Germany: Learning the Rules of the Road in Primary School

Last year during my extended stay just outside Munich, Germany, I came across the following:

It may be difficult to see the scale in the picture, but it's an enclosed mini-road system where children learn the safety standards for cycling. The schools in this town of Vaterstetten require that students pass a test, ensuring that the streets stay consistent with safety and sharing the road. The test is given in primary school, more than a full decade before Germans are able to obtain a driving license. Getting a license in Germany as well as Denmark is expensive and time-consuming. My cousin Lara in Munich and host-sisters Jose/Emma in Copenhagen likely paid upwards of $2,000 USD and spent more than 50 hours for theory and professional instruction for a license. And more than often a license does not come with a car; this is also incredibly expensive in these countries. I will grab some numbers from copenhagenize.com: 

In Denmark a basic compact car will cost you about 100,000 DKK. ($17,400). A new Honda, depending on model, will cost between 200,000 DKK ($34,700 USD) and 500,000 DKK ($86,900). A new BMW, again depending on model, will set you back between 400,000 DKK ($69,500 USD) and 2.5 million DKK ($434,360 USD).

And finally, fuel prices. The price per gallon of gasoline is nearly triple in Germany and Denmark, compared with the US. Currently the US average is $2.32 per gallon; $6.07/gallon in Germany; $6.34/gallon in Denmark. 

I will end on this statistic (found once again on copenhagenize.com):

Bicycle: 63 cents net profit for society. (3.65 DKK)  

Car: $1.15 net loss to society. (6.59 DKK)

And keep in mind, this is in Denmark, without the massive subsidies for autos and fuel.

WOW. Maybe we should be building mini-roads to train and test our children for cycling in this country, and better bicycle infrastructure to go along with it! Cycling is beneficial in sooo many ways... 

A Cycle Utopia: Copenhagen, DK

This post is intended to make a point about what prioritizing bicycle infrastructure can accomplish.

In a previous post I mention numerous benefits to bicycle commute. Read it here if you don't know why biking is so amazing. But, for me, the single most fascinating statistic about the bicycle culture in Copenhagen is the reason most people (56%) give for why they bike: "it's faster and more convenient." 

Um. What? I want to live in a place where it's easier to get to work, school, etc., by bike than it is by car. Can someone please start redesigning my city...now? What many people don't realize (besides the fact that a bicycle utopia is a real place) is that it is entirely possible to make this happen. You just need the right people pursuing the right priorities; a pretty stellar template exists for how to do it.

From a recent Copenhagen news source:

"We say that we don’t have a bicycle culture – we just have lots of people riding their bike. It’s like a ‘Vacuum Cleaner Culture’ — a tool to make their everyday life easier.” Said Mie Dyreberg Haldrup at Copenhagenize Design Co., an urban planning company which works closely with the City of Copenhagen’s Bicycle Office.

“It’s simply not (entirely) a question of branding ourselves as sustainable and healthy, but just a matter of getting quick and easy from A to B. We call it ‘A2Bism’.” Said Haldrup.

Many residents think the same, since according to a government poll, 56 percent of interviewed residents said the reason they bike is because “it’s faster and more convenient”.

The point is not that biking is great for a number of different reasons. The point is that biking is the fastest and most convenient way to get from point A to point B AND that biking is great for all those other reasons. But it's also just funny that Copenhageners could care less about biking being good for reasons x, y, z; they do it because it's easiest. And the only reason it's easiest for ~40% of commuters to bike rather than drive is because the city is being designed and advancing this way.

"Basically, Copenhagen is a great role model for other cities around the world considering the infrastructure, where cyclists has a great priority.” Said Haldrup. “The bicycle infrastructure of Copenhagen is intuitive, well designed and the city takes cycling seriously as transport and not as a fringe activity. We focus on ‘Citizen Cyclists'"

So... what can prioritizing bicycle infrastructure accomplish? Remember, this could be anyone's city.

You really have to see to believe how beautifully the CPH bike system works (my pictures do not do justice):

Stranded, broken down bikes everywhere? It could be worse... (I am Legend, anyone?)

A Bicycle Culture: The Facts

1. The bicycle is the most efficient mode of transportation

Not only is a bicycle the most efficient mode of transportation, but biking can also be the most convenient and safest ways to a destination. This is very dependent on the local biking infrastructure and policies (to be continued...).

2. For mental health, biking or walking to work is psychologically better for you

According to a study by a group of health economists in the UK, active commuting (biking and/or walking) contributes to improved well being, better concentration at work, and less stress.

Psychological health: for the purposes of this study, the research team looked at aspects including feelings of worthlessness, unhappiness, sleepless nights, and being unable to face problems. Factors such as income, children, moving house or job, and relationship changes were also factors. 

Commute time is also important: "our study shows that the longer people spend commuting in cars, the worse their psychological well being. And correspondingly, people feel better when they have a longer walk to work." 

This information has recently been covered by BBC. 

 3. Biking is great for your body and health

Okay, this one is obvious, but "being and staying healthy" and "public health" are hot topics these days! How can we improve our physical health (along with mental health)? Simple: hop on a bike

What so many people don't realize is that, say you live relatively close to work and you commute to work by bike a few times a week. Forget going to the gym or feeling the need to work out -- you've got your daily or weekly exercise out of the way, without making it an extra chore. Seamlessly improving personal health.

In fact, Women's Health states that "half of American workers live within five miles of their workplace, according to the most recent National Household Transportation Survey. That's a totally doable 20-minute ride each way. If you live close to your office, you can pedal to work twice a week and burn up to 3,000 extra calories—close to one pound of fat—each month."

If you live close to work and are able to, try out the bike commute and see how you like it. You're going to have to get to work one way or another, you might as well burn calories while you do it! 

4. Commuting by bike is great for your wallet

Forbes notes that in the U.S. bicyclists can save "at least $4.6 billion a year by riding instead of driving."

A car comes with expenses like gas, maintenance, oil, and insurance. Not to mention that it's not an investment in the slightest: the value of a vehicle drops significantly the second you drive it off the lot. A bike has the initial cost of a couple hundred dollars, but after that, the maintenance and equipment costs are so minimal compared to that of a car. Plus you can usually always get front row parking with a bike.

5. Biking reduces traffic congestion and air pollution in cities 

Who doesn't want to breathe cleaner and healthier air, and reduce travel time in cars? Enough said. 

6. The Dutch lead the way for biking and walking, followed by Denmark and Germany - the U.S. has work to do

Copenhagen winter, image via Copenhagenize

And it's not like these 3 top countries have extraordinarily great weather year-round, either...

I am lucky to have lived (and be a current resident) in 2 of the 3 top countries for biking! I love to bike and walk, so it works out great for me.

Sources and more:
Reasons to Ride 
Exploratorium 
Rutgers.edu 
Rudi.net 
Copenhagenize 
Women's Health 
Science Daily 
Share the Road 
Mint.com 
Forbes 
Psych Central 
Science Daily 
Biking: A proven stress reliever
Forbes - The Costs and Savings of Bicycle Commuting 
How Much Money Can I Save Biking to Work?