If this happens

I have been thinking about a bicycle ride for some time. Every day, I leave my office and join the long line of cars, motorcycles, rickshaws and buses moving through Lahore. Sometimes I sit in traffic for a long time. Sometimes I reach home tired, even though I have spent most of the journey sitting in a car.

So I have made a small plan.

If this continues, I am going to bring my bicycle to the office and ride it home.

The idea sounds simple. A bicycle needs no petrol. It does not need a large parking space. It does not produce smoke from an engine. Most importantly, riding a bicycle can turn a daily journey into some exercise and fresh air.

But then another question comes to my mind.

Is Lahore ready for a cycle ride?

This is not an easy question.

Lahore is a busy city. Its roads carry thousands of vehicles every day. Cars move quickly. Motorcycles often pass from every possible side. Rickshaws stop suddenly. Buses need space. Pedestrians cross roads when they can find a gap.

Where does a bicycle fit into all this?

I have tried to imagine myself riding from my office to home. At first, the thought makes me happy. I imagine the evening air, the changing light over the city and the familiar streets passing slowly beside me.

I would not have to worry about finding a parking place. I would not have to sit inside a car and watch the traffic move one metre at a time.

But after a few minutes, reality returns.

I would have to share the road with much bigger and faster vehicles. I would need to remain alert at every turn. I would have to watch motorcycles coming from behind and cars passing close to me.

The question is not whether a person can ride a bicycle in Lahore. Of course, people do it every day.

The bigger question is whether the city gives cyclists enough space and safety.

A bicycle is a small vehicle. The person riding it has very little protection if something goes wrong. This makes road behaviour important. Drivers need to give cyclists enough space. Cyclists also need to follow traffic rules and remain visible.

For me, a cycle ride is not about competing with cars. It is about finding another way to move around the city.

There is also another side to this idea.

Pakistan is facing pressure on fuel supplies and prices because of problems in the region. The government is already talking about saving fuel and reducing unnecessary consumption.

That makes me think about my own daily travel.

Do I really need to use a car for every journey?

Perhaps not.

If I can ride a bicycle for part of my journey, I can save some fuel. I can also get exercise. I can spend less time sitting in traffic. And perhaps I can see my own city in a different way.

I know that one person riding a bicycle will not change Lahore. But cities change when people begin to try different ways of living.

I am not saying everyone should leave their cars and buy bicycles tomorrow. Lahore has long distances, busy roads and many different transport needs. A bicycle cannot be the answer for every person or every journey.

But perhaps it can be part of the answer.

So I am still thinking about my bicycle.

One day, I may leave my office, put on my helmet, check the brakes and start riding home.

I may discover that Lahore is not yet fully ready for cyclists.

Or perhaps I will discover something better: that Lahore is ready to make a little more room for them.

If that happens, I will be happy to be on my bicycle.