Cycling in Denmark
Encyclopedia
Cycling in Denmark
is both a common and popular recreation
al and utilitarian
activity. Bicycling infrastructure is a dominant feature of both city and countryside infrastructure with segregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes in many places and an extensive network of bicycle routes extending more than 12000 kilometres (7,456.5 mi) nationwide (in comparison Denmark's coastline is 7314 kilometres (4,544.7 mi)). Often bicycling and bicycle-culture in Denmark
is compared to the Netherlands as a bicycle-nation
.
and the four biggest cities alone account for more than 1350 kilometres (838.9 mi) with 609 kilometres (378.4 mi) in Aalborg
, 510 kilometres (316.9 mi) in Odense
, 450 kilometres (279.6 mi) in Aarhus
and 412 kilometres (256 mi) in Copenhagen
.
Cycle paths are often raised above the shoulder of the road and separated by a curb, but on older roads it is more common to have a cycle lane separated by a thick white line and sometimes the lane may be marked by coloured asphalt. Massive infrastructure investments are taking place to create more cycle ways and thus increase safety. At intersections
, the continuation of the cycle way or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue band to increase its visibility and cyclists may find that they have their own set of traffic light
s. In general both paths and lanes are designed for the more slow pace of utility cycling as opposed to more speedy designs in other countries. The Danish Roads Directorate acknowledges that the Danish cycle track system "functions best when cyclists travel at relatively low speeds".
In Copenhagen a system of interconnected green cycle routes, "greenways", is under development, with the aim of facilitating fast, safe and pleasant cycle transport across the city. The network will cover more than 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) and consist of 22 routes. As of 2011, there were 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) of greenways in Copenhagen.
. Cycles are permitted on trains to facilitate mixed-mode commuting
. This is most visible in the urban and suburban rail network of Metropolitan Copenhagen
, the S-train
s, where cycles can be transported in specified carriage
s found at the front and rear of each train. As of 2011 there is no charge for taking cycles on any S-train. In general public transport bus service
s in Denmark do not permit the carriage of cycles, but the Copenhagen Harbour Buses
are an exception and allow for up to four cycles to be carried.
published a Bicycle Parking Manual with a number of guidelines. They aim to be of immediate practical use to users but also offer advice for city planners wishing to improve facilities in the future.
), but in the bigger cities some people will rely on the cycle as the primary transportation throughout life. Most Danish public schools also educates 10–12 years in traffic rules, behaviour and regulations as a part of their regular curriculum. Utility bicycle
s which require little maintenance and are suited to load carrying are very popular. However, all other types of cycles are accommodated on the bicycle paths/ways, from racing bicycle
s with tri-bars through streamlined velomobile
s. Two- and three-wheeled cargo bicycles are also becoming increasingly popular, with the trend starting in Copenhagen and spreading out through the country.
The common use of cycles and the growing support infrastructure for utility cycling, has encouraged Denmark to brand itself as a leading nation in everyday cycling. It has also led to the reinvention of the term Copenhagenization as a concept in urban planning
and design
relating to the implementation of better pedestrian facilities and segregated cycle facilities for utility cycling in cities, and been an inspiration for an increasing number of cycle chic blogs spawning from Copenhagen Cycle Chic.
Danish postal workers have been using cycles for transport in towns and cities to deliver mail and light for several generations. Likewise small shop delivery services used cycles at the turn to the last century and up until mid 60's, where the majority of shopping was moved to supermarkets. As a result of that delivery by bicycles declined, though the messenger services sparked new life for delivery by bike in the mid 80's.
Since the mid 2000s bicycle rickshaws and velo taxis have operated in the bigger cities and offer short distance journeys (usually up to 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)) - primarily during summer. Around the same period small enterprises started selling coffee or soup from mobile tricycle
stalls around city centres.
Since March 1, 2009 the police in Copenhagen
have been patrolling on cycles. Besides being a quick and efficient means of transportation, it has been found to increase visibility and to improve contact with citizens.
-system is a system introduced in 1942 by the Danish government, providing all cycles in Denmark with a unique code. The code is a combination of letters
and digits
embedded into the bicycle frame
and made up of a manufacturer-code, a serial-number and construction year.
