Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Peru: Lima bike riders lack necessary routes to get around city

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

It would take at least 300 kilometers (186 miles) of bike routes for Limeans to have an acceptable alternative to driving their cars or using public transportation, revealed a study done by the Terrestrial Transport Investigation Center (CIDATT).

Furthermore, it was reported that since the city's first bike trail was built - in 1993 when Ricardo Belmont was mayor - only 90 additional kilometers (56 miles) have been placed throughout the city.

These are primarily short stretches that have not been planned well, said El Comercio newspaper, explaining the Municipality of Lima had only given its Non-Motorized Transport Department a 1.8-million-sol budget in 2008.

This amount was enough to build seven kilometers (four miles) of bike routes, said the head of the department, Ovidio Costilla, explaining that at this pace the city would have 300 kilometers by 2020.

Costilla explained his department had not been included in the 100-million-sol APEC budget, which had been granted to Limean mayors to repair streets.

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# John says :
7 October, 2008 [ 12:43 ]

I am impressed with this site.It's nice.I have similar thing i am dealing with.
My aim is to share any type of information with all of you.If i have
done any mistake please excuse me.

=============================================

JOHN ROBERT

DUI

# David N says :
7 October, 2008 [ 16:22 ]

Lima is an overcrowded city with very polluted, noxious air and crazed drivers in dilapadated vehicles on dangerous, poorly maintained roads.

No bicyclist in their right mind would even think of riding a bike in Lima.

# Mike says :
7 October, 2008 [ 17:57 ]

Don't worry, a few minutes after they get off their bike to go into the store, it'll be stolen.

Little do they know the thieves are saving their lives!

# David says :
7 October, 2008 [ 22:39 ]

 

David you are quite correct in you observation of Lima and Mike I do like your humor. 
However I'd like to place my skepticism on hold for a moment and think positively.

Lima is starting to use NG busses and cars, if they ever enforce the inspection system fairly for motor vehicle and create bike lanes it could actually work.

So the bicyclist would need a chain like a ships anchor but it is a start.

OK you can go back and be skeptical again, but try and have a little faith. 

# Julio Gutierrez says :
8 October, 2008 [ 09:00 ]

David N,
You sound like you hate Lima, but Lima is NOT all polluted. Yes, certain places like any other big cities in the world, but it's minority. Riding a bicycle could help to eliminate this problem, but I think we need to plant more trees and stop the circulation of old busses, trucks, and cars. But , this might affect someone's family income.
My idea is that we could mark a separte road for bycicle riders for the most safety roads.
VIVA EL PERU!!

# David N says :
8 October, 2008 [ 10:23 ]

Julio, like I've told others, this site is not titled "Celebrating Peru" it's titled "Living in Peru."  I spend time in Lima, and own an apartment and other property there, but have zero affection for the place.

Lima is not what I consider a 'big city.'  More like a 'big mess.' 

Not polluted?  Oh please.  The entire city is shrouded with dense smog every day.  That dim light behind the gray overcast sky is called the sun, FYI.  The Pacific Ocean and the Rimac are filled with human excrement and garbage from the city.  People live in squalor, bathe and wash clothes in the river.  It's horrible and nauseating.  It is not like this in other decent cities in the world, you cannot compare.  The thing to do is level most of the place and start over.  Plant trees?  Replace buses?  Yeah, good luck with that.  Viva el Peru?  Keep drinking your Kool-Aid.

# Julio Gutierrez says :
8 October, 2008 [ 10:46 ]

David N,
You're just a negative person who is full of hate. If you hate so much Peru, then get the hell out, sell your apartment, properties, etc and return to your perfect country, that I assume there's 0% corruption, everything is green, 0% violence, 0% smog, 0% contamination, in resume a fantasy country.
I've lived in Lima more than you, 30 years, and due to the ocean level in Peru, there's a lot of fog, not everything is smog. You just focus on the negative or only want to see the bad part of Peru. I've had the opportunity to visit other big cities in the world, and let me tell you that there's a lot of crap, violence, smog, corruption there as well.
Yeah, we've problems like any other south american country who is working hard to improve our situation, but probably you're comparing us with your "perfect country"
So, please, sell your stuff and leave Peru and never come back, we don't want people like you spreading hate and talking crap about my Peru cowardly on internet, and I'll always say it
VIVA EL PERU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BTW I don't drink Kool-Aid, I drink Inka Kola!!

