Posts
Many of you may have already seen this short film over at the always-excellent Streetfilms.org, but I thought it was worth sharing for those who hadn't;
Taken during the VeloCity 2010 Global cycling conference last month, the film reflects not only the day to day reality of cycling life in Copenhagen, but also gives us a good idea of what is perfectly achievable here in London, given half the chance... (see here for more foreign perceptions of life on the streets of Copenhagen) Sometimes it's good to be reminded of what is possible and what we can aspire to. Enjoy!
2 comments:
Hi Mark
Thanks for the video link; most interesting to see the perspective of others.
One thing that did occur to me whilst in Copenhagen was that even though there are extensive segregated cycle tracks, driver behaviour, especially at junctions, was still an important aspect of their cycle network. Without 'compliant' driver behaviour, the experience of cycling in Copenhagen would not be as pleasant and is key to the whole system. There is still some interaction between cyclists and motorists at the junctions and quieter roads, although some of the bigger/ busier junctions do try and put a separate phase for right turns.
Driver behaviour can be influenced in two ways: sheer numbers of cyclists, and some form of strict legal liability putting the onus on motorists. I believe Denmark has both. We have to start with the numbers!
Hey Philip, thanks for adding your views. Hope you had a great time there. Of course the infrastructure is not the *only* thing that makes cycling a pleasant experience, and yes strict liability helps hugely. However, I think it's a false start to focus solely on one or the other. So let's push for both! Of course the more people who cycle, the easier it is for drivers to interact with them - it becomes everyday and ordinary as oppose to some kind of scary bolt out of the blue for drivers. And when you get into mass cycling rates most of the drivers cycle at some time anyway, which really helps too.
More than anything I hope the film invigorates people and makes them realise that, despite everything that is being done for cycling in London at the moment there is still a loooong way to go and we can't afford to be complacent.
Post a Comment