By law it has been illegal since 1948 to sell cycle frames in Denmark without an embedded VIN and, as a result, insurance companies in Denmark do not pay indemnities for stolen cycles without a VIN.
in Copenhagen, for example, require a deposit of 20DKR
and restrict the use of the cycle to a defined area in the city centre, whereas other companies require documentation and a higher deposit. Bycykel in Aalborg
is like in Copenhagen, for 20DKR and the you can drive around in the city. Cycle rental shops are quite common and a many different types of cycles are available. In Denmark, as with other countries where cycling is popular, like the Netherlands, bicycle helmet
s are hardly ever worn. A parliamentary proposal in 2009 to introduce a mandatory helmet law for children in Denmark was defeated.
coexist quite well in Denmark and, unlike the Netherlands, Denmark does not have strict liability
for car-drivers, but instead has a system that partially resembles it. There are two forms of liability that comes into action: liability in regards to the Danish traffic law (Danish: Færdselsloven) and liability in damages in regards to the insurance companies. In an accident where a car going the right way in a one-way street and hits a cyclist going the wrong way, there will be a liability for both the car's owner (who will not necessarily be the driver) and the cyclist. This is due to a requirement for liability insurance (Danish: ansvarsforsikring) for vehicle owners; the insurance companies will always apply this and thus make the vehicle's owner liable for damages. However the cyclist may be deemed liable by the Danish legal system for violating the one-way restriction while the driver may escape charges. In that case the car owner's insurance company may seek reimbursement (Danish: regres) from the cyclist. However in the majority of the accidents the car driver is found liable in both regards; in 1999, in 90% of the accidents involving cars and cyclists the car-drivers were found fully liable.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
is both a common and popular recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al and utilitarian
Utility cycling
Utility cycling encompasses any cycling not done primarily for fitness, recreation such as cycle touring, or sport such as cycle racing, but simply as a means of transport...
activity. Bicycling infrastructure is a dominant feature of both city and countryside infrastructure with segregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes in many places and an extensive network of bicycle routes extending more than 12000 kilometres (7,456.5 mi) nationwide (in comparison Denmark's coastline is 7314 kilometres (4,544.7 mi)). Often bicycling and bicycle-culture in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
is compared to the Netherlands as a bicycle-nation
Cycling in the Netherlands
Cycling in the Netherlands is a common and popular method of both transport and also recreation. The country is well equipped with cycle-paths and other segregated cycle facilities. The network reaches all parts of the nation and into the bordering nations of Belgium and Germany...
.
Cycle paths and lanes
There are an estimated 7000 kilometres (4,349.6 mi) of segregated dedicated bicycle paths and lanes in DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and the four biggest cities alone account for more than 1350 kilometres (838.9 mi) with 609 kilometres (378.4 mi) in Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
, 510 kilometres (316.9 mi) in Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
, 450 kilometres (279.6 mi) in Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
and 412 kilometres (256 mi) in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Cycle paths are often raised above the shoulder of the road and separated by a curb, but on older roads it is more common to have a cycle lane separated by a thick white line and sometimes the lane may be marked by coloured asphalt. Massive infrastructure investments are taking place to create more cycle ways and thus increase safety. At intersections
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
, the continuation of the cycle way or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue band to increase its visibility and cyclists may find that they have their own set of traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
s. In general both paths and lanes are designed for the more slow pace of utility cycling as opposed to more speedy designs in other countries. The Danish Roads Directorate acknowledges that the Danish cycle track system "functions best when cyclists travel at relatively low speeds".
In Copenhagen a system of interconnected green cycle routes, "greenways", is under development, with the aim of facilitating fast, safe and pleasant cycle transport across the city. The network will cover more than 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) and consist of 22 routes. As of 2011, there were 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) of greenways in Copenhagen.
Integration with other means of transportation
Cycling is integrated into both the national, the regional and the local train services in DenmarkRail transport in Denmark
The rail transport system in Denmark consists of about 2,600 km of railway lines, of which only the Copenhagen S-train network and the main line Helsingør-Copenhagen-Padborg are electrified...
. Cycles are permitted on trains to facilitate mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting refers to the practice of using two or more modes of transportation. The goal of mixed-mode commuting is often to combine the strengths of various transportation options.-Mass transit:...
. This is most visible in the urban and suburban rail network of Metropolitan Copenhagen
Metropolitan Copenhagen
The term Metropolitan Copenhagen consist of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities and the former Copenhagen County, except for the municipalities Høje-Taastrup, Ledøje-Smørum, in all, 18 municipalities, and except parts of Ballerup, Greve , Ishøj, former Søllerød and former Værløse, ...
, the S-train
S-Train
The S-train network is a combined urban rapid transit and suburban rail network of Metropolitan Copenhagen, Denmark. It connects the city center with the inner suburbs of Copenhagen, and has close to half of the stations within the urban city. The first line was opened in 1934...
s, where cycles can be transported in specified carriage
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s found at the front and rear of each train. As of 2011 there is no charge for taking cycles on any S-train. In general public transport bus service
Public transport bus service
Bus services play a major role in the provision of public transport. These services can take many forms, varying in distance covered and types of vehicle used, and can operate with fixed or flexible routes and schedules...
s in Denmark do not permit the carriage of cycles, but the Copenhagen Harbour Buses
Copenhagen Harbour Buses
The Copenhagen Harbour Buses is a system of water buses along the harbourfront of Copenhagen, Denmark, operated by Movia which is also operating the regular buses in the city...
are an exception and allow for up to four cycles to be carried.
