Cycling in Denmark is both a common and popular recreational and utilitarian activity. Bicycling infrastructure is a dominant feature of both city and countryside infrastructure with segregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes in many places and the network of 11 Danish National Cycle Routes (along with many regional routes) extends more than 12,000 kilometres (7,500 mi) nationwide. [1] Often bicycling and bicycle culture in Denmark is compared to the Netherlands as a bicycle-nation.
There are an estimated 7,000 kilometres (4,300 mi) [2] of segregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes in Denmark and the four biggest cities alone account for more than 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) with 609 kilometres (378 mi) in Aalborg, 510 kilometres (320 mi) in Odense, [3] 450 kilometres (280 mi) in Aarhus [4] and 412 kilometres (256 mi) in Copenhagen. [5]
Cycle paths are often raised above the shoulder of the road and separated by a curb, [6] but on older roads it is more common to have a cycle lane separated by a thick white line and sometimes the lane may be marked by coloured asphalt. Massive infrastructure investments are taking place to create more cycle ways and thus increase safety. At intersections, the continuation of the cycle way or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue band to increase its visibility and cyclists may find that they have their own set of traffic lights. [6] In general both paths and lanes are designed for the more slow pace of utility cycling as opposed to more speedy designs in other countries. The Danish Roads Directorate acknowledges that the Danish cycle track system "functions best when cyclists travel at relatively low speeds". [7]
In Copenhagen a system of interconnected green cycle routes, "greenways", is under development, with the aim of facilitating fast, safe and pleasant cycle transport across the city. The network will cover more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) and consist of 22 routes. As of 2011, there were 40 kilometres (25 mi) of greenways in Copenhagen. [8]
The 11 Danish National Cycle Routes form a network of cycling routes throughout the country. They are important routes enabling bicycle tourism and showing off Denmark's natural beauty as well as its regional towns and villages.
Cycling is integrated into both the national, the regional and the local train services in Denmark. Cycles are permitted on trains to facilitate mixed-mode commuting. This is most visible in the urban and suburban rail network of Metropolitan Copenhagen, the S-trains, where cycles can be transported in specified carriages found at the front and rear of each train. As of 2011 there is no charge for taking cycles on any S-train. [9] A number of Movia bus lines in Region Zealand allow the carriage of cycles for an extra charge (no charge on Copenhagen Harbour Buses) unless the bus driver deems the bus too crowded. [10]
Although there appear to be a large number of cycle parking facilities in Denmark, there is actually a severe lack of available cycle stands. Those that do exist are often poorly positioned, particularly in the bigger cities. In 2008, with a view to remedying the situation, the Danish Cyclists Federation published a Bicycle Parking Manual with a number of guidelines. They aim to be of immediate practical use to users but also offer advice for city planners wishing to improve facilities in the future. [11]
Most children start bicycling to school from age 8-10 and continue to do so until at least 18 (the minimum age for acquiring a drivers license in Denmark), but in the bigger cities some people will rely on the cycle as the primary transportation throughout life. Most Danish public schools also educate 10–12 years in traffic rules, behaviour and regulations as a part of their regular curriculum. [12] Utility bicycles which require little maintenance and are suited to load carrying are very popular. However, all other types of cycles are accommodated on the bicycle paths/ways, from racing bicycles with tri-bars through streamlined velomobiles. Two- and three-wheeled cargo bicycles are also becoming increasingly popular, with the trend starting in Copenhagen and spreading out through the country.
The common use of cycles and the growing support infrastructure for utility cycling, has encouraged Denmark to brand itself as a leading nation in everyday cycling. [13] It has also led to the reinvention of the term Copenhagenization as a concept in urban planning and design relating to the implementation of better pedestrian facilities and cycling infrastructure for utility cycling in cities, [14] and been an inspiration for an increasing number of cycle chic blogs spawning from Copenhagen Cycle Chic. [15]
Danish postal workers have been using cycles for transport in towns and cities to deliver mail for several generations. Likewise small shop delivery services used cycles until the mid-1960s. As a result of a move to supermarket shopping, delivery by bicycles declined, though the growth of messenger services sparked a new life for delivery by bike in the mid 80's.
