This film is Copenhagen seen through North American eyes, as they say it took a long time in CPH to get there but they did. And we (yes even London) can do it but we do not have 30-40 years to get to the same place that CPH are at right now. As the people in the films say we can do it and they are from America ( sorry just a little joke) we here in London can do it too. We just need to educate road users would that be the fella on a BSO or racer or that massive 4×4 and then the rest will come.

While Streetfilms was in Copenhagen for the Velo-City 2010 conference, of course we wanted to showcase its biking greatness. But we were also looking to take a different perspective then all the myriad other videos out there. Since there were an abundance of advocates, planners, and city transportation officials attending from the U.S. and Canada, we thought it’d be awesome to get their reactions to the city’s built environment and compare to bicycling conditions in their own cities.

Wonderful film isn’t it ? So lets us get out there on our bicycles and make this happen, it can only become a win win for us all.

EDIT : Was just shown this this tourist information film (TravelTalks) from 1937, nothing much have changed since eh :)

LINK : Velo-City 2010
LINK : Cycling in Copenhagen – through North American eyes

Related posts:

1. VELO-CITY GLOBAL 2010
2. New York New York
3. 37% of People Commute by Bike.

When I learned to drive in Denmark, was told to pull right next to the kerb to block cyclist coming up on your inside into your blind spot.

Even on roundabouts the other road users gave way to us. We were on the cycle lane, and were overtaken with plenty of distance to the roundabout. The car entered the round about and stopped at the first exit, we then arrived at the roundabout. We were normally cautious, and entered the roundabout and wondered why the car was waiting there. Only to find out that the driver was giving way to us. This wouldn’t happen in London.

In general other road users gave much more space to cyclists. Which is great, but that led to cyclists not looking much as they relied on others to give way.

Generally the other road users did give plenty of space.

Related posts:

1. Cycling in DK vs UK Part III
2. SillyDriver III
3. Oh, my dicky ticker! *)

When cycling on road where there is no cycle lane, the Danes are right in the gutter, even on outside of the road markings. Not giving yourself much space if the road is at a bad state, though that is not often.

When over taking parked cars, they are just about clearing the parked car, not many inches left between them and the car. Well inside the “door zone”, it’s like they don’t have a problem with people getting in or out of the parked cars.

But you are not that easily seen, looks like you are stopping or look like street furniture not like that you are a road user and is going somewhere.

We tried to pull out and take the lane, so that could get into the middle of the road to do our left turn, so therefore only need to cross one lane when it was clear.

But we just got beeped, because it is not “how we do it”. You, as a cyclist, have to pull into the side of the road and wait until both lanes are clear an then cross over.

Related posts:

1. Cycling in DK vs UK Part II
2. Scared of cars
3. Hugon Road, SW6

To see and To be seen and Communicate is probably the most important thing I can teach people who are learning to cycle.

While cycling around in Denmark, I did not see much looking back checking what is behind you.

Even when starting off, pretty much step out onto the cycle lane onto the bike and hope that the people who are cycling along behind you have seen you and have time enough to stop/slow down. No looking around at all.

When cycling down the cycle lane or shared road, pretty much none of the cyclists I saw looked back just to check what is going on around them. Even at junctions, pretty much relying on that the cars coming from behind and wanting to turn right, across the bike lane you are on, would stop and give way for you. Again, no looking around at all.

When turning any direction there are barely any signals to tell you where the person is going in front of you. If there were any signals it was more of a quick little wave near the hips, which you barely can see if you are right behind let alone if you are in a car out to the side of the cyclist. Again no looking around you before doing the turn.

The only signal I saw people use quite often was the stop sign, hand up in the air. But it was only often because I saw it more often than the left/right signals which still wasn’t often or clear enough.

Related posts:

1. Cycling in DK vs UK Part III
2. Cycling in DK vs UK Part IV
3. Cycling in DK vs UK Part I

Because it is so flat but the wind makes up for the hilly bits.

While cycling around in Denmark I noticed that most of the bikes people are commuting on are the “sit up and beg” types. These bicycles are not really aerodynamic, as you sit up and get the wind right in your face.

Tough if you are lucky enough to commute with the wind in your back, the “sit up and beg” position is a life saver :)

Related posts:

1. Cycling in DK vs UK Part IV
2. Cycling in DK vs UK Part II
3. Cycling in DK vs UK Part III