Cycling lessons from Asia and Europe

Having traveled extensively through Asia and more recently Europe, it's interesting to look at the evolution of cycling in urban areas, and what can be done to make cycling in Auckland a more pleasant experience.  By my observation, transportation in towns and cities transitions through four stages.

Stage 1 - Bicycles
Frequent in the poorer parts of Asia, bicycles are pretty much the only way to get around.  Traffic flows well.

Stage 2 - Scooters and motorcycles
As the population becomes more affluent, bicycles are traded for motorised two-wheeled variants, typically 50cc to 150cc in capacity.  Asian cities like Hanoi and Phnom Penh are good examples.  Traffic flows well, almost organically, though pollution levels start to rise from old and poorly maintained scooters, particularly if 2-stroke.

Stage 3 - Cars
Increasing affluence and status-seeking bring us to cars as the primary mode of travel.  Hong Kong, Bangkok and KL are prime examples in Asia, and pretty much any Western city also fits the mold.  The roading network becomes congested, pollution levels rise, and conditions for those not in cars become hazardous

Stage 4 - Enlightenment
Planners start to realise that building bigger roads to cater for more and more cars doesn't solve the problem.  Issues around safety, inactivity, obesity, pollution, fuel demand, CO2 emissions and social cohesiveness spur planners to focus on human well-being, and we start to see a much greater focus on public and active mode transport, and heavy restrictions on private cars.  Singapore is moving in this direction in Asia, while landmark cities such as Copenhagan, Amsterdam and Portland lead the way in Europe and the US.

So follow me on a photographic tour of my most recent trip through Asia and Europe, and I'll illustrate what I mean.

Hong Kong

You don't see many cyclists in Hong Kong, whether on the island or Kowloon. Definitely a Stage 3 city.  This guy was the only one I saw, and he was taking his chances mixing it with the trams rather than motor vehicles, which completely dominate the roading network.  Next to no cycling infrastructure of any sort.


However things were completely different on Lantau Island, Hong Kong's version of Waiheke just a brief ferry ride away.  Here bicycles proliferate, and there's extensive cycle parking at the Mui Wo ferry terminal.

Lantau is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.  On Lantau you can hire a bike and cycle the island, taking in the amazing 30m high "Big Buddha" at Ngong Ping on your way.



Turkey

You can pretty much forget about cycling in Istanbul, a very western Stage 3 city.  Out in the provinces, though, things get a little easier.  The little town of Bergama is pretty typical - a mix of cars, scooters, a few bikes and some more ancient forms of transport - all carried on narrow cobbled roads that reduce speeds to a crawl.


Selcuk, near the ancient Roman city of Ephesus, was the only town we encountered that provided reasonable cycle paths.  Courtesy of bikes loaned by our guesthouse hosts, we made the 10k return trip to the coast, mostly on an off-road path, without any problems.

The Turks don't pull any punches with their road signs.


Greek Islands

Greek cities are very much in the Stage 3 camp, but more by accident than modern design you'll come across delightful ancient towns falling into Stage 2, such as the Old Town of Rhodes.  Consisting of narrow little alleyways interlinking large squares, the town is actively hostile to cars, and a pedestrian and cyclist's mecca.  You just need to watch out for scooters racing up and down.  Thira on Santorini follows a similar pattern.

Italy
Think Italy and you think modern western culture overlaid with a sense of design, style and an exuberance for life which takes in fine food and wine.  So how does this translate to how Italians get around?

First, the motorways.  Plentiful, fast (130kph), direct, and heavily tolled, they perform the bulk of people and goods movement around the country.  Then there are the secondary roads, typically up to 90kph which criss-cross the countryside and carry more local traffic, including frequent pelotons of cyclists out on their training rides.  This is where I was first struck by the difference in attitude between Kiwi and Italian drivers.  Instead of fuming at being held up and overtaking rashly, Italians sit back, wait for a safe opportunity to pass, then do so with a wide berth.  Perhaps it has something to do with cycling being a national sport, perhaps to do with motorists being assumed liable in the event of a crash, or perhaps just common courtesy.

That same courtesy prevails in urban areas, but it goes even further.  Excluding Rome which is sprawling and heavily car-dominated (typical Stage 3), most Tuscan towns and provincial cities make cycling a joy.  Here are some of the ways they do it.

Like Rhodes Old Town, many Italian urban areas were developed in medieval times, and are constrained by their historic buildings, open plazas and narrow cobbled streets.  One of the best examples is Lucca, just north of Pisa.  An ancient walled town, Lucca has pretty much banned cars from its interior, most of which now park in large carparks outside the perimeter.  People get around by walking, cycling or on scooters.  And it's not just young males - women, children and the elderly are heavily represented.  If it feels safe, cycling is for everyone.



Complementing the ease of getting around is a huge bicycle rental facility.  Nothing fancy - just very ordinary bikes with a basket on the front, and perhaps a chain guard to stop your trousers getting caught.  No lycra required, no high-viz vests required, no helmets required.  No urban warriors.  Hop on a bike wearing your normal street clothes and just go.

So what does the heart of town look like?  The big open plaza is full of people and bikes - people catching up, people shopping, people enjoying the sunshine, people chilling out in cafes and bars.  And not a car to be seen.

