Michael Lemberger <[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > PS: I wonder where you got the two percent number in the first place? > Did you make it up? Guess?
Then the Desktop Insurgent from the USA wrote: "Eighty percent of all statistics are made up on the spot..." Gee, all you two had to do was go back to my original post. Surely you must have received it. Unless the forwarded article didn't make it somehow. Mike The number came from a column by Mike Ivey in The Capital Times: "At the same time, driving is on the upswing across Europe and Denmark. But Copenhagen has seen the number of bicycle commuters increase to an amazing 34 percent of its work force, up from 28 percent in 1996 when the city initiated a program to increase bicycle use. Compare that to a top U.S. bicycling city like Madison, where the percentage of regular commuters hovers around 2 percent, according to the latest census estimates." --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 21:14:51 -0500 Subject: Two Percent of Commuters in Madison Bike to Work Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Without looking up the figures, if 2% of Madison's working population commutes by bicycle, 1% commutes by bus and another 1 percent walks to work, that means 96% commute by car or SUV, with 1 or 6 or so commuting by themselves. That stinks! -- Almost as bad as Madison's air does, now. BTW, how long has BTWW been Running in Madison? Appears a new tactic is needed. -- duh. ----------------------------- Forward Article ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- Copenhagen Enjoys A Two-wheel Traffic Fix The Capital Times :: BUSINESS :: 8D Tuesday, August 19, 2003 Mike Ivey COPENHAGEN, DENMARK The first thing you notice about this city, aside from the butter-smooth electric train that brought us in from the airport, are the thousands of bicycles. Bikes are everywhere, piled literally on top of each other in the double-decker racks outside the central station across from Tivoli Gardens. Bikes of all shapes and sizes; one-speed beaters, multi-speed mountain bikes, older racing models outfitted with fenders for all-weather riding. Denmark was a perfect way to wind down our recent European trip. We escaped Paris just as the blistering heat arrived there, flying north into glorious Scandinavian summer weather. Copenhagen is a grand old northern city of winding canals, narrow cobblestone streets and sweeping public spaces. Like Amsterdam to the south in the Netherlands, Copenhagen rightly enjoys a reputation for its nightclubs and hash bars. The Danish also have a tradition of cutting edge design and culture. Denmark's taxes are high but its social programs are unparalleled. And while its status may have been lost somewhat amid a developing world economy, Denmark remains out front when it comes to "multi-modal" transportation. The metro Copenhagen area has about 1.7 million of the nation's 5.4 million residents and they have many choices how to get around. A great thing about Europe's transportation system is the way it combines airlines, buses, trains and automobiles. The wide use of passenger rail especially relieves the pressure, keeping airports from turning into the cattle markets they resemble in this country. At the same time, driving is on the upswing across Europe and Denmark. But Copenhagen has seen the number of bicycle commuters increase to an amazing 34 percent of its work force, up from 28 percent in 1996 when the city initiated a program to increase bicycle use. Compare that to a top U.S. bicycling city like Madison, where the percentage of regular commuters hovers around 2 percent, according to the latest census estimates. Bicycling is woven into the fabric of Copenhagen and is certainly a major reason that the downtown has avoided the automobile congestion that plagues so many big cities. Its bike commuters come in all forms: men in suits, women in skirts, bicycle couriers in Lycra and street people with beer cans. Copenhagen has invested in its bike facilities in a big way. Restricted bicycle-only lanes are built right into the major streets, insulated by a curb low enough to ride over while providing clear separation from auto lanes. Small traffic lights for bike traffic are timed to coordinate bikes and cars. One popular option for many bike commuters is leaving their bike locked overnight at the train station. You ride the train into town in the morning, then pick up the bike to finish the ride to school or work, avoiding the traffic and parking hassles. Copenhagen also claims to have several thousand bikes available for public use. Riders can plop a 20 kroner coin into a lock, ride the bike, and get their money back when they finish. Frankly, I found no "red bikes" available in the racks around town, at least any in usable condition. The free bikes seem to get adopted quickly and kept rather than used and returned. The Danes don't go in for a lot of fancy bicycle equipment, at least on their city bikes. In fact, the bike is treated more as a tool for getting around town rather than as a recreational play toy to pull out a couple times a summer. And except for the Tuborg brewery-sponsored couriers flying around, I saw few riders wearing bicycle helmets in Copenhagen. Instead of flopping a plastic helmet on their head, they learn at an early age how to handle their bikes in traffic and maneuver safely. "We don't feel like we need them," said a 30-something bicycle commuter on his way to the office. "The cars respect here, they respect you." Compare that to the U.S., where so many people are afraid to ride their bicycles on public streets they actually drive to where they feel safe. They take time getting the bike on and off the rack, bolting on the front wheel, changing shoes, attaching the child carrier and making sure the keys aren't locked in the minivan. Somehow, I can't see the Danes strapping their children into a Burley trailer on a hot day and pulling them around on a dusty gravel trail. They'd more likely have their kids riding up on the handlebars, smiling as the sea breeze blows across their happy faces. Mike Ivey is a business reporter at The Capital Times. He can be reached at 252-6431 or at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
