WITH the fuel price hike, Malaysians should be more bicycle-friendly and pay more respect to the two-wheelers, said a Spanish couple, who are pedalling around the country.
They said Penang is especially suited for cycling around.
"George Town is on flat ground. Even the hilly roads to Balik Pulau can be manoeuvred on bicycle without exhausting yourself as the winding roads present less steep of a ride up the hill," said Saioa Gorriti.
She and companion Gartxot Arregi rode into Malaysia this month from Thailand. They had pleasant ride in Perlis and Kedah, taking in the sceneries along the rural country roads where motorists are mostly considerate to cyclists.
Closer to the cities like George Town, however, they received some rude treatment.
"The cars are fast and motorists drive dangerously close by. In Bangkok, despite the heavy traffic volume, the motorists were more polite towards cyclists.
"Here, we got honked at least three times in one day and one motorist even showed us the finger.
"They have little respect for cyclists. In Europe, the motorists give us plenty of space so that, if a cyclist falls over, she won't get run over," added Gorriti.
Having more bicycle lanes would encourage more Malaysians to use the two wheelers especially now that fuel prices are going up, they said, adding that they saw more people cycling in Nepal, Laos and Cambodia.
Lift factory employee Arregi, 31, and lab technician Gorriti, 32, came from the Basque Country of Northern Spain and love taking extended trips to see the world. They have been on the road for over six months on this trip.
Asked about what attracted them to Malaysia, Gorriti said, "We heard about the beautiful beaches, great snorkelling and diving, the friendly people and that camping is very easy. I also want to learn chi qung here to help deal with my asthma and thyroid imbalance."