# Mike says :
8 October, 2008 [ 13:21 ]

Julio;

If you don't have anothe country's perfection to use as a guide, how can Peru ever get there?

# David N says :
8 October, 2008 [ 13:22 ]

Julio,

It's not called being negative, it's called having open eyes and seeing reality. 70% of the population of Peru lives in slums, and that's a fact. You want to change Peru, kick the bums out of your government. Their propoganda and lies are like poison. What other big city do you compare Lima to? Bombay? Lovely.

And no, Lima is not covered in 'fog' that's smog and the WHO pegs the air quality in Lima at something like 150% above the maximum acceptable level.

Believe me, if my wife wasn't Peruvian I'd sell everything in the blink of an eye, leave and never give Lima a second thought.

Like I told you, this isn't Celebrating Peru, it's Living in Peru. There's a difference. Nobody has the perfect country, but many Peruvians are completely delusional and blind.

# Stuart says :
8 October, 2008 [ 13:23 ]

# Mike says :
8 October, 2008 [ 13:45 ]

Here's an interesting article I found today:

# Julio Gutierrez says :
8 October, 2008 [ 15:37 ]

David N,
It's the last time I reply to your comments. Normally, I don't argue with people who have different opinions, because I'm open minded person and repect other's ideas, I actually like it; but you are talking with hate instead of reason.
First of all, I'd never talk crap about countries that I visited, only arrogant people do it.
Second, I prefer to be part of the solution, instead of complaing about every single thing that happens in Peru.
YES, we have seriuos problems that need to solved ASAP, but nothing can be solved overnight. I believe we are on the right track to solve them, but our main problem radicates in lack of education.
I expect Peru to be a different and better country in few years, but if we just complain and complain like the CGTP, doctors, miners, and you, then it'll slow it down.
Third, I've not visited Bombay, but I'd love to see the Taj Mahal.

# Just wondering says :
8 October, 2008 [ 16:34 ]

David N. have you done anything to help make Lima a better place?  

# Mike says :
8 October, 2008 [ 16:40 ]

Julio;

Your rose-colored glasses are cracked.

# Julio Gutierrez says :
8 October, 2008 [ 17:32 ]

Mike,
You're wrong regarding my "rose-colored glasses" I see reality everyday. I'm a middle class man, but I was born very poor and I've seen the face of hunger.
I studied and worked hard to earn what I have so far.
I believe that in order to solve your country's problems, first you need to love your country, but people like David N, who said "have zero affection for the place" are not going to contribute to a better Peru.
Peruvians have overcame adversity and injustice during many years and we are rebuilding our beautiful Peru.
I have faith in my dear Peruvians that we together will have a Peru that we deserve.

# Mike says :
8 October, 2008 [ 17:39 ]

Julio;

What David N said:

Lima is an overcrowded city with very polluted, noxious air and crazed drivers in dilapadated vehicles on dangerous, poorly maintained roads.

is absolutely correct.

That doesn't mean he doesn't like Peru.  Heck, I am in Peru plenty, and I really dislike Lima.  You know what my alarm clock is in the morning?  The small of exhaust.  And that's in a nice part of Pueblo Libre.

I do like Huancayo - despite it having some of Lima's issues, but on a smaller scale.

Overall, I like Peru, but it has some major issues to overcome.  The bike paths being the least of them.

# Splaktar says :
8 October, 2008 [ 20:07 ]

Just wanted to echo David N's comments.  Julio must live life with rose colored glasses (or be totally clueless) to think that only the minority of areas in Lima are not polluted.

I'd love to see more bike paths, but they would need to be well protected (heavy fences) from vehicles.  Drivers here do not respect pedestrians or bicyclers.  Riding a bike on the normal roads is asking to be killed.  The law legally states that bikes can be on the roads just like cars and much abide by the same laws.  But the bike riders don't follow the laws and neither do the drivers.  The traffic police don't enforce them either.  What's the point?

Living is Peru is dangerous enough without getting on a bike and asking to die.

