From Guest Blogger Donovic: Building a Bicycle Culture in U.S. Cities

Whether used for transportation, recreation, or health, it’s no surprise that bicycling is popular throughout the world. Despite its universal appeal, bicycle use is essential in cities like Amsterdam, but use falls short in urban cities throughout the United States. Big cities, such as Minneapolis, Portland, and San Francisco, have borrowed ideas from the Dutch bicycle culture in efforts to make the city more “bicycle friendly”. Not only does bicycle culture promote good health and make roadways safer, but it can also improve a city’s overall environment.

Returning to the Streets By Bicycle

Decades ago, during the 1950’s and ‘60s, car ownership increased and the streets in Amsterdam became busy and dangerous like the roads in the U.S. By the early 1970’s, Amsterdam was facing two major issues: motorists killing and injuring bicyclists and an oil shortage. Forced to make some major changes, Amsterdam returned to the streets by bicycle and created a bicycle culture that is still thriving today.

Share the Road

Even in the bicycle friendly city of Amsterdam, vehicles still exist and share the road with bicyclists every day. An urban city does not need to completely eliminate vehicles to make it a safe place for bicyclists. Bicycles and cars can co-exist on the road as long as road rules are followed. “Along with possessing the same responsibilities as motorists, bicyclists benefit from the same rights as motorists…bicyclists must obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings,” says Mushkatel, Robbins, & Becker, PLLC. Remember, as a bicyclist, who shares the road with other motorists, your bicycle is your vehicle.

Road sharing in Amsterdam is successful because bicyclists have become a priority, in part that they outnumber vehicles. According to the website, iamsterdam.com, 63% of Amsterdam residents (an estimated 800,000) use their bicycle daily. There are approximately 263,000 cars in Amsterdam and 32% of traffic movement is by bike, 22% by car, and 16% by public transport. In addition to bicycles have the same road rights as other motorists, roads are narrower to prevent speeding and bicycle lanes are protected.

In order for urban cities to have a safe and thriving bicycle culture, bicyclists must have safe and convenient (within the city) places to ride without competing with all-too-familiar traffic congestion.

Incentives for Urban Cycling for Transportation

It’s well known that frequent cycling is good for health. It decreases blood pressure, prevents costly, lifelong illnesses, and it’s an easy way for people of all ages to get around. For many cyclists, the health benefits are enough, but cycling can do wonders for the environment as well. Vehicles are major offenders to air pollution and by deciding to leave your car at home and hopping on your bicycle can reduce your carbon footprint. Additionally, you aren’t contributing to air pollution or releasing harmful emissions. Think about the positive environmental impact of cycling on a large scale, in an urban setting. If every American, who lives within five miles of work, commuted by bike rather than car one day a week, the result would be like removing one million cars of the road.

Imagine living in a city like Amsterdam, where more people rent cars than own. Think of the air quality, the helpful push towards accepting alternative energy, the decrease in noise pollution, and the money saved each week by not filling up your car with gas. Imagine being a part of an active bicycle culture that positively impacts the environment; it’s possible by converting one driver at a time.