Uncovering Mexico
Jeremy Schwartz is the Mexico correspondent for Cox Newspapers. He is based in Mexico City.What's on this page?
The entry titled "Biker Mayor Rides Again."
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Home > Uncovering Mexico > Archives > 2007 > July > 02 > Entry
Biker Mayor Rides Again
It’s the first Monday of the month, so that means Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard is biking to work.
In an oft-ridiculed directive, meant to stimulate bicycle riding and cut emissions in the smog-choked megalopolis, Ebrard has ordered government functionaries to bike to work once a month.
Providing an example to his troops, Ebrard dons his helmet, jumps on his mountain bike and pedals to the office. It’s always a big media event, accompanied by much snickering in the Mexican press. Here’s the photo Ebrard’s photographer e-mailed the media about an hour ago.
While Ebrard gets kudos for promoting environmentally friendly programs in one of the world’s most polluted cities, detractors say Mexico City is simply not fit for cycling. With 4 million cars slicing through traffic with an aggressiveness that would make a New Yorker cringe, the city’s streets are a scary place for anything with two wheels.
But Ebrard seems determined to change the city’s car culture.
He recently began pushing hybrid cars and has closed downtown streets on Sundays for big bikefests.
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By jennifer rose
July 2, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this
Can we expect another rendition of Naked Bikers? http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staringatstrangers/2007/06/nakedbikersta.html