Related News
Home » Opinion » Foreign Views
Bikes are part of solution, not part of problem
By Susan Evans |
September 29, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ACROSS China there were more than 100 city biking events to celebrate World Car-Free Day (September 22) and promote a lower carbon society.
Here in Shanghai over 100 riders turned out for the 01coolqi goodtoshanghai event despite the rain and took to the streets. They included both experienced riders (from Greennovate, PplsBike and the Danish team from the Odense Pavilion at the Expo) and those with less pedaling experience.
We mixed it up in a fun city ride with hip gallery exhibitions. We started at the super-cool and friendly Plum gallery and wound our way past the lake at Xintiandi and onto the trendy urban chic Waterhouse Hotel on the south Bund. Our artist Redic painted a fabulous fixed wheeler: now on show at the Odense Pavilion.
Traffic was not heavy, but if you didn't know, you never would have guessed, by the number of cars on the road, that it was "World Car-Free Day." Down in the old town we certainly ran into a few road blocks where trucks and cars were fighting for space on the cramped and tiny streets.
We asked riders to sign our book and tell us what Shanghai could do to improve downtown transport. Everyone wanted to make a difference to our city and help reduce air pollution - the No. 1 environmental concern among Shanghai residents.
While many cities around the world are moving towards integrated bike pathways and bike-supported cities, many Chinese cities are moving in the opposite direction.
Nowadays in Shanghai cyclists are more likely to find the old bike pathways filled with sand, cement or bricks, or find cars parked in the bicycle lanes or driving in them.
Further, while drivers indeed were accommodating of bicycles in the past, as the numbers of autos increase, drivers are becoming less patient with cyclists as they try to weave their way across downtown's small roads.
Shanghai is becoming less friendly for cyclists. There are many reasons why, yet overall there is an increasing lack of safety and security on the road. There are very few places in Shanghai where the traffic lights help cyclists. Yet, look at Hangzhou where bicycle traffic lights are everywhere.
Security is a problem. There is a lack of secure parking for bikes and many bikes are stolen, providing less incentive for people to bike around town.
There are many aspects that can be improved around Shanghai to support a biking culture.
First we need to see bikes as part of a solution, as a great urban transport option that is practical, healthy, enjoyable and non-polluting rather than a transport problem.
Shanghai should think less of bikes as creating chaos on the roads and rather think positively about how to channel the energy of bikes to support the wonderful culture and sociability of the city.
Shanghai is an eclectic city with some of the most wonderful architecture, both eco and urban. It has many beautiful and creative environments.
We would like everyone to be able to ride safely, securely and pleasurably in the city: enjoy your city, ride it!
(Susan Evans is founder of GoodtoChina and Kplunk. Shanghai Daily edited the article.)
Here in Shanghai over 100 riders turned out for the 01coolqi goodtoshanghai event despite the rain and took to the streets. They included both experienced riders (from Greennovate, PplsBike and the Danish team from the Odense Pavilion at the Expo) and those with less pedaling experience.
We mixed it up in a fun city ride with hip gallery exhibitions. We started at the super-cool and friendly Plum gallery and wound our way past the lake at Xintiandi and onto the trendy urban chic Waterhouse Hotel on the south Bund. Our artist Redic painted a fabulous fixed wheeler: now on show at the Odense Pavilion.
Traffic was not heavy, but if you didn't know, you never would have guessed, by the number of cars on the road, that it was "World Car-Free Day." Down in the old town we certainly ran into a few road blocks where trucks and cars were fighting for space on the cramped and tiny streets.
We asked riders to sign our book and tell us what Shanghai could do to improve downtown transport. Everyone wanted to make a difference to our city and help reduce air pollution - the No. 1 environmental concern among Shanghai residents.
While many cities around the world are moving towards integrated bike pathways and bike-supported cities, many Chinese cities are moving in the opposite direction.
Nowadays in Shanghai cyclists are more likely to find the old bike pathways filled with sand, cement or bricks, or find cars parked in the bicycle lanes or driving in them.
Further, while drivers indeed were accommodating of bicycles in the past, as the numbers of autos increase, drivers are becoming less patient with cyclists as they try to weave their way across downtown's small roads.
Shanghai is becoming less friendly for cyclists. There are many reasons why, yet overall there is an increasing lack of safety and security on the road. There are very few places in Shanghai where the traffic lights help cyclists. Yet, look at Hangzhou where bicycle traffic lights are everywhere.
Security is a problem. There is a lack of secure parking for bikes and many bikes are stolen, providing less incentive for people to bike around town.
There are many aspects that can be improved around Shanghai to support a biking culture.
First we need to see bikes as part of a solution, as a great urban transport option that is practical, healthy, enjoyable and non-polluting rather than a transport problem.
Shanghai should think less of bikes as creating chaos on the roads and rather think positively about how to channel the energy of bikes to support the wonderful culture and sociability of the city.
Shanghai is an eclectic city with some of the most wonderful architecture, both eco and urban. It has many beautiful and creative environments.
We would like everyone to be able to ride safely, securely and pleasurably in the city: enjoy your city, ride it!
(Susan Evans is founder of GoodtoChina and Kplunk. Shanghai Daily edited the article.)
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
