All man, all woman on a bicycle. 80% of Germans own one, but less than 20% of all journeys in German cities are made by bicycle. The bicycle has to get out of the sports niche, out of the enthusiast's corner and into everyone's everyday life. It must be used on the way to the supermarket, the post office, the university or the favorite restaurant.
If the bicycle becomes as natural a means of transportation as riding the bus or taking a walk, then we all benefit. For cycling means for more livable cities, means for all of us. And it's not as if we're unaware of the benefits of bicycling: It's healthier for us, better for our environment, more beautiful and quieter for our city centers. Yet somehow we can't quite get it right to get on the saddle and stay on it.
Let's imagine a utopia. Bikecity 2084. A world in which every city has wide, clean, safe bike lanes that connect all neighborhoods, intersections, sights and green spaces, shopping streets and residential areas. In which traffic light phases are adjusted to the speed of cyclists and there are safe parking facilities. In which we all ride bicycles. What has happened to our cities and to us, the inhabitants?
We are healthier.
Lots of cycling and the associated exercise in the fresh air lowers our risk of cardiovascular problems or stroke. Our muscles and joints feel better, we have stronger backs and less frequent herniated discs. We sleep deeper and more soundly. Our blood flow is better, which also helps our concentration. More oxygen in the brain increases our ability to think, it is not for nothing that children who cycle to school get better grades even in our current world. This is also related to spending a lot of time in the fresh air, and it is clear and really fresh - after all, we have significantly reduced particulate matter and air pollution.
In the world where we only ride bikes, we are happier.
Because a lot of exercise is not only good for our physique, but also for our psyche. Our body produces more natural antidepressants, endorphins are released while driving and this benefits our psychological well-being and mental health. In addition, we are less stressed - because road traffic is equalized, we have to endure less noise pollution from cars thundering over asphalt, because we need fewer car parking spaces and use these gained areas for green spaces. Our cities are more relaxing and beautiful, and on a bicycle we experience this more directly and intensively than with any other means of transport. We enjoy them differently and more.
Our cities are more prosperous - which makes them even more beautiful.
And not only because we have more green spaces and quieter streets, but also because strolling through stores has never been so attractive. Our retail sector makes more sales because it is easier and less complicated to reach and we therefore prefer to shop more. After all, we also have more of our income available for personal consumption. We don't have to set aside as much for the treatment of health complaints, and our expenditure on transport is also reduced. We don't have to pay off the expensive purchase costs of a new small car, we don't have to pay for gas, and so we have more money for the nice things. So store after store, whose store windows we see from the bike and admire, we like something? We get off the bike, browse a bit, get a coffee and a bagel in the café next door and cycle to school, to university, to work. We probably enjoy this work more; it's been proven that companies with a bike-friendly culture attract more talented and creative employees who develop, contribute and implement new ideas. This enhances our industry and our ways of working.
Our cities are more social.
The bicycle does not adhere to any class boundaries, is accessible to every social class, and is thus the most democratic means of transportation. But not only mobility becomes social, the entire social infrastructure of our cities also benefits. The millions of euros that city governments save on maintenance costs for our roads, because they are so much less worn and stressed by bicycles than by 1.5 ton cars, can be invested in education, art and culture. Thus, cultural, sports and educational institutions are not only easier to reach and accessible to all social groups, but they are also better equipped and offer more and more diverse services. This gives us more opportunities for social coexistence, strengthens cohesion and innovation potential.
We spend more and more enriching time together, exchange ideas, understand each other better. We live more carefree, easier, healthier.
A world like BikeCity 2084 is utopian at first, of course. But until then, many small steps are enough. We can already take the first ones now. Or just cycle.