LIFE's STORIES, ADVENTURES & TRAVELS

I love bicycling – right now I got myself my third bicycle, an Opus Cervin European style – love it. Each bicycle for a different function and purpose, one just for grocery shopping (has a basket), my mountain bike for off road trails mostly, and my new latest bike for good trails. It cruises along just fine. I also watched when in Europe which cities are bicycle friendly. Just found among many sites, this site: [ http://www.virgin-vacations.com/11-most-bike-friendly-cities.aspx ]. I have not been in all of those cities, but some. Must say, that whatever constitutes ‘bicycle friendly’ refers to bicycle infrastructure and facilities more than how many cyclists are sharing the bike lanes (roads or other) making cycling either comfortable or unsafe.
Berlin for example, I spent over 4 months (2010) mostly walking on the side walk, my head turned backward to avoid getting run over by a bike. There are still lots of old cobble stone streets on which a bicycle would have a hard time to ride, therefore they simply ride (rather speeding) on the side walk among the pedestrians. While the cycle lanes on those wide major traffic streets share with public transport – buses nilly-willy, wow ! Scary stuff.
The Netherlands – I had rented a bike for 3 months and using the cycle lanes – separate from the main traffic. Fine and good. But, again so many people, so many bicycles. Difficult to move. In fact, although I cycle a lot – there I accomplished to actually fall over with that bike – to the amusement of the Dutch watching me. The bicycles over there having different brake systems than North America.
I would love to try somewhere in Denmark. Here in Victoria BC Canada, it still is a killer operation. Very few bikes among the traffic, which may be more dangerous than too many. [Safety in numbers.] Despite having bike lanes pasted directly onto the tarmac, which a vehicle driver does not always see or observe. We also out of courtesy give priority to public buses. What we have lies outside the city core – many miles of dedicated bicycle/walk trails, some through wilderness. But one must first get there from home – through heavy downtown traffic. The wonderful thing about our outlying trail system is, that there are now many water fountains, and even bike tools for repairs – for all cyclists to use.

In Canada, a neat bike city had been Ottawa. Or even Edmonton. Effort is being made to improve the situation like Share the Road Program [ http://www.sharetheroad.ca/bicycle-friendly-communities-p138264 ]. I always have the feeling here in Canada, that in spite most people own bicycles they do not use them too much because they do not feel comfortable, because cars still rule. To become comfortable and therefore also a safe rider, one must cycle a lot, at the same time obey the rules. (Incidents do occur: see also my post on “Attacks on cycle trails.” )
[ https://renataveritashistory.com/2014/08/18/cycling-around-langford-bc/ ]