Since the mid-2000s cycle rickshaws (velotaxis) have operated in the bigger cities [16] [17] and offer short distance journeys (usually up to 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)) - primarily during summer. Around the same period small enterprises started selling coffee or soup from mobile tricycle stalls around city centres.
Since 1 March 2009 the police in Copenhagen have been patrolling on cycles. Besides being a quick and efficient means of transportation, it has been found to increase visibility and to improve contact with citizens. [18]
The Danish cycle VIN-system is a system introduced in 1942 by the Danish government, providing all cycles in Denmark with a unique code. The code is a combination of letters and digits embedded into the bicycle frame and made up of a manufacturer-code, a serial-number and construction year. By law it has been illegal since 1948 to sell cycle frames in Denmark without an embedded VIN and, as a result, insurance companies in Denmark do not pay indemnities for stolen cycles without a VIN. [19]
It is quite common in Denmark to rent a cycle for riding around the countryside or the city. Most cities have a form of a bicycle sharing system. The method and pricing varies from location to location: the Copenhagen City Bikes in Copenhagen, for example, required a deposit of DKK 20 and restricted the use of the cycle to a defined area in the city centre, whereas other companies require documentation and a higher deposit. Bycykel in Aalborg is similar to the system that was in Copenhagen, for DKK 20 you can drive around in the city. Cycle rental shops are quite common and many different types of cycles are available. In Denmark, like the Netherlands, bicycle helmets were rarely worn by adults. A parliamentary proposal in 2009 to introduce a mandatory helmet law for children in Denmark was defeated. [22]
However, in recent years bicycle helmet use in Denmark has significantly increased without the implementation of helmet legislation. An observational study monitoring helmet use since 2004 shows that from 2004 to 2022, helmet use among all cyclists rose from 6% to 50%, and among school children from 33% to 79%. This increase is likely due to non-legislative means and social processes such as traffic safety education and behavior change campaigns. [23]
In general cycles and cars coexist quite well in Denmark and, unlike the Netherlands, Denmark does not have strict liability for car-drivers, but instead has a system that partially resembles it. There are two forms of liability that comes into action: liability in regards to the Danish traffic law (Danish: Færdselsloven) and liability in damages in regards to the insurance companies. In an accident where a car going the right way in a one-way street and hits a cyclist going the wrong way, there will be a liability for both the car's owner (who will not necessarily be the driver) and the cyclist. This is due to a requirement for liability insurance (Danish: ansvarsforsikring) for vehicle owners; [24] the insurance companies will always apply this and thus make the vehicle's owner liable for damages. However the cyclist may be deemed liable by the Danish legal system for violating the one-way restriction while the driver may escape charges. In that case the car owner's insurance company may seek reimbursement (Danish: regres) from the cyclist. However, in the majority of the accidents the car driver is found liable in both regards; in 1999, in 90% of the accidents involving cars and cyclists the car-drivers were found fully liable.[ citation needed ]
As of 28 March 2014 [update] , cyclists in Denmark can receive a fine for cycling without lights after a certain time of day; using a hand-held mobile phone while cycling; having defective brakes, reflectors, etc.; cycling against a red light; cycling against the direction of traffic; cycling on a pedestrian crossing; cycling on the left side of a bicycle path; not respecting traffic signs or arrows; breaking the unconditional right of way; not signaling; cycling with no hands on the handlebars; cycling on the sidewalk or footpath; holding onto another vehicle; cycling with two people on a bicycle that only has one seat (both persons will receive a fine); or positioning oneself in the wrong place before or while making a turn. [25] Cyclists can also receive a warning if their bell does not work. [25] Even though there is no fixed blood alcohol level above which it is illegal to ride a bicycle, cyclists can receive a fine for cycling under the influence if the police assess that doing so would be irresponsible. [26]
In intersections, cyclists wanting to turn left are not allowed to use the left-turn lanes that are meant for cars, but must cross the intersection first and turn left from there. If separate bike lanes are available, cyclists must use them. Bike lights must be lit after sunset until sunrise, or in case of bad visibility also during day time. Blinking lights are allowed with a minimum frequency of 120 flashes per minute (2 Hz). Blinking orange front-facing lights are not allowed (due to possible confusion with vehicle turn signals). All bikes sold since 1988 must have brakes on both front and back wheels. [27]
A bike path or a cycle path is a bikeway separated from motorized traffic and dedicated to cycling or shared with pedestrians or other non-motorized users. In the US a bike path sometimes encompasses shared use paths, "multi-use path", or "Class III bikeway" is a paved path that has been designated for use by cyclists outside the right of way of a public road. It may or may not have a center divider or stripe to prevent head-on collisions. In the UK, a shared-use footway or multi-use path is for use by both cyclists and pedestrians.
