THE much awaited bicycle map of the city is now available at selected bicycle shops for free.
Volunteer group Cycling Kuala Lumpur launched the trilingual map in English, Bahasa Malaysia and simplified Chinese characters at a printing house, here, recently.
A total of 10,000 maps were produced and distributed to about 30 bicycle shops in central locations in the city.
The group expects to reach out to between 70,000 and 90,000 or one per cent of the population of greater Kuala Lumpur/greater Klang Valley which is estimated to be between seven and nine million people.
The map covers 110sq km of the city and charts highways, main roads, secondary roads, motorcycle lanes, pedestrian lanes and crossings with handy usage guides and tips.
Besides the regular distance scale, time and speed are also quantified in the scale, so that cyclists can estimate how long their journey will take.
The map also includes tips on keeping hydrated, guidelines on being sensible on the road, emergency and first aid, as well as a map of the transit system.
The guidelines on emergency and first aid include tips on crime prevention, night riding as well as bicycle parking and storage.
The transit map shows bus and rail lines, as well as stations and interchanges.
The map was developed by Cycling Kuala Lumpur co-ordinator Jeffrey Lim, features and routes compiled through a series of surveys and feedback sessions.
“We want to print an updated batch of 10,000 maps after Chinese New Year and there are calls to expand it to Tamil so that it becomes a quadrilingual document,” he said.
More than 200 people were at the launch of the map. The printing cost was sponsored by Art Printing Works Sdn Bhd. Lim said they were also looking into creating a map for Petaling Jaya.
City Hall urban transport department director Dr Leong Siew Mun said City Hall would check the map to see whether it could be used as a guide for future cycling projects.
One of the project volunteers, Yyonne Chan, advised cyclists not to use their mobile phones and to be vigilant at all times.
She said her friend was slashed by parang-wielding men last year, as he was tinkering with his mobile phone at a bus stop in Sungei Way while waiting for her and a fellow cyclist.
She also called on companies to provide bicycle racks or allow cyclists to park in motorcycle bays in closed car parks to prevent theft.
“I also urge people to dress down while cycling. Put your valuables in a pouch and use simple bags for bulky items.
“If you are carrying an executive-looking bag or backpack, you may be targeted. If the bag is on you, you may also be dragged when the culprit tries to grab it,” said Chan.
It was reported that DBKL will build a 5.5km bicycle lane along Sungai Klang to encourage more city dwellers to take up cycling.
Construction will begin by the end of the year and includes the installation of facilities such as signposts, bollards, bicycle shelters and racks.
The lane starts at Dataran Merdeka and goes on to Central Market, Kompleks Dayabumi, National Heritage Department, Tun Sambanthan monorail station and the monorail depot in Brickfields.
City Hall will also build two bicycle lanes in Wangsa Maju and Batu Muda.