# rice and sugar says :
9 October, 2008 [ 09:20 ]

David N.
I agree with you that Lima's air pollution is higher than Zurich's air pollution. Toronto's air is much better than Lima's. Perhaps Manila is not a good place for you.
However, Julio Gutierrez's point about the ocean level and the fog is also true. Lima was always foggy - since 1535 when Lima was founded by conquistadors: you could almost never see the sun in LIma. Lima, as my grandmother said, is a wetland of fog and clouds. The clouds do contribute to trapping more smog and pollution. Yes, Lima's air is polluted to overpopulation, poverty, ignorance and the eternal natural ocean fog makes things worse.
 
Be objective and realistic: take your wife and family to a different "better" place. Leave Peru, please...

I don't know if you are American...but good luck with your country too..perhaps you should consume less..pollution is all over the wolrd after all...You despise Lima's poverty...Go back to the US...stock markets? unemployment? poverty? pollution? NO, no. NO. This "will never happen to the US"....

# rice and sugar says :
9 October, 2008 [ 09:28 ]

David N.
David, I am dissapointed on you, I thought you understood the world better. But wait, you are a smart gringo...smarter than those peruvians who wash their clothes in the river...
Please: Leave us with our dirty Peru. Leave Peru.

Don't mean to create marriage problems for you...but..does your wife know your feelings about Lima's air??? Do you communicate???

Also, while Lima's air pollution is extremely high - higher than New York's for sure....It is also true that geographically, Lima was always foggy. Lima's history since the conquistadors cites this eternal fog...


Yes, the fog makes the pollution worse...

# Mike says :
9 October, 2008 [ 09:33 ]

Well, David, I think you are right; a number of Peruvians on this site have completely lost their sense of reality.

To All Of Those Out Of Touch With Reality: I am willing to bet that a few of us here at least do not see any of the world with rose-colored glasses.

# Splaktar says :
9 October, 2008 [ 10:15 ]

No need to be ***** and tell everyone to leave Peru.

# Julio Gutierrez says :
9 October, 2008 [ 10:58 ]

Guys,
Howw I think our disagreetment is getting too far. Let's make peace and enjoy Peru with/out pollution.
Maybe one day we can all meet and get some cebiche with beers (I buy the first round), but I don't drink more than two beers.
Take care.
PD. Splaktar, watch your language, I'm showing my daughter that's fine to have disagreements with people and we should all respect them.

# David says :
9 October, 2008 [ 11:40 ]

It is fair to say we all come to the defense of our homeland when it is being put down or attacked. So making fun of Peruvians for defending themselves is uncalled for. Yes Peru has problems, Yes Peru is a 3rd. world country, It is poluted and yes many do wash there clothes in the river. I don't know where all you are from but less then 150 years ago we all did the same thing.

The people of Peru are simple easy going people that get taken advantage of for there kindness. Some how that makes them bad. If I had my way I would make the skies less poluted make the drinking water less toxic and the streets cleaner but it just is not that easy. Surely speaking poorly about a place will not change it. Why not offer up some fixes to the problem and then offer to work together.

Sorry but I wear rose colored glasses from time to time also. 

# David N says :
9 October, 2008 [ 21:20 ]

David,

It is not enjoyable to speak poorly about Peru, but most Peruvians really need a strong dose of reality if things are ever to change.  Yes, 150 years ago we all washed our clothes in the river and dumped waste into the ocean and lived without electricity.  However, other countries have risen from those days and have better living conditions for their people.  The fact of the matter is the Peruvian government for decades has done nothing to change this.  Every new government simply parrots the previous one's lies and propoganda, giving false hope to millions, while at the same time shouting "viva el Peru." 

It has gotten to the point where I am now totally frustrated and furious at how the 'have's' can completely ignore the 'have-nots.'  So many in Lima especially seem oblivious to the plight of people living only a few miles away...they just say 'well, poverty is everywhere', and turn a blind eye.  Well, I have news for these folks - poverty like THAT is most certainly not 'everywhere.'

Peru has much potential, with many positive attributes, but the manner in which it's government is run is despicable.  If not for my Peruana linda, I would never set foot there again.

# David says :
9 October, 2008 [ 22:34 ]

David N,

Now thats more like what I was looking for from you, something constructive.

