One in three trips in Copenhagen is by bike

[Chris Watt]

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/07/ ... lists.html

"I hate cars; bikes are way better" (paraphrase)
- Danish Minister of Transport

Disclosure: No MAMILs harmed in the making of this video.

[Brian S]

Interesting--note the relative lack of helmet use, and the intermittent cell phone chatting by commuters. I understand Vancouver is struggling with applying helmet bylaws and the relative negative effect on commuter bike use if such bylaws are enforced. Not to mention the cooty effect of shared helmets seen with shared bike programs.

[Chris Watt]

And just noticed the article- worth a read and a few minutes pondering life here and in Van with bike super-highways:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/world ... ghway.html

Note the Canadian reference:
"In Denmark, thanks to measures like the superhighway, commuters choose bicycles because they are the fastest and most convenient transportation option. “It’s not because the Danes are more environmentally friendly,” said Gil Penalosa, executive director of 8-80 Cities, a Canadian organization that works to make cities healthier. “It’s not because they eat something different at breakfast.”

Chris

[Chris Watt]

Brian- re: negative impact on ridership of bike helmet laws- you're right and this is a well documented unintended consequence of the law seen in many jurisdictions. One CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) article showed a definition reduction in closed head injuries in the Maritimes after the introduction a bike helmet law- but the reduction was matched by an even greater drop in ridership as folks didn't want to wear helmets.

Helmet law = fewer riders = fewer head injuries = more car trips = more MVA's(?)

One solution: enforce (well, "encourage") helmet wearing with social/peer pressure and norms instead of legally. Recent article of a small US town that has repealed its helmet law- when the mayor announced it she said something to the effect "you don't have to wear a helmet- but you're probably an idiot if you don't"

Chris