7 countries around the world that embrace cycling culture
Cycling has become ever so famous in the past as many are
realizing the benefits of cycling and how it impacts themselves and society as
a whole. However, not all country in the world share the same level of love and
care for cycling. Some have already made changes to embrace cycling while
others are still in the developing phase.
In this article, we will discuss countries around the world
that embrace cycling, and how they are leading the way for the rest of the
world to follow.
1. The Netherlands
For the Dutch, cycling is not a chore or something that they
push themselves to do. For them, it is a way of life. This is why in the Netherlands,
you can see people of all age groups on cycles, and it is common between people
of different economic strata.
It is estimated that there are 23
million bicycles in the Netherlands, and this is for a population of only 17
million people. The Netherlands is also very attentive towards the needs of the
cyclist because in the country there is a total of 35,000 km of dedicated the
cycle paths. Out of the 23 million bicycles, 2 million are e-Bikes.
The Dutch government
recently announced that cyclists can get tax credits of $0.22 per kilometer. So
now they get paid to cycle, something that makes the experience even better!
2. Denmark
Denmark is in direct competition
with the Netherlands because it is also a country that wants to change how
people commute. The population of Denmark stands at 5.7 million and the city of
Copenhagen itself has 5.7 million Bicycles within it. So when we consider the
whole of Denmark, Bicycles outnumbers the population.
90% of Danes own a Bicycle while
only 40% of the same population owns a car. It clearly paints a picture of the
positive reception of the population towards cycling. A quarter of the
Copenhagen families own cargo bikes instead of cars.
There are hotels in Copenhagen
that provides bicycles to their guests for their commute. The city also enjoys e-Bikes
which are slowly gaining popularity.
3. Germany
Meet the country that gave the
world its first Bicycle. It was the German Inventor Philip Moritz Fischer who
built the first bicycle and the legacy of cycling flows strongly through
Germany. Germany has approximately 74 million bicycles.
Bike Sharing is a very popular
thing in Germany and many companies, both inland and international have
showcased their services, the most popular ones being NextBike, Call-a-Bike,
Limebike, etc.
In mid-2018, about 18000 shared
bikes were available in the city of Berlin alone.
4. Japan
Many leave out Japan when it comes
to countries that embrace cycling, but the busy streets of Japan are geared
more towards bikers, encouraging people to use bicycles.
Japan is a crowded place and
owning a car as a daily driver is not an economical approach. Hence, you will
see that people won a cycle or two rather than bulky vehicles. the public
transport in Japan is reliable and cost-effective, so most people use their
bicycles to get to the station and then use public transport from there on.
There are different types of
Bicycles available in Japan that are geared towards the different requirement,
be it as a family vehicle or as a cargo transporter.
5. France
France is also a country where
cycling culture is intertwined with its own roots. The prestigious Tour De
France is a testament to that very statement.
And the scenery surely makes you
want to ditch cars anyway. The beautiful buildings and the gorgeous landscape
is to be enjoyed in a state where you can really take in their magnificence.
Cycles provide just that and you will see people of all ages doing the same.
France has realized the role of
infrastructure in helping the trend to continue in the years to come. Hence, France
plans to put forward a plan where they plan to triple the bicycle lanes,
provide incentives to commuters and bring forth measures to prevent bike theft.
6. Belgium
Belgium is a country that pays
attention to the cyclists within it. You can see this from the way the country
maintains its cycles lanes. The result is that more and more people are taking
up cycling to work and commute rather than use cars.
The lanes are then maintained with
neatly marked signposts. There are also towpaths that cyclists can use to get
away from the busy streets and enjoy their time cruising beside lakes and
greenery.
7. Switzerland
Even though there isn’t a large
section of the population using bicycles as their daily driver, they do ensure
that cycling is added to their lifestyle as an important activity.
The scenic routes of Switzerland
are perfect for cycling, and since cycling is both an exercise and stress
reliever, it adds to the whole experience.
Conclusion
People around the world are
realizing the advantages of going back to cycling and how it benefits them and
the environment at the same time. Dubai is also striving to be on the list of
the best countries in the world for cycling with future-forward plans like dedicated
bike lanes, cycling communities, and much more! If you are looking for the best
bicycles to buy in Dubai, then visit Dubai Bicycles, the modern bike shop Dubai and get your hands
on the latest and the greatest to be the part of the bicycling culture.
Comments
Post a Comment