Copenhagen's novel problem: too many cyclists | Amelia Hill

cycling federation and Local tourist organization warn That bike congestion in the Danish capital riding intimidating Can Make

Can There Be Too Many bikes in a city for safety? It's not a question Usually asked: the received wisdom, supported by research and backed by campaigning groups, Is That the cyclists There are more, the safer the roads Become for everyone.

Goal in Copenhagen - one of the MOST bike-friendly cities in the world in Which 36% of ict Inhabitants cycle to work or school, and HAS-committed to That Which figure Increasing to 50% by 2015 - There controversial voices are coming from unexpected places.

According To the Danish Cyclists' Federation and Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism organization for Denmark, the sheer success of the drive to get more locals and tourists on bikes is Creating a dangerous, intimidating and unpleasant climate for cyclists in the city.

"In Copenhagen, We Have quite extraordinary congestion problems around cycling," Said Aneh Hajdu, of Wonderful Copenhagen. "I do not take my children on Their bikes at rush hour Copenhagen Into Any More. It's too dangerous and scary. I just Would not risk it."

It is not just the locals are Who, According To Hajdu, finding the sheer crush of cyclists in Copenhagen year ordeal. "I went there around Copenhagen cycling trip with a friend visiting from London Recently, and She Was terrified by the mass of cyclists and the aggressive way THEY behaved," Said Hajdu. "She found 'em so overwhelming That She burst into tears. She Was too scared to get back on her bike. We had to put it in a taxi and drive back home."

Increase in numbers

As the cycle lanes, says Hajdu, social Behaviour deteriorates, with jostling and cutting-up Becoming more frequent. "The locals rush past the Foreigners, Who Often are uncertain Steady on Their bikes and going," she said. "The locals get excited and therefore more Threatening Become."

Even untrained eye to year, It Is Obvious That Immediately the City is Struggling to cater for ict Growing number of cyclists. Already it is near-impossible to find parking spaces near stations, hand cycling, while cycling lanes gargantuan That Seem to British eyes - three meters wide to oven Compared to our 1.5 meters - are buried at some times of day Beneath the scrum of cyclists Traversing the City.

So What Happens When The critical mass of cyclists

grows faster Than the Cdn government Uban Improve Their Environment

Frits Bredal, of the Danish Cyclists' Federation acknowledges That the number of serious traffic accidents Involving cyclists in Copenhagen HAS Dramatically Reduced in The Last Few Years and That the numbers of cyclists is at a historic low Killed.

• PURPOSE AND HAS Fears turnaround in the statistics: "In rush hour, There are Enormous numbers of cyclists fighting for space on Copenhagen's bike paths, Which Become cramped and packed.

"As numbers grow and THEY fight for space, cyclists are Becoming more aggressive and reckless in traffic. I see people increasingly dangerous situations Bringing Into Themselves and others, 'he adds." THEY break the Laws and Their use bikes completely Call Call Call in reckless ways. "

The knock-on effect of Such Behaviour is, Bredal says, Because of the Damaging Campaigners Trying to persuade the government to Increase the width and number of cycle paths, and Introduce multi-storey bike parking facilities.

"Their Behaviour That means clustering clustering clustering the Politicians say, Which is fair enough, that 'Before They Give the city more bike paths, We Have Ourselves a job for the cyclists to get Already have we, to behave , 'he says.
Others, however, are frustrated by Such claims. Mikael

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