Living Car Free - Like Brushing Your Teeth?

"Research shows that the more people who travel by bike, the safer it is for each individual cyclist. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8224141.stm
With Videos too.

Maybe the delegates at the world climate summit will get a clue?

Here's the web article.





Copenhagen's 'best city for cyclists' goal



by Maddy Savage
BBC News, Copenhagen


Rush hour in Denmark's capital seems anything but rushed.
City workers glide through the streets - trousers tucked into their socks and briefcases slung on to the side of their bicycles.
Some even have children following on behind, wrapped in waterproofs and perching on special trailers known as cargo bikes.
The air feels fresh and there is not a traffic jam in sight.
With less than four months to go until Copenhagen hosts the United Nations climate change summit, the city has announced its vision to become the world's best city for cyclists.
In Copenhagen, a third of people already cycle to work, school or university.
There are about 350km (217 miles) of cycle routes around the city.
Cyclists have priority over cars and pedestrians at many major junctions and traffic lights.

“ It's a big part of our culture and with all the environmental problems, even more people are starting to use a bike instead ”
Bettina, cyclist

City officials have just announced their plans to get half of commuters using bikes by 2015.
"The city has worked consistently to improve things for cyclists," said Andreas Rohl, who is in charge of the city's cycling programme.
"Everything you see in Copenhagen today is due to decisions taken back in the 70s and early 80s.
"For people here, going on a bicycle is a bit like brushing your teeth, you don't think much about it!"
He said the new targets for cyclists were "realistic but very ambitious".
Common to be car-free
Two of the city's main bridges have recently had a makeover to help encourage more people to cycle.
One is now completely car-free, the other has been developed to include double cycle lanes on both sides.
The city is planning to widen other existing cycle lanes.
It is also considering congestion charging although the legal procedures to do this are not yet in place.
Bettina, a student, uses her bike several times a day.
"It's a big part of our culture and with all the environmental problems, even more people are starting to use a bike instead," she said. In Amsterdam, residents already use bikes for more than half of all journeys under 8km.


But, while the Dutch city has long been thought of as the cycling capital of Europe, Copenhagen has beaten it to the top spot in recent surveys by both green campaigners and travel companies.
"I think it's quite convenient and you are faster than with a car or a bus," said Kristina, another keen cyclist.
"It's not so common to have a car here, even for a whole family, and it's highly taxed."
Research shows that the more people who travel by bike, the safer it is for each individual cyclist.
Five cyclists were killed on Copenhagen's roads last year, half the number killed a decade ago when there were fewer bikes and people cycled less often.
Copenhagen's safety record also compares well with other similar sized cities in Europe.
Six cyclists died on the roads in Dublin last year, even though the city has more than 80% fewer cyclists.
"We are very focused on the safety. Since the mid-1990s we have reduced the risk of having an accident when you travel by bike by 65%," said Andreas Rohl.
"The health effect of going on a bicycle is seven times higher than the actual risk of going on a bike."
But what about driving in the city? Most roads are clean and smooth, and most car owners you speak to will not complain about cyclists, mainly because many of them ride bikes too.
"It could be difficult for a new driver in this city but you get used to it!" said Ibrahim, a taxi driver.
"The Danish government advertises that it is good to have bikes. Good for the health and good for the community. It's very green. No pollution."
Changing mindsets Officials believe they are on track to reach their new cyclist targets within the next six years.


They are hoping to share their ideas with the world at the UN climate change talks in December and at the city's first international cycling conference next year.
There are signs that other European capitals are already looking to follow Copenhagen's example.
Paris, Barcelona, Montreal and London are among the cities openly committed to improving cycle routes.
But it may be much more difficult to persuade countries like China.
Once known as the world's kingdom of bicycles, it is now a growing car market, so achieving investment in cycling there could be a much greater challenge.
"It's all about changing people's mindsets," said Mr Rohl. "But it really can be the easiest and the most flexible way to get around."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8224141.stm

Published: 2009/08/27 11:22:55 GMT

© BBC MMIX

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8224141.stm




Also, the radio broadcast, which I heard this morning, mentioned that Denmark heavily taxes both cars and their fuel.

This is a chicken-egg issue. Does Copenhagen have great cydling infrastructure because more people ride? Or do more people ride because of the great infrastructure?

Does Copenhagen have great cydling infrastructure because more people ride? Or do more people ride because of the great infrastructure?

I'm convinced it is both, which is why I hope we will work at the problem from both sides at the same time. (more riders, and more infrastructure.) I'd love to see a world where all major governments are limiting greenhouse gas emissions to a level that works for our ecosystems in the long term, and where public opinion is behind the idea of individual decision-making and public policy working in tandem to make it happen.

I'm convinced it is both, which is why I hope we will work at the problem from both sides at the same time. (more riders, and more infrastructure.) I'd love to see a world where all major governments are limiting greenhouse gas emissions to a level that works for our ecosystems in the long term, and where public opinion is behind the idea of individual decision-making and public policy working in tandem to make it happen.

I agree. It's a case where the two phenomenon exists because of the other. Improving cycling infrastructure gives citizens the idea that cycling is not only possible, but promoted by their community. Likewise, as that infrastructure strains with the arrival of new cyclists, more infrastructure is required.

When I hear of cyclists complaining about bike lanes (or other infrastructure), I'm a little put out. As long as they are safely installed, they provide a strong symbol for the community.