Effective Cycling is a trademarked cycling educational program designed by John Forester, which was the national education program of the League of American Wheelmen for a number of years until Forester withdrew permission for them to use the name.
Vehicular cycling is the practice of riding bicycles on roads in a manner that is in accordance with the principles for driving in traffic, and in a way that places responsibility for safety on the individual.
Bicycle transportation planning and engineering are the disciplines related to transportation engineering and transportation planning concerning bicycles as a mode of transport and the concomitant study, design and implementation of cycling infrastructure. It includes the study and design of dedicated transport facilities for cyclists as well as mixed-mode environments and how both of these examples can be made to work safely. In jurisdictions such as the United States it is often practiced in conjunction with planning for pedestrians as a part of active transportation planning.
Bicycle safety is the use of road traffic safety practices to reduce risk associated with cycling. Risk can be defined as the number of incidents occurring for a given amount of cycling. Some of this subject matter is hotly debated: for example, which types of cycling environment or cycling infrastructure is safest for cyclists. The merits of obeying the traffic laws and using bicycle lighting at night are less controversial. Wearing a bicycle helmet may reduce the chance of head injury in the event of a crash.
Cycling is the second-most common mode of transport in the Netherlands, with 36% of Dutch people listing the bicycle as their most frequent way of getting around on a typical day, as opposed to the car (45%) and public transport (11%). Cycling has a modal share of 27% of all trips nationwide. In cities this is even higher, such as Amsterdam which has 38%, and Zwolle 46%. This high frequency of bicycle travel is enabled by excellent cycling infrastructure such as cycle paths, cycle tracks, protected intersections, ample bicycle parking and by making cycling routes shorter and more direct than car routes.
Cycling in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia takes place for recreation, commuting and as a sport. Sydney has a hilly topography and so may require a slightly higher level of fitness from cyclists than flatter cities such as Melbourne and Canberra. Sydney depends heavily on motor vehicles where traffic and public transport operate at capacity. This means that cyclist are often competing with motorists for limited space on busier roads, and for limited government resources for expenditure on road infrastructure. In its favour, Sydney has a generally mild climate and there are active cycling groups.
Cycling in New York City is associated with mixed cycling conditions that include dense urban proximities, relatively flat terrain, congested roadways with stop-and-go traffic, and streets with heavy pedestrian activity. The city's large cycling population includes utility cyclists, such as delivery and messenger services; cycling clubs for recreational cyclists; and increasingly commuters. Cycling is increasingly popular in New York City; in 2018 there were approximately 510,000 daily bike trips, compared with 170,000 daily bike trips in 2005.
Cycling in Los Angeles accounts for less than one percent (0.6%) of all work commutes. Because of the mild climate, there is little need to carry the variety of clothing that cyclists require in other less temperate climates.
