The advantages of rickshaws
Given the crowded conditions of Dhaka’s roads, when total trip time is considered, motorized transport has little advantage in speed over non-motorized. In addition, unlike motorized vehicles, when rickshaws are caught in traffic jams they emit no air pollution, waste no fuel, and make no noise.
Rickshaws are the most efficient way to move people or goods for short to medium distances. According to UN-ESCAP, 70% of trips in Dhaka are under 2 kilometers long. For such trips, walking, cycling, and rickshaws are very appropriate, as they waste no fuel, create no air or noise pollution, and take very little time. It is a waste to use a car for such a short distance, and the waiting time for buses makes the trip potentially take far longer than it would by rickshaw or other means.
The best transport for women, small children and the elderly is rickshaws. When rickshaws are banned, it is these groups who suffer the most. In addition, many poor people derive their employment from pedaling rickshaws. This benefits not only the pullers, but their families. One survey shows that 5 million people throughout the country are dependent on rickshaw pullers for their livelihood.
07 September 2008
Air Pollution: What is the Main Cause, Cars or Rickshaws?
Air Pollution: What is the Main Cause, Cars or Rickshaws?
Cars pollute as soon as they are turned on, whether they are moving or sitting still in traffic. To blame air pollution on rickshaws because they slow down cars is outrageous. Even when moving smoothly and well-maintained, cars pollute; internationally, cars are the major polluters of our air and the major contributors to climate change. Worldwide, the most air pollution is created by the United States, not because their cars are slowed by rickshaws, or because their cars are poorly maintained, but because Americans drive so much. Cars pollute; lots of cars pollute a lot. CNG is cleaner than other fuels, but as it is a carbon-based fuel, it still releases carbon dioxide into the air as well as the cancer-causing chemical benzene, for which no safe level of exposure is known. People traveling by foot, bicycle, or rickshaw arrive at their destination without contributing to air pollution; people traveling by a motorized vehicle, even a bus, contribute to air pollution. While the rich are the main sources of air pollution, everyone breathes the air. Meanwhile, if the rich believe they are somehow immune to air pollution because they live with air conditioning, they might wish to remember that they too must breathe the same air that they are polluting; the more cars, the more they too will suffer.
Cars pollute as soon as they are turned on, whether they are moving or sitting still in traffic. To blame air pollution on rickshaws because they slow down cars is outrageous. Even when moving smoothly and well-maintained, cars pollute; internationally, cars are the major polluters of our air and the major contributors to climate change. Worldwide, the most air pollution is created by the United States, not because their cars are slowed by rickshaws, or because their cars are poorly maintained, but because Americans drive so much. Cars pollute; lots of cars pollute a lot. CNG is cleaner than other fuels, but as it is a carbon-based fuel, it still releases carbon dioxide into the air as well as the cancer-causing chemical benzene, for which no safe level of exposure is known. People traveling by foot, bicycle, or rickshaw arrive at their destination without contributing to air pollution; people traveling by a motorized vehicle, even a bus, contribute to air pollution. While the rich are the main sources of air pollution, everyone breathes the air. Meanwhile, if the rich believe they are somehow immune to air pollution because they live with air conditioning, they might wish to remember that they too must breathe the same air that they are polluting; the more cars, the more they too will suffer.
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