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Bicycles in town
Around the world, many metropolises are taking important steps to improve conditions for people who travel by bicycle. Notable success stories come from the acclaimed utopias of Dutch or Danish cycling, where the investment is maximum and, for example, they build an underground garage for 12,000 Bicycles, crazy!
But this time we would like to give a simple and visual version through different graphs that provide us with more than interesting data, whether to break myths or simply see how cities can transform.
1.- More bike lanes, fewer accidents
The more people bike on the streets, the safer the streets for everyone who rides a bike. This phenomenon, originally identified by researcher Peter Jacobsen, is known as "safety in numbers." And that's exactly what American cities are seeing as they add more bikeway infrastructure. According to a report from the National Association of City Transportation Officials:
Some people are put off by the apparent dangers of cycling, but only 1% of head injuries occur to people who ride a bicycle; you are much more likely to be injured in a car.
And if you are not convinced, then you can always try this recycled paper helmet that, in addition to being comfortable and very resistant, folds.
But…What kind of infrastructure attracts the most people who are hesitant to ride a bike? The answer is obvious, protected bike lanes! Among those "interested but genuinely concerned," 81% say that bike lanes that offer some physical protection against car traffic would make them feel more comfortable and at least give it a try.
2.- We keep thinking about cars
In many cities around the world, cars continue to take priority over people on foot, bicycles or public transport. A change of mentality is necessary and the graphic representation to understand what has happened historically is:
And the growth that maximizes the benefits of public transport or sustainable means of transport, while strongly emphasizing its users and people, in this form of design translated into Spanish, is called "Transport Oriented Development" (DOT).
3.- When the car is still the king of space
Copenhagen is possibly one of the cities with the most cyclists in the world in relation to its population and the following graph confirms this. By that 2016 the number of bicycles that entered the city center exceeded the number of cars:
In the city, a section of Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard was analyzed to show how much space was given to motor vehicles (red), compared to bicycles (blue), pedestrians (yellow) and buses (green). In the city as a whole, bicycles represent 62% of trips; however, they get 7% of the space. The cars are 9% of the displacements; but nevertheless, they get 54% of the space.
4.- Why do we go by bicycle
A large number of readers will surely think that one of the top reasons why people ride bikes It is related to the environment but, in truth, it represents the last conviction; first because it is faster, second is exercising, third is the economic issue and lastly, the environment…. So we still have a lot to learn!
If we see the Barometer of the Bicycle in Spain 2022 prepared by the DGT and we inquire into those who do not use it. Between the main reasons for not using the bicycle highlights the lack of a or they prefer other means to move such as the car.
5.- What if the traffic lights favor bicycles
In relation to the previous graph, what would happen if the traffic lights instead of favoring motor vehicles, favored and prioritized the circulation of bicycles.
In the city of Nørrebrogade (Denmark) they established what was called "the green wave", the traffic lights were changed to favor bicycles, consequently, the flow of traffic was greatly improved, reducing bicycle journeys considerably.
6.- Cyclists and pedestrians spend more than drivers
Sure you've ever heard "Cyclists are just a group of young people who have no money" or "They ride their bikes to a cafeteria, sit there for four hours with their mobiles and don't really spend any money" or the typical … "You are taking away parking on the street to put lanes for bicycles and a station for these, because now I will have to close the store«.
Well, Mr. Grocer, according to the graphs, you are going to earn more money at the end of the month.
The first graph shows how much consumers spent on average per trip (According to type of transport), the second, how many trips per month on average and the third, the total estimate of consumer expenses per month according to type of transport used.
The most interesting thing about the three graphs is that cyclists make many more trips than motor vehicles and although they may spend less in relation to each trip, at the end of the month, the expense is greater. (You can read more from HERE with access to the report)
7.- How much does it cost to build one km of bike lane?
In most cases, they are a bargain for both city taxpayers and users. For a few thousand pounds of paint, a little signage, and cement, you can get a bike-friendly city, and tens of thousands of smiling cyclists.
In the city of Portland with almost 700,000 users (USA), one of the friendliest and healthiest cities for cyclists in this country, the reconversion and construction of the lanes reached a cost of 60 million dollars in recent years (Report that perfectly details each cost and chapter of the investment). The same cost as a mile on the urban highway, but not all that glitters is gold.
In an article on the city of Seattle, it is revealed that poor planning in the introduction of the bike lane over the city caused costs to rise to high levels, being able to only incorporate only half of the planned lanes.
Given this scheme, we remind you that we have an excellent article that talks about an online tool to design urban roads as if it were a game.
8.- What is the cost of cycling vs. driving?
The results of a study on the costs and benefits of cycling in the city have received a lot of attention in the mainstream and social media because they tell a story that intuitively seemed wrong.
The report Transport transitions in Copenhagen: Comparing the cost of cars and bicycles shows that both the private and social costs of driving by cars in Copenhagen are much higher than those of cycling, but they are not due to the reduction in car driving. pollution or emissions.
The authors conclude that while every kilometer traveled by car in Copenhagen costs society money, every kilometer traveled by bicycle saves money.
Considering only the social costs, each kilometer of bicycle is a gain for society (0.16 euros), while each kilometer of car represents a cost (0.15 euros).
This represents a saving of 0.31 euros per kilometer. The explanation, the researchers say, is that the benefit of exercise with bicycles significantly reduces the costs associated with poor health, for example, medical treatment and illnesses. These savings are more than three times greater than health costs between potential cyclist crashes.
9.- Easier to analyze and improve urban planning
While drivers are less receptive to giving information about their trips, cyclists turn out to be the opposite., as long as your data favors the cycling network of your city. There are several applications that with a simple app you can provide relevant information that will help urban planners to better understand the needs of the cyclist.
For example, Strava, a social network for athletes and bicycle lovers, relaunched its Global Heatmap with more data and better graphics. The interactive map shows more than 1 billion trips made by the millions of Strava members.
The map provides a fairly straightforward sense of the busiest traffic corridors, but it is just the public face of a wealth of data on how pedestrians and cyclists move.
And if you are interested in the subject, we have an article on how to implement a bicycle system in the city, it corresponds to an analysis of a strategic plan designed by a Spanish architect and the article on the wooden bicycle.
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