You may have noticed my focus on people - the most important aspect of any urban design.  When I look at Queen Street I cringe at how our urban and transportation planners got it so wrong, and what our more enlightened European cousins must think when they visit.

The story repeats in Florence, but of necessity there are a few more cars to deal with.  The Florentine solution is to severely restrict the number of cars entering the heart of town by allowing permitted cars only.  No permit?  That'll cost you 200 Euro if you cross the threshold, even by accident.


Consequently Florence is a very easy city to get around, whether on bike or on foot, whether a tourist or a stylish local.

Cycle parking is usually a requirement where there are may bikes out and about.  People usually want to lock their bikes to something, and they can look untidy when chained unstably to street furniture.  No such problems for Florentines, who take advantage of convenient kerbs in the narrow streets.

I was perhaps a bit harsh on Rome - they are at least trying, but have greater odds to overcome.  Bikes are available for rental, with many compatible outlets dotted over the city.  Part of Rome's problem is that much of the old city has been gutted, particularly in Mussolini's time, and wide heavily-trafficked roads predominate, cutting neighbourhoods in half and making for an intimidating experience for novice cyclists.  Apparently the Appian Way is restricted to motorists and opened up for cyclists on Sundays, and is a joy to ride, but it didn't suit our timing.  A useful thought for Tamaki Drive perhaps.

But every now and then you're surprised by some remarkably good cycle design, with segregated cyclepaths and cycle-specific signals at the traffic lights.

Italy might not yet be as much up with the play as Holland and Denmark, but you can tell they're moving in the Stage 4 direction for many of their towns and cities.




Japan

The country of high technology, high population density, and big industrial cities.  How do cyclists get on there?  Unfortunately I can't comment on all of Japan, just a single city - Kyoto.  I don't know if Kyoto is typical, or whether its place in the heart of Japanese cultural heritage makes it unique, but if what Kyoto is doing for cyclists is Japan's direction, then they're in good hands in moving towards Stage 4.

A major feature of Kyoto is broad footpath design which is implicitly designated share with care (or maybe explicitly if I could read the street signs :-)

Everyone cycles in Kyoto - mums with kids, students and businessmen - again in ordinary street clothes on ordinary bikes.  No helmets, no hi-viz gear.

Cycle parking is ubiquitous - the broad footpaths mean there's plenty of room for paid and secure cycle parking on every other block.  It makes cycling around Kyoto's CBD and striking out to the castle and many temples and gardens a real pleasure - there are even street maps to guide you on various itineraries.  Motorists appear well-behaved and tolerant when pedestrians and cyclists share the road with them at various times.

Interesting to see some different traffic control features.  Technically in NZ it's illegal for a cyclist to pedal across a pedestrian crossing - dismounting is required.  In Japan they get around this neatly by marking a parallel cycle crossing, requiring motorists to give way to both pedestrians and cyclists, and segregating pedestrians and cyclists to prevent conflict.  Clever!

So Kyoto was a real surprise.  Relatively little uncongested traffic, an excellent subway system, and cyclists and pedestrians everywhere taking in the culture and beauty of old Japan.

Learnings

Wrapping up the above, three things stand out if we're to improve cyclist safety and uptake.

1. Infrastructure
“Build it and they will come”.  Providing the necessary facilities, whether linked cycle paths, cycle parking or bike hire, is absolutely essential.  Every urban area has motor vehicles which are potentially at conflict with cyclists.  Providing cyclists with safe and convenient facilities, which in turn boosts their numbers so they are expected to be ubiquitous, is the primary way we can increase cycling uptake.

2. Controls on motor vehicles
Most central urban environments in Europe are now being redesigned around people rather than vehicles.  Thinking of driving into central Florence with an unpermitted vehicle?  Ping - that’ll be a 200 Euro fine.  Bicycle or scooter?  No problem.   Want to visit the old town of Lucca to enjoy the shops and cafes?  Park outside the town and walk in, or hire a bike and pedal in safety to your heart’s content.

The concept of “self explaining roads” happens by default in these old towns and cities - roads are narrow, visibility is poor, surfaces are cobbled and bumpy, and pedestrians pretty much own the roads.  It’s therefore foolhardy in the extreme to travel at high speed, and unless on dedicated arterial roads, vehicles crawl along giving way to everything in their path.

It helps too that petrol is around 50% more expensive in Europe than NZ (up to $4/litre in Turkey).  Cars are small, and drivers travel with a light right foot around town.

3. Culture and style
Not a single helmeted or yellow-vested urban two-wheeled warrior to be seen in all my travels.  Stylish residents just hop on a standard old-fashioned bike (usually with a basket on the front) wearing their street clothes and ride.

Certainly the lycra brigade are out in force on the Tuscan rural roads, but cycling being a national sport, they command instant respect from motorists who patiently wait until they can pass safely.  Perhaps we should get the All Blacks out doing their fitness training on bikes.

So what do we need to do to make Auckland more cycle friendly?  Provide cycling infrastructure, reduce the dominance and high speeds of motor vehicles, and promote cycling as an ordinary everyday activity where cyclists are expected and respected on the roads.  Simple really!  It’s what Cycle Action has been promoting for many years, and the good news is that we’re seeing incremental change in the right direction.  All we need to do is speed it up.