubuyela emuva ekuqaleni kwawo-2000, imijondolo yayikhomba lapho okumele ugibele khona emgwaqeni, ngakho-ke ngabe ugibele ngqo phezu komjondolo. Bakusize ukuthi ubone ukuthi uzithole kuphi. Kodwa imijondolo yayivame ukuba semigwaqweni enesivinini esikhulu, enevolumu ephezulu lapho iningi labashayeli bamabhayisikili lalingakhululekile ukugibela.
"Isikhathi esiningi manje, imijondolo itholakala emigwaqeni ehamba abantu abaningi, emigwaqeni enejubane eliphansi futhi iyindlela yokuthola indlela ngokungafani nalapho kufanele ugibele khona emgwaqeni." (bona isici esithi, Safer with Sharrows?, esigabeni Semigwaqo Emikhulu Nokuphepha)
Ubuchwepheshe bokuhamba ngamabhayisikili bunikeza abagibeli ukukhetha okwengeziwe kwezitayela zamabhayisikili, njengamabhayisikili kagesi, okumele afakwe ekwakhiweni komzila. “I-Auckland yaseNew Zealand ibone ukwanda kwamabhayisikili e-e ngoba idolobha linamagquma. I-e-bike yenza umqondo omkhulu kubashayeli bamabhayisikili abaningi. Abashayeli bamabhayisikili asebekhulile bangawathenga ngoba befuna ukuhamba isikhathi eside.”
Imithetho mayelana namabhayisikili e-e esebenzisa imizila yamabhayisikili isashintsha, uthi. Isivinini samabhayisikili e-e yinkinga kwabanye omasipala. Nokho, njengoba u-Golly ebonisa, isikhathi esiningi usizo luqala ngemva kwesivinini esithile, ngokuvamile esingu-32km/h, futhi isivinini esiphezulu siyalawulwa.
Abashayeli bamabhayisikili abaningi bangagibela ngaleso sivinini ngaphandle kwe-e-assist noma kunjalo, ngakho ama-e-bikers avele ahambisane nabanye abashayeli bamabhayisikili. Ukholelwa ukuthi idolobha ngalinye noma umasipala uzoba nemithetho yawo mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwe-e-bike.
“Ngiyethemba ukuthi ubhubhane seludale indawo lapho sinezingxoxo ngokuthi imiphakathi yethu yesikhathi esizayo kumele ibukeke kanjani futhi siphoqe ukuthi sibuze izinto ebesizithathe kalula,” kusho uGolly. "Into yokuvuka."
*I-Toole Design isiza i-American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials - AASHTO - ibuyekeze Umhlahlandlela wayo Wokuthuthukiswa Kwezindawo Zamabhayisikili. I-Toole Design isebenze ekulungiseleleni izinhlelo ezahlukene zomhlahlandlela kusukela ngawo-1990.
Ukuhamba kabi kukaGolly
UTyler Golly, 38, wazalelwa esifundazweni saseCanada eSaskatchewan. Uneziqu zeBachelors ku-Engineering azithola eNyuvesi yase-Alberta, e-Edmonton, kanye neziqu zeMasters kwezobunjiniyela azithola eNyuvesi yaseCalgary. Ube ne-Toole Design kusukela ngo-2018 futhi ungumqondisi we-Toole Design Group Canada, esebenza ehhovisi lase-Edmonton, e-Alberta.
U-Tyler Golly enyakatho- mpumalanga ye-France kanye nasezindongeni ze-Paris-Roubaix Challenge ngo-2017 © Tyler Golly
U-Golly ubesebenzelana ne-Stantec Group esezinze e-Edmonton kusukela ngo-2015-2018 futhi egxile ekulethweni kwamaphrojekthi esimeme wezokuthutha e-Edmonton, eCanada, nase-US. Wathunyelwa isikhashana eNew Zealand ukuyosiza ngokutholwa kwe-Statec ye-MWH. Ngesikhathi elapho, ubuyekeze ontanga Uhlaka Lwesevisi Yebhayisikili Yekhwalithi yedolobha lase-Auckland, eNew Zealand.
Nge-Edmonton (2012-2015) wayengumqondisi jikelele wezokuthutha ezisimeme. Wengamele ukuqaliswa komsebenzi ohlobene nentuthuko egxile kwezokuthutha, imigwaqo emikhulu, imigwaqo yaseceleni nezindlela, imigwaqo yamabhayisikili, izici ezihlobene nokuhlanganiswa kwezokuthutha kukaloliwe omncane, kanye nenqubomgomo yokupaka kanye nentengo.
Ungomunye wababhali be-Institute of Transportation Engineer's Protected Bikeways Practitioner's Guide and Lecture Series esekelwe eWashington, DC. Ngalo msebenzi uthole indondo ye-Institute's Coordinating Council Best Project Award 2018.
Ube nesandla Esahlukweni Sedizayini Yebhayisikili Edidiyelwe kanye Nezahluko Zedizayini Yabahamba Ngezinyawo Edidiyelwe ze-Transportation Association of Canada's Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads.
U-Golly uvuma kalula ukuthi "uyingane yokugibela ibhayisikili".