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Overheard at National Geographic

The Guerrilla Cyclists of Mexico City

Overheard at National Geographic

National Geographic

Science, Society & Culture

4.510.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 September 2021

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tired of waiting for the local government to build more bike lanes, a group of cyclists in Mexico City, the largest city in North America, took matters into their own hands: they painted the lanes themselves.. As traffic and pollution continue to choke cities, bicycles can ease the pain. Yet cities around the world struggle to build biking infrastructure. Grassroots activism is finding creative ways to get the job done. For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard. Want more? Learn why some cities in the U.S. have made huge strides in becoming more bike-friendly, while others are lagging behind. Follow our vigilante superhero Jorge Cáñez on Twitter @peatonito. And learn more about Areli Carréon’s group—the first bike lobby group in Mexico City—at bicitekas.org. John Pucher’s book Cycling for Sustainable Cities features a collection of research reports sourced from transportation experts all around the world. And for paid subscribers: Dive even deeper into the world of green transportation by checking out the September issue of the magazine, which features stories about electric cars and hydrogen-powered planes. If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:03.7

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0:07.9

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0:11.4

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0:14.1

Hiya, Janet and Alan.

0:16.3

Connect for less this Christmas.

0:18.1

Search O2 Christmas.

0:19.9

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0:22.0

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0:24.7

And 20th of December 2022, 36 months advice

0:26.8

by my link to our time plan up to 24 months, 18 plus crutches, and a year, 10 times a fly.

0:35.7

I was born and raised in the chaotic streets of Mexico City.

0:40.7

This is Jorge Cáñez, an activist.

0:44.0

He's standing at an intersection in Mexico City,

0:46.9

wearing a black mask and a cape.

0:49.3

I was an ordinary citizen.

0:51.6

Until one day I went to a lucha libre match.

0:55.5

You know the Mexican wrestling?

0:57.7

And I decided to get a mask, a cape,

1:01.2

and to be the pedestrian vigilante of Mexico City.

1:05.7

He looks out onto a busy street filled with traffic.

1:09.2

Lots of honking and swarving.

...

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