Cyclists appreciate that the bike lanes are there for a reason and so they heed the traffic lights and only stray into the space reserved for cars when they have to. People are patient, and they respect one another's choices. Simple, really.
6 May 2008
Patience and Respect
One advantage of a dedicated bike infrastructure is that there is next to no animosity between motorists and cyclists. Motorists are cyclists themselves and they've grown up with an inbuilt awareness of the needs of a combined traffic system.
Cyclists appreciate that the bike lanes are there for a reason and so they heed the traffic lights and only stray into the space reserved for cars when they have to. People are patient, and they respect one another's choices. Simple, really.
Cyclists appreciate that the bike lanes are there for a reason and so they heed the traffic lights and only stray into the space reserved for cars when they have to. People are patient, and they respect one another's choices. Simple, really.
Empathy is lost in a country where two generations have quit cycling or walking to school. I've witnessed that some of the worst violators of STR are young people driving cars too fast and too close.
ReplyDeleteThe only bikes in the bike shed are those of my sons in an elementary school with close to 400 students. But there is along line of SUVs to pick up the overweight children...welcome to the USA.
Jack
We have to change things here in the USA and start to become more like Copenhagen! Physically fit & chic would be oh so refreshing!
ReplyDeleteThis is for the above poster. There is a program that it federally funded called Safe Routes to School that is aimed at exactly what your talking about. http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/index.cfm
ReplyDeleteThe program WILL work with loyal Champions and Staff committed to change. Our school has seen a drop of up to 60% in traffic in the immediate area of the school. Look into it and see if there is a place in your school for a workable solution.
Carl
One thing I like about the Shared Space schemes is the lack of traffic lights and other control devices designed to make people wait -- often for nothing. Rather, people are supposed to figure out among themselves, who goes and when, which should encourage a cooperative attitude.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the slow journey speed that's the issue, it's the waiting. There's nothing worse than hurrying to wait, which is what most traffic control systems are designed to do. It's better for speeds to be slow and not have to wait.
In an ideal intersection, traffic from both directions would seamlessly flow through each other, without having to stop. Clearly that can not be achieved when a bicycle path crosses a road with a high speeds, as the salvo of two-tonne bullets will always go first, and the fodder is forced to wait. Seamless flow can only be accomplished when speeds are similar and distances appropriate for the speed. Traffic calming measures can help to approximate that -- including sufficiently small roundabouts.
the good thing is that it is possible. We went from car-clogged and car-dominated years ago to what you see in the photos on this blog today.
ReplyDeleteI know I always say this, but...I'M SO JEALOUS. :(
ReplyDeleteSorry, I'm writing in Danish...
ReplyDeleteMen synes nu nok liiige det er en tilsnigelse at det bare kører fint og uden problemer i Kbh.
Selvfølgelig dér hvor der er cykelstier, men ellers synes jeg godt nok jeg tit kører med livet i hænderne, pga af billister der kører råddent og tæt og ikke ser sig for (ja, jeg er bitter:)
Jeg kører dagligt fra NV til Sydhavnen og det er ikke altid lige rart!! (Er blevet kørt ned én gang!!)
Undskyld det bitre sure opstød, men måtte lige af med det:)
Ellers venlige og sommerlige hilsener fra Sara Kristine
Not that I take Wikipedia as an authoritative or even trustworthy source at all, but the article you refer to, actually says "It is a term that groups the Nordic countries (which are present in all definitions):" ... "along with a selection of the following which varies from definition to definition:". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Europe
ReplyDeleteIn referring to Bicycling Semi-Utopia, it is thus misleading to speak of Northern Europe, since much of Nordic Countries isn't part of that. Neither is the UK, which is more often included in Northern Europe than is Northern Mainland/Peninsular/Central Europe, which is the bicycling and public transport semi-utopia that is actually being referred to, instead of the real northernmost parts of europe.
Hmm... the above reply should have gone to the post on "Copenhagen Transport Combinations". I wonder how it ended up here.
ReplyDeleteHey Sara,
ReplyDeletetak for din kommentar. jeg forstår godt din pointe. jeg mener dog at der er en fælles forståelse blandt bilister og cyklister i KBH og DK.
Langt, langt mere end i andre lande hvor de fleste af vores læser kommer fra. I min daglig færden er det sjældent at jeg oplever rådne opførsel fra bilister. Og når jeg kører i bil er jeg ekstra opmærksom.
Du har en anden oplevelese. Fair nok. Statistisk set er KBH dog det mest sikre sted i verden at cykle og vores cykelkultur er noget som de fleste andre hungrer efter.
Nogle gange har vi jo vores rosenrøde briller på men jeg mener at vi præsentere vores by på fornuftig vis overfor vores gæster her på sitet. Alt er jo relativ.
Forhåbentlig kommer der cykelstier dér hvor du cykler.
Tak for dine tanker og dejlige sommerhilsner til dig.
Nårh ja, ro på, generelt er jeg også glad for at cykle i Kbh, og det var ikke et udfald mod bloggen eller dens læsere og hvad de hungrer efter. Kan sagtens forstå at de udenlandske læsere er misundelige på vores fantastiske hovedstad og cykelkultur!
ReplyDeleteVille bare lige pointere at der altså også er en del "uhensigtsmæssigt kørende" billister i Kbh, som godt kan være lettere hensynsløse...:)
Og ja, HC Ørstedsvej og Enghavevej er ikke de rareste at køre på...
Ganske fredelige (trods alt) hilsener Sara Kristine:)
jeg har fuld forståelse for hvad du mener, sara kristine og jeg er fuldstændig rolig og fuldstændig glad for at du deler din mening. :-)
ReplyDeletefra NV til Sydhavn? Hvad med nordre fasanvej ned til Valby og så ned til Sydhavnen derfra? Lækker rute.
Godt så:)
ReplyDeleteHmm, ja, kunne være jeg skulle til at overveje Nordre Fasanvej, om ikke andet så for min egen sikkerheds skyld:)
Safe Routes to School is creating positive changes but in St Louis MO, such programs are too radical. Local cycling advocates are VCs and schools have converted playgrounds to parking lots. Don't get me started...
ReplyDeleteJack
I just wrote to my State Representative to petition more be done to transform the city of Houston into a more bike friendly city. The US has two great examples, Portland, OR. & San Fran. I ride to work often (14 miles) but at a great risk.
ReplyDelete