The Promised Land!

[Davidsw8]

Just back from a long weekend in Copenhagen and what a difference in attitudes to cycling!!

The roads don't seem any wider or narrower yet they have proper cycle lanes on nearly every road in the city and the vast majority of cyclists seem to be behaving themselves; most motorists seem to be driving responsibly and most peds aren't jaywalking everywhere. Central Copenhagen is just as busy traffic wise as Central London but granted, their city centre is smaller than London's.

There seems to be a much lower level of underlying aggression too, maybe it's the sea air or something.

They do seem to be riding very heavy-looking, clunky bikes though and there are a LOT of them going very fast down the cycle paths so it's a bit intimidating at first but I didn't see a single altercation over the 5 days I was there - here, I see something on every daily commute...

Anyway, massive lessons to be learned from the Danish in how to operate a cohesive transportation system.

 

[MontyVeda]

They also seem more than happy to cycle in their work clothes... suits, smart shoes, even stilettos.

 

[Jezston]

Bear in mind its illegal to cycle on the road if there is a cycle lane. Great for utility cyclists tootling about, not so great for roadies or people who like to go fast.

Not my promised land unfortunately.

 

[Davidsw8]

Bear in mind its illegal to cycle on the road if there is a cycle lane. Great for utility cyclists tootling about, not so great for roadies or people who like to go fast.

Not my promised land unfortunately.

They do go pretty damn fast but I guess if you want to go faster or cycle for fun/sport rather than commuting, the city center anywhere maybe isn't the best place to do it

I hardly saw anyone there with a decent bike and certainly no racers.

Each to his own anyway.

 

[Jezston]

They do go pretty damn fast but I guess if you want to go faster or cycle for fun/sport rather than commuting, the city center anywhere maybe isn't the best place to do it

I hardly saw anyone there with a decent bike and certainly no racers.

Each to his own anyway.

How fast do people go on their bikes? See I like trying to keep up with traffic, probably average around 15-16mph and will push 25mph on stretches.

From what I understand it isn't 'each to his own' over there - it's go at the same pace as those tootling along or no cycling for you.

 

[Davidsw8]

How fast do people go on their bikes? See I like trying to keep up with traffic, probably average around 15-16mph and will push 25mph on stretches.

From what I understand it isn't 'each to his own' over there - it's go at the same pace as those tootling along or no cycling for you.

I don't know if their cronky bikes could physically reach 25mph but they certainly seemed to be going at whatever speed they fancied, I was quite surprised at how fast some of em nipped in between their fellow cyclists. I think their cycle lanes may even be better suited to cycling at a consistent and fast pace as there are no motor vehicles getting in your way and most peds know not to jaywalk onto the cycle paths. You just stop at the red lights and keep an eye out when turning.

I did see a couple of scooters on the cycle paths tho and wondered if that was legal or whether they allow them under a certain engine size or something...

 

[Nortones2]

How fast do people go on their bikes? See I like trying to keep up with traffic, probably average around 15-16mph and will push 25mph on stretches.

From what I understand it isn't 'each to his own' over there - it's go at the same pace as those tootling along or no cycling for you.

In Stockholm, where I had a grandstand view from our hotel a while ago, the cycle lanes were heavily used at rush hour: they were not mimsing along! As for "decent" bikes, they favoured the Dutch style, which at least means you can see where you are going. Not to mention 'guards and racks. Functional, rather than aspirational?

 

[Davidsw8]

I thought it was really good that the bikes were very similar and fairly cronky. It means that you can't go quite as fast as a racer and you save a load of money on locks as not only do most people have bikes already but also who'd want to nick them?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

OT, but the post reminded me of this live stream from Amsterdam - http://www.terena.org/webcam/

 

[Leodis]

Its great for them, they cycle a couple of miles to work on flat roads and have segregated lanes with the added bonus of presumed liability. It will never happen here, London is working on it because they have the funds, the rest of the country doesn't stand a chance.

 

[jugglingphil]

Bear in mind its illegal to cycle on the road if there is a cycle lane. Great for utility cyclists tootling about, not so great for roadies or people who like to go fast.

Not my promised land unfortunately.

I'm not sure that city centres are the best place for speed training.
However making it compulsory to use the cycle lane rather than road couldn't be introduced here without a LOT of upgrading. The Danes planned their cycle facilities rather than our approach of just bolting on a cycle sign to the odd bit of pavement or splashing a bit of paint on the side of the road.

 

[Leodis]

I'm not sure that city centres are the best place for speed training.
However making it compulsory to use the cycle lane rather than road couldn't be introduced here without a LOT of upgrading. The Danes planned their cycle facilities rather than our approach of just bolting on a cycle sign to the odd bit of pavement or splashing a bit of paint on the side of the road.

But a lot of their infra is just that, paint thrown on the road with the odd pavement, its the junctions where the priorities are better. Anyway, not quite the same for SCR when you are stuck behind some codger going at a snails pace and your nemesis is flat out pushing 10mph ahead stuck behind a parent with child on board. Its the small things like SCR that make cycle commuting exciting, I mean come on cycling isnt a sexy sport, grown men in lycra is hardly getting non-cycling women hot under the gusset is it.

 

[Sillyoldman]

I visited a hospital out there and they use bikes to ride inside the hospital carrying notes and stuff around. Amazing to see and no one got hit by one.

 

[Sillyoldman]

Just thinking that was way before Strava so may not be so safe now with folks trying to get KOM between ward 1 and 10.