As cyclist Ryan Saliba breezes through the morning rush hours with the words “#notraffic4me” pasted to his backpack, he causes quite a stir among frustrated motorists waiting at a standstill.

“The next thing I knew, people stuck in traffic were taking photos of me and putting them online.”

In fact he had already used the internet to share his experience of cycling to work. And his initiative is gaining support. Set up on Saturday, his Facebook page No Traffic for Me soon gained over one thousand followers.

“It only takes some 20 to 30 minutes to get anywhere by bike. I spend far less money on fuel and less time looking for a place to park,” he says.

Mr Saliba has been riding from Fgura to his workplace in Qormi every day for the past three years. He also cycles to meetings in Sliema and other busy places.

The idea behind the page was to get cyclists to share their experiences and motivate others to pick up their bikes.

It only takes 20 to 30 minutes to get anywhere by bike. I spend far less money on fuel and less time looking for a place to park

“I knew a lot of people who wanted to start cycling because they were wasting an hour and half stuck in traffic just to get to work.

“So I took to Facebook, wrote down the details of my morning commute and shared it with those I knew would be interested, to give them that extra push.”

Within a few hours, the page was flooded with positive feedback, and in the past few days, reports of people cycling to work have been on the rise.

He stuck #notraffic4me to his backpack to further promote the initiative.

While the increasing number of online followers is encouraging, what he is most proud of is the network of cyclists that has started to form through the Facebook page.

Many of those who have started cycling to work are turning to each other for tips on what routes are shortest and safest.

Mr Saliba is also offering his time to anyone interested in commuting by bike but not sure how to go about it. “I can guide them to work and offer tips along the way. Someone actually took me up on the offer and after meeting him, he has been cycling to work every day.”

Fear, he has found, is one reason people may be reluctant to abandon their car for a bike. Another is not knowing the benefits of cycling, while others are concerned about unsupportive employers.

“You need to keep in mind this is not a race. If you’re cycling at a normal pace, with a gentle breeze, you won’t be sweating very much. On getting to the office, a quick shirt change and splash of water on the face would be refreshing enough.”

The next thing Mr Saliba wants to do is create a list of guidelines to help ease the worries some might have.

“We also need a more comprehensive list of routes for cyclists. A lot of people, not professional cyclists but ordinary people with a bike, shared their routes on the page and these were very well received,” he said.

Of all the routes, none took longer than 40 minutes. Mr Saliba is adamant that while cyclists need to be cautious, the perception that it is dangerous to cycle through main roads is exaggerated. It is important, he stresses, to take all the precautions, such as wearing a helmet, having lights, obeying traffic rules and signalling to other drivers. The less confident riders should start on minor roads. Mr Saliba has observed a sudden shift in mentality, with cyclists being better regarded on the roads.

“Policemen are paying more attention to us, and so are drivers. If we want more cycling infrastructure and support, more people need to get on their bikes.”

The shared experiences

Adam Naudi made it from Balzan to Valletta in just 18 minutes and announced: “No more bus for me!”

James Craig Wightman cycled from the Marsa church to Safi in 40 minutes. This was a cheap, quick and fun way to commute, he said.

It takes Juan Pyro 18 minutes to get from Iklin to Guardamangia. He said: “Now I can wake up later, leave to work later and am getting good exercise as well.”

Steve Livingston said it took him about 25 minutes to get from Żebbug to Ta’ Xbiex and he did not have to worry about finding a parking spot.