Segregated Cycle Superhighways for London and Fahrradstraßen for Cars in Berlin

London is getting a segregated cycle superhighway. "Under consideration is a series of new or upgraded bike lanes, many of them based on the principle of fully segregating cyclists from motor traffic for the first time." Guardian and Dezeen

London Cycling Design Standards, pdf

Images of a typical low-speed street Fahrradstraße/ bicycle boulevard in Berlin. Linienstraße is fully taken by cars, despite the aim of a Fahrradstraße, that it should discourage motor vehicle traffic.

Frankfurt am Main up in smoke

Berlin or Frankfurt?

The skyline of Frankfurt am Main is glowing and blanketed in black (toxic) clouds of burning cars. Even bicycles are used as barricades. Huge anti-austerity demonstrations erupted at the European Central Bank's (#ECB) new headquarters (also known as the 'cathedral of money') in Bankfurt. The #Blockupy protests are directed against the austerity polices of the European Commission, ECB and IMF.

The tenor was summed up here:

"They want capitalism without democracy; we want democracy without capitalism." via JeromeRoos

In times of temporary peace cyclists gather for breakfast or Kaffe und Kuchen at Cafe Kante, in Bornheim.

Sternfahrt 2010 Berlin - cycling for safety

Every year in Berlin the 'star ride' takes place. About 250,000 cyclists converge on the city centre from the peripheries in a star formation, picking up ever more riders along the way. The main traffic arteries are freed from cars on that day creating an ambience of security and fresh air. Even the autobahn is dedicated for bicycles.

It is one day in the year when cyclists can experience the full potential of their bikes. On a 6-lane autobahn there are no bumps and no problem overtaking another bike. Long distances can be covered easily in a short time while others roll along at a leisurely pace. Why are there no bike highways here? Why the special treatment for car drivers?

The main theme of the Sternfahrt this year was bicycle safety:

• cyclists are forced to share roads with deadly cars which kill many cyclists very year.
• cars cause enormous health damage to cyclists (and others) from their exhausts while the car drivers breath in far less poisonous gas and particles.
• huge budgets are spent to make car driving safer while cyclists are left vulnerable to their arbitrary violence.

The Sternfahrt was a demonstration of the superiority of bicycles as transport. Without cars they are safe, unpolluting, quiet and generate a positive ambience among people. It showed how motorised transport infrastructure could be simply taken over for bicycles to facilitate a rational and safe transport system in modern cities.

Mobility without cars.

If travellers used their own energy to propel themselves around, they would not clutter up the public roads with heavy dysfunctional encasements endangering other road users in so many ways.

More bicycles, fewer cars - protect the climate!

More rights for cyclists!

The police described the event as a disruption to traffic.

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Bikes for transportation - easy & fast velos

In Sydney, Manly families arrive with their SUVs, unpack the mostly dysfunctional bikes onto pedestrian paths and wonder why it is no fun to cycle. The other version of bike arrives (mostly) on top of the car. The mountain-bike riders are fully clad in plastic uniform, seeking a free gym.

All have in common that it is terribly un-chic to have a bike rack at the back or a basket at the front to carry any goods. People might think, they can not afford a car! That's what the suv is for, driven to the next mall/super-market it is filled with all the bulging plastic bags and driven home, around the corner to bland-burbia. There are many spare 'exercise-bikes' standing around in garages.

In Berlin it seemes normal to take the kids out on a velo-cycle. Do the shopping and carry loads on bikes. A lot of places/shops provide bike racks right in front of their businesses. Businesses deliver on cargo bikes. In Sydney they need a rocket to deliver a bit of dough wrapped in cardboard.

"Amazingly, only about 40 percent of Copenhageners own cars, even though this is the capital city of one of the richest countries in the world. Sure, vehicles are taxed heavily but the reason is simply because we have the infrastructure in place for bicycles and we have a rather good public transport system.
Even 50 percent of the citizens of Berlin do not own a vehicle, for the same reasons. Fifty eight percent of Copenhageners, when polled, say that they ride their bike because it is easy and fast. Only one percent say they do in order to help the environment." LA Times 0908 More on velo bikes there!

Images: Berlin Mitte velos