Julio Gutierrez, Sugar and Spice, could I get you to join the forums, I could use the help in making the topics more productive. I have extended an offer to David N in another post, just so you are not suprised if he joins also. 

By joining you also get to start topics that concern you, it cost nothing but a minute of your time and if you send me a PM I'll be sure to approve your account ASAP.

David
Forum Moderator

# Just wondering still says :
9 October, 2008 [ 23:09 ]

That was constructive?

Sounded more like just a nicer way of saying he hates Peru, but is forced to be here because of his wife.

I still wonder if he has done ANYTHING to help make Peru a better place. Please cite one example. I imagine he would want to out of respect for his Peruvian linda, rather than just bitch about how bad it is.

I haven't done much, but for example I volunteer to tutor english on Sundays to a small group of young Peruvians. I don't know if it will make any difference but I hope. I also have participated in trash pickup in San Miguel at the beach. Again not much but something. Instead of complaining do something, even if it's minor.  Pay it forward.

Perhaps I am wearing rose colored glasses but it is a far sight better than wearing crap colored glasses.

# David says :
9 October, 2008 [ 23:59 ]

Just wondering,

To reply to you, no it is not the most constructive but it is a far better cry then what we heard in previous posts on the same topic.

David expresses frustration with Peru and I can understand that. I could sit here and blast away at all the detractors, but where would that get me? Only in a shouting match that I could never win. Others like yourself would be turned off by the constant in-fighting and all the leval headed minds and opinions would go elsewhere.

No David N can certainly be reasonable, but he also can lash out with frustration. I prefer to take this as a start in the right direction.

And yes I would like to know if he has done anything to try and change things in Peru other then gripe about it, if were lucky he'll fill us in.
 
So, can I count you in on the forum?

# David says :
10 October, 2008 [ 04:57 ]

David N,

I'm not happy with the way my last post reads, but I have no way of editing it. (Another reason to like the forum) At the risk of sounding to much like a politician, in no way did I mean to say that you are not one of the level headed members here in the news. Only that your frustrations show through more at times and people can come away with the wrong impression.

# Mike says :
10 October, 2008 [ 08:18 ]

Perhaps if someone wants to take things to the forum, they should start a topic and link it to their post in the news section.

# Julio Gutierrez says :
10 October, 2008 [ 08:20 ]

David,
I'm in for the forum. As I said, I prefer to be part of the solution than complain and do nothing. I get frustrated when my people just sit and complain, and wait for the government to fix it.
My friend "Just wondering still" THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for helping our country. In this country, we need more action than words (either positive or negative)
I kind of understand David N's frustration. I had that feeling when I was younger (teenager). Some feelings of desperation and frustration with anger due to the lack of government, corruption, and ignorance that swallowed Lima and spitted. I still feel it sometimes, but I try to find where is that problem coming from to fix it.
1. Education
2. Unemployment
3. Overpopulation
If we combine all these three, and perhaps more, then that's what we have now.
As I mentioned before, I wasn't born middle class. Actually, I used to live 20 min further down the Rimac river.
My country needs a new generation of politicians, someone who is honest, hard worker, and highly educated (I think a post-degree should be a MUST for being in the governement). It pissed me off when I see corruption in the government, because they're getting paid (a lot in my opinion) to work for Peru, not for themselves. Therefore, they don't love Peru, and in order to improve, we need people who put Peru first. So, why do you think Europeans or countries like Chile and Argentina grew up so much? because they love their country.
Many Peruvians LOVE their contry and we'll fix our problems,and if you guys wanna help, that could be great.
So, what should I do ot get accesss for the forum David?
Thanks and have a good day all

# David says :
10 October, 2008 [ 11:10 ]

Julio,

Thanks for taking me up on my offer. And for anyone else that would like to join the forum it is easy. Click on the forum link at the left side of the page. When the forum page opens, at the top center of the page you will see    Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register ), click on Register and follow the instructions.

Once you have registered and your account has been approved, all you need to do is log in and start posting. It always helps if you introduce yourself so other members get a feel for you.   

Let me know what user name you have chosen and when you registered here in the news section and I will look for your application and approve it ASAP.

Thanks again, if you or anyone run into any problem with the process just let me know.

David