Executive director of the SF Bike Coalition, Leah Shahum on sabbatical in Europe, reports on a bicycle conference that she attended in Copenhagen as well as her impressions of bicycle culture in the Denmark capital in her first Streetsblog dispatch.
Shahum attended the Velo-City Global Conference.
"In presentations from biking advocates from Europe, North America, South America, and Asia, it is clear that cities are now considered the most vital frontier for increasing and improving bicycling, particularly as more people move to urban areas."
While Shahum is impressed with the startling statistics showing just how common cycling is in Copenhagen: "37 percent of Copenhageners ride bicycles to work and school, though the city's leadership is not satisfied with this and aims to increase that to 50 percent by 2015."; what she sees on the streets is more noteworthy:
"Even more compelling than the high numbers of people bicycling here is the normalcy of it all. A huge number of families with small children are riding, elderly people are riding, well-dressed professionals are riding. This is a country where Nobel Laureates and the Crown Prince ride bicycles for transportation."
"Taxis are required to have bike racks. They are even adding biking-level trash cans for people to easily dispose of garbage while pedaling."
Thanks to San Francisco Bicycle Coalition News
Read the full story: Lessons from Copenhagen for Bicycling in the Bay Area,
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