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UGANDA: The flying Kampala cyclists (PHOTOS)

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A cyclist carrying a woman with a baby squeezes through traffic at the Clock tower in Kampala

Is said that there is no happier cyclist than  a Dutch cyclist but in Kampala, there is no body at a higher risk of being knocked down than a cyclist. 

Fifteen million  Dutch people own about 12 million bicycles, nearly as many bicycles as people, and twice as many bikes as cars. The cycling culture in the Netherlands has been turned into a tourist attraction.

Because so many people cycle, the Netherlands has special traffic lanes, rules and road signs to improve safety for bikes. There are over 17,000 km of cycle lanes, indicated by round blue signs with a white bicycle on them. In cities these lanes even have special bicycle traffic lights.

 
A cyclist negotiates his way between vehicles at the Clock Tower. Photo by Matthias Mugisha 
 

Not only are the roads in Kampala narrow but they also lack special lanes for medallists who are left to squeeze their way through heavy traffic. Some cyclists disregard traffic rules and move against on coming traffic in wrong lanes. 

 
Cyclists on the move along Ben Kiwanuka Street in Kampala. Photo by Matthias Mugisha
 

According to the 2010 Uganda Police Accident figures, 1634 cyclists were involved in accidents out of a total of  22,461. The total number of cyclists killed were 298 of 2954 who died in accidents.

 
Cyclists move in confusion disregarding lanes and the right directions  at Clock Tower in Kampala.Photo by Matthias Mugisha
 
 
A cyclist squeezes through two buses at Clock tower in Kampala. Photo by Matthias Mugisha
 
 
A cyclist squeezes his way on a pavement through traffic at Clock tower in Kampala. Photo by Matthias Mugisha
 
 
A cyclist squeezes his way through traffic at Clock tower in Kampala. Photo by Matthias Mugisha

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