I agree. It's a case where the two phenomenon exists because of the other. Improving cycling infrastructure gives citizens the idea that cycling is not only possible, but promoted by their community. Likewise, as that infrastructure strains with the arrival of new cyclists, more infrastructure is required.

When I hear of cyclists complaining about bike lanes (or other infrastructure), I'm a little put out. As long as they are safely installed, they provide a strong symbol for the community.

Around here, bike lanes are far too frequently located in door zones or to the right of right-turning vehicular traffic. :eek: They also tend to disappear before tricky intersections, roundabouts, and interchanges with local expressways. :bang: As a result, I tend to view them as intended primarily for the convenience of motorists, rather than cyclists.


I think it's quite convenient and you are faster than with a car or a bus," said Kristina, another keen cyclist.
Here is the key quote from the article, in my opinion. More people will ride (transit or bikes) instead of drive when riding is faster and more convenient than driving.

More people will ride (transit or bikes) instead of drive when riding is faster and more convenient than driving.

I'm not completely disagreeing with you, but I suspect that you'll see more cyclists when it becomes the vogue. I suspect that if Seinfeld had been a carfree cyclist, we would be seeing many more cyclists, regardless of weather, speed or convenience. (After all, many times a car is inconvenient... but that doesn't stop people from using them.)

Perhaps all we need is a good TV series devoted to our cause :)

I find the idea about bikes being faster than transit can vary. Express bus service or commuter rail lines are almost always faster than by bicycle. Yet, many suburban bus service that travel on highways at 50 mph or more would also be very difficult to replace with a bicycle. This is the reason many of those living in the burbs are stuck with cars because the bus service is terrible yet utility cycling would prove too difficult.

Perhaps all we need is a good TV series devoted to our cause

I agree that a TV series may well be effective, if it were as popular as "Seinfeld" or "Sex in the City". Or Star Trek. But I'm not sure you'd get much traction with your idea if you promoted it on the "Car Free and TV Free" thread. Haha.

I'd be so pleased to see bike friendly road construction mandates, promotional PSAs, congestion charges, etc.

But here in the USA proposing such things results in deafening shouts of "Gov't has no business doing any such thing!" Such views still have a surprising amount of traction.

Government has no business enforcing the common good? What idiocy......

It'll take some time to reverse this. In the meantime we can only pray for higher fuel prices. It's a pretty lousy way to reduce auto congestion, but it's the most realistic one we have for now thanks to the deny-ers.

My hat's off to the Europeans. In some ways, at least, they show willingness to improve their societies while America just seems to grow more selfish and sullen.

I dunno, I worked the summer at a hospital about 6 miles from my house. If I saw the bus leaving from the stop that I'd usually take, I'd often beat it, or reach the stop I'd get off at, at the same time. However factor in a 10 minute walk from that stop, which is a 2 minute bike ride!

I think in an outright race, under 10k, and a cyclist going at a regular pace, can often beat a bus or regular transit, just because of the stops that the bus has to make.

The other thing with suburbs--I've started noticing that inter-city travel in and around the Greater Toronto Area has actually improved quite drastically, with express buses from the city im in (Hamilton), to downtown Toronto running every 30 minutes every day. The best part abt this is that these buses have bike racks -- so you can commute downtown way faster than the traffic logged cars.

I think in NA we just need a huge shift in the way we think about travelling, and start realizing the potential time-saving and health-benefits that can be reaped by bicycles

Part of that thinking may be brought on by the status a bicycle holds in society -- its often seen purely as an exercise device, or a poor-mans vehicle.

(just as a bit of an afterthought: how many people do you know that drive to the gym they work out/do yoga/take a class/swim at?)

I dunno, I worked the summer at a hospital about 6 miles from my house. If I saw the bus leaving from the stop that I'd usually take, I'd often beat it, or reach the stop I'd get off at, at the same time. However factor in a 10 minute walk from that stop, which is a 2 minute bike ride!

I think in an outright race, under 10k, and a cyclist going at a regular pace, can often beat a bus or regular transit, just because of the stops that the bus has to make.

The other thing with suburbs--I've started noticing that inter-city travel in and around the Greater Toronto Area has actually improved quite drastically, with express buses from the city im in (Hamilton), to downtown Toronto running every 30 minutes every day. The best part abt this is that these buses have bike racks -- so you can commute downtown way faster than the traffic logged cars.

I think in NA we just need a huge shift in the way we think about travelling, and start realizing the potential time-saving and health-benefits that can be reaped by bicycles

Part of that thinking may be brought on by the status a bicycle holds in society -- its often seen purely as an exercise device, or a poor-mans vehicle.

(just as a bit of an afterthought: how many people do you know that drive to the gym they work out/do yoga/take a class/swim at?)
I'm equally fast as a bus in DC so most riders should be able to outpace the bus. Its because of the stops, I often play leapfrog with a bus for as long as I stay on the same route as the bus.

There are exceptions like Copenhagen and Vauban, but hasn't Europe overall become almost as car crazy as North America?

This is a chicken-egg issue.


I'm convinced it is both, which is why I hope we will work at the problem from both sides at the same time.

By the way, the chicken and the egg-of-chicken came into existence gradually, and they couldn't come into existence any other way than at (pretty much) the same time!

By the way, the chicken and the egg-of-chicken came into existence gradually, and they couldn't come into existence any other way than at (pretty much) the same time!

Actually, that's easy - dinosaurs had eggs, and they were around millions of years before chickens. :thumb: