Northern cyclists plead for safer roads
Cycling is one of the most expensive sports and that is being felt by a northern cycling club that wants to develop the sport but doesn't have enough bikes.
Cyclists from the northern towns have pleaded with truck and car drivers to share the road with them.
“We kindly ask drivers to please share the roads with cyclists and just give them the recommended space of 1.2 metres when passing them. It's much safer, and our cyclists train wearing uniforms and helmets,” says Salomo Ndeshimona, chairman and coach of Norte Youths Cycling Club.
“A helmet is a sign to show that such a cyclist respects traffic rules,” he says.
He adds that the club warns its members to be careful and ride in single file when in a group. “They give space when a truck passes, thus there is no need to sound your horn as that will confuse the cyclist and could lead to an accident.”
Ndeshimona says many local people are interested in cycling but they do not have bicycles.
“We are trying to secure second-hand mountain bikes as start-up so that upcoming youths may ride on these bikes, even though their interest is in road cycling.
“A lack of bikes discourages keen and aspiring youths who often ask to join this club, which has existed since 2008.
“Our fellow youths always ask if we have spare bikes, but we don't. This puts this beautiful sport in jeopardy, leaving youths to quench their sport thirst with alcohol, crime and other evil deeds, which is slowly destroying them,” he says.
Another challenge facing the northern cycling club is a space that they can use for training.
“We are also hampered by lack of space, especially sport grounds, where we can have a focal point to meet and train willing cyclists,” Ndeshimona says.
At the moment they operate from rented spaces and the homes of benefactors.
The club wants to increase its membership to 20 this year and is opening a centre for children aged eight to 16 at Outapi.
“Norte Youths Cycling Club has already established a similar centre at Omuthiya, called Omuthiya BMX Team, where we had the chance to participate in 2016 National Championship in Windhoek and I hope the Outapi centre will see us produce great cyclists as well.”
Ndeshimona says another aim is to reduce the incidence of obesity in Namibia.
“Cycling could be a remedy to many, as exercise on a bike burns more calories than in a gym.
“Thus we believe if funding could be secured, more people will be on bikes in northern Namibia in no time, as we plan to train more coaches in March when an NCF team visits our BMX centre.
“We have so far acquired coaching licences for our senior members, whereas I, the chairman, hold a level 1 international coaching licence. Five more have level 1 Namibian coaching licences,” he says.
Ndeshimona says the club is serious about cycling and appeals to the business community to assist them with bikes.
KAINO NGHITONGO
“We kindly ask drivers to please share the roads with cyclists and just give them the recommended space of 1.2 metres when passing them. It's much safer, and our cyclists train wearing uniforms and helmets,” says Salomo Ndeshimona, chairman and coach of Norte Youths Cycling Club.
“A helmet is a sign to show that such a cyclist respects traffic rules,” he says.
He adds that the club warns its members to be careful and ride in single file when in a group. “They give space when a truck passes, thus there is no need to sound your horn as that will confuse the cyclist and could lead to an accident.”
Ndeshimona says many local people are interested in cycling but they do not have bicycles.
“We are trying to secure second-hand mountain bikes as start-up so that upcoming youths may ride on these bikes, even though their interest is in road cycling.
“A lack of bikes discourages keen and aspiring youths who often ask to join this club, which has existed since 2008.
“Our fellow youths always ask if we have spare bikes, but we don't. This puts this beautiful sport in jeopardy, leaving youths to quench their sport thirst with alcohol, crime and other evil deeds, which is slowly destroying them,” he says.
Another challenge facing the northern cycling club is a space that they can use for training.
“We are also hampered by lack of space, especially sport grounds, where we can have a focal point to meet and train willing cyclists,” Ndeshimona says.
At the moment they operate from rented spaces and the homes of benefactors.
The club wants to increase its membership to 20 this year and is opening a centre for children aged eight to 16 at Outapi.
“Norte Youths Cycling Club has already established a similar centre at Omuthiya, called Omuthiya BMX Team, where we had the chance to participate in 2016 National Championship in Windhoek and I hope the Outapi centre will see us produce great cyclists as well.”
Ndeshimona says another aim is to reduce the incidence of obesity in Namibia.
“Cycling could be a remedy to many, as exercise on a bike burns more calories than in a gym.
“Thus we believe if funding could be secured, more people will be on bikes in northern Namibia in no time, as we plan to train more coaches in March when an NCF team visits our BMX centre.
“We have so far acquired coaching licences for our senior members, whereas I, the chairman, hold a level 1 international coaching licence. Five more have level 1 Namibian coaching licences,” he says.
Ndeshimona says the club is serious about cycling and appeals to the business community to assist them with bikes.
KAINO NGHITONGO
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