Cycling in Copenhagen is – as with most cycling in Denmark – an important mode of transportation and a dominating feature of the cityscape, often noticed by visitors. The city offers a variety of favourable cycling conditions — dense urban proximities, short distances and flat terrain — along with an extensive and well-designed system of cycle tracks. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. Every day 1.2 million kilometres are cycled in Copenhagen, with 62% of all citizens commuting to work, school, or university by bicycle; in fact, almost as many people commute by bicycle in greater Copenhagen as do those cycle to work in the entire United States. Cycling is generally perceived as a healthier, more environmentally friendly, cheaper, and often quicker way to get around town than by using an automobile.
Cycling in Canada is experienced in various ways across a geographically huge, economically and socially diverse country. Among the reasons for cycling in Canada are for practical reasons such as commuting to work or school, for sports such as road racing, BMX, mountain bike racing, freestyle BMX, as well as for pure recreation. The amount and quality of bicycle infrastructure varies widely across the country as do the laws pertaining to cyclists such as bicycle helmet laws which can differ by province.
Cycling infrastructure is all infrastructure cyclists are allowed to use. Bikeways include bike paths, bike lanes, cycle tracks, rail trails and, where permitted, sidewalks. Roads used by motorists are also cycling infrastructure, except where cyclists are barred such as many freeways/motorways. It includes amenities such as bike racks for parking, shelters, service centers and specialized traffic signs and signals. The more cycling infrastructure, the more people get about by bicycle.
Bicycle law is the parts of law that apply to the riding of bicycles.
A protected intersection or protected junction, also known as a Dutch-style junction, is a type of at-grade road junction in which cyclists and pedestrians are separated from cars. The primary aim of junction protection is to help pedestrians and cyclists be and feel safer at road junctions.
There is debate over the safety implications of cycling infrastructure. Recent studies generally affirm that segregated cycle tracks have a better safety record between intersections than cycling on major roads in traffic. Furthermore, cycling infrastructure tends to lead to more people cycling. A higher modal share of people cycling is correlated with lower incidences of cyclist fatalities, leading to a "safety in numbers" effect though some contributors caution against this hypothesis. On the contrary, older studies tended to come to negative conclusions about mid-block cycle track safety.
One of the potential pitfalls for observers trying to interpret the operation of bikeways is that the same legal assumptions do not apply in all environments. For instance, in contrast to most English speaking countries, some European countries, including Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands have defined liability legislation. Thus there is a legal assumption that motorists are automatically considered liable in law for any injuries that occur if they collide with a cyclist. This may hold regardless of any fault on the part of the cyclist and may significantly affect the behaviour of motorists when they encounter cyclists.
Controversies have surrounded dedicated cycling routes in cities. Some critics of bikeways argue that the focus should instead be placed on educating cyclists in road safety, and others that safety is better served by using the road space for parking. There is debate over whether cycle tracks are an effective factor to encourage cycling or whether other factors are at play.
Cycling in Penang Island refers to the use of bicycles in the city of George Town and elsewhere on Penang Island, Malaysia, either for recreational, touring or transportation purposes. While bicycles have long been in use in Penang, with rickshaws becoming a unique application of the pedal-driven vehicle in the state, the usage of bicycles has noticeably declined since the late 20th century due to the proliferation of cars as the main transportation mode.
A bicycle highway, also known as a cycling superhighway, fast cycle route or bike freeway, is an informal name for a bicycle path that is meant for long-distance traffic. There is no official definition of a bicycle highway. The characteristics of a cycling highway mentioned by authorities and traffic experts include an absence of single-level intersections with motorized traffic, a better road surface and the absence of traffic lights. Bicycle highways are mentioned in connection with traffic jam. Owing to higher average speeds than normal cycling infrastructure, they provide an alternative to the car in commuter traffic. Often a cycling highway follows the route of a railway or other linear infrastructure.
Cycling in Turkey is held back by poor infrastructure. It is sometimes done for health reasons, and infrastructure is being improved. The World Health Organization has called for transport in Turkey to include more active transport such as cycling.
