Raimund K. Herz

The Use of the Bicycle

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CONCLUDING REMARKS

The bicycle is an essential element of the urban transportation scene. In the Federal Republic of Germany, which is well known for its high standard of public transport services, there are more trips made by bicycle than by transit systems. Recent trends and policies are directed towards an increase in the bicycle's share among all modes of transport, possibly at the expense of the motor-car. If all cities had bicycle trip rates like those observed for the towns of Erlangen and Oldenburg and the metropolitan areas of Bremen, Duisburg and Hannover, their transportation and environmental problems would be much smaller.

Under favourable conditions, up to 50 percent of all school trips, 25 percent of all shopping trips and 15 percent of all work trips could be made by bicycle.⁴ From this analysis an even greater latent demand for cycling can be derived for leisure trips. The population subgroups with the largest deficit of cycling have been identified, and policies have been suggested which would activate their potentials for cycling. Environmental conditions and the community climate for cycling proved to be very important factors influencing the use of the bicycle. In order to induce car drivers to leave their automobile at home and use their own power to cycle at least for the very short trips bicycle networks must be improved, undue detours, obstacles and interruptions particularly at traffic intersections must be removed^6,16 and public relations work must be undertaken against misperceptions of cycling. The local press can play a crucial role in implementing these policies and improving the community climate for cycling.¹⁷ Even though cycling appears to be quite an ineffective response to the energy problem¹⁸ it is certainly a major contribution to environmental protection and, if safety and pollution problems could be resolved, to personal fitness and health as well.