Cycle parking
Although there are appear to be a large number of cycle parking facilities in Denmark there is actually a severe lack of available cycle stands and those that do exist are often poorly positioned, particularly in the bigger cities. In 2008, with a view to remedying the situation, the Danish Cyclists FederationDanish Cyclists Federation
Danish Cyclists Federation is a Danish non-governmental bicycle interest organisation, with the purpose of promoting bicycling and bicycle-safety.-See also:* Cycling in Denmark* Danish Cycling Federation...
published a Bicycle Parking Manual with a number of guidelines. They aim to be of immediate practical use to users but also offer advice for city planners wishing to improve facilities in the future.
Utility cycling
Most children start bicycling to school from age 8-10 and continue to do so until at least 18 (the minimum age for acquiring a drivers license in DenmarkEuropean driving licence
The European driving licence is a driving licence replacing the many driving licence styles already in use in the member states of the European Union. It has the credit card-style with a photograph and possibly a microchip. They were introduced to replace the 110 different plastic and paper driving...
), but in the bigger cities some people will rely on the cycle as the primary transportation throughout life. Most Danish public schools also educates 10–12 years in traffic rules, behaviour and regulations as a part of their regular curriculum. Utility bicycle
Utility bicycle
A utility bicycle is a bicycle designed for practical transportation, as opposed to bicycles which are primarily designed for recreation and competition, such as touring bicycles, racing bicycles, sport/training bicycles, and mountain bicycles. The vast majority of bicycles can be found in the...
s which require little maintenance and are suited to load carrying are very popular. However, all other types of cycles are accommodated on the bicycle paths/ways, from racing bicycle
Racing bicycle
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale...
s with tri-bars through streamlined velomobile
Velomobile
A velomobile or bicycle car is a human-powered vehicle, enclosed for aerodynamic advantage and protection from weather and collisions. They are virtually always single-passenger vehicles. They are derived from recumbent bicycles and tricycles, with the addition of a full fairing . There are few...
s. Two- and three-wheeled cargo bicycles are also becoming increasingly popular, with the trend starting in Copenhagen and spreading out through the country.
The common use of cycles and the growing support infrastructure for utility cycling, has encouraged Denmark to brand itself as a leading nation in everyday cycling. It has also led to the reinvention of the term Copenhagenization as a concept in urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
and design
Urban design
Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture and in more recent times has...
relating to the implementation of better pedestrian facilities and segregated cycle facilities for utility cycling in cities, and been an inspiration for an increasing number of cycle chic blogs spawning from Copenhagen Cycle Chic.
Danish postal workers have been using cycles for transport in towns and cities to deliver mail and light for several generations. Likewise small shop delivery services used cycles at the turn to the last century and up until mid 60's, where the majority of shopping was moved to supermarkets. As a result of that delivery by bicycles declined, though the messenger services sparked new life for delivery by bike in the mid 80's.
Since the mid 2000s bicycle rickshaws and velo taxis have operated in the bigger cities and offer short distance journeys (usually up to 3 kilometres (1.9 mi)) - primarily during summer. Around the same period small enterprises started selling coffee or soup from mobile tricycle
Tricycle
A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school-age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the United States and Canada, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for...
stalls around city centres.
Since March 1, 2009 the police in Copenhagen
Police of Denmark
The police of Denmark is the interior part of the Danish legitimate force providers...
have been patrolling on cycles. Besides being a quick and efficient means of transportation, it has been found to increase visibility and to improve contact with citizens.
Danish cycle VIN-system
The Danish cycle VINVehicle identification number
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. VINs were first used in 1954...
-system is a system introduced in 1942 by the Danish government, providing all cycles in Denmark with a unique code. The code is a combination of letters
Letter (alphabet)
A letter is a grapheme in an alphabetic system of writing, such as the Greek alphabet and its descendants. Letters compose phonemes and each phoneme represents a phone in the spoken form of the language....
and digits
Numerical digit
A digit is a symbol used in combinations to represent numbers in positional numeral systems. The name "digit" comes from the fact that the 10 digits of the hands correspond to the 10 symbols of the common base 10 number system, i.e...
embedded into the bicycle frame
Bicycle frame
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, on to which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles, a main triangle and a paired rear triangle...
and made up of a manufacturer-code, a serial-number and construction year.
By law it has been illegal since 1948 to sell cycle frames in Denmark without an embedded VIN and, as a result, insurance companies in Denmark do not pay indemnities for stolen cycles without a VIN.
Regular cycle events in Denmark
- Danmark RundtDanmark RundtDanmark Rundt is a Danish stage race for professional road bicycle racers organized as a part of the UCI Continental Circuits. It is currently sponsored by the Danish national postal agency, Post Danmark, and the race is therefore also known as Post Danmark Rundt. Currently 15 teams, with 8 riders...
, a national Danish stage race since 1985, usually held in late July or early August - A yearly 6 daySix-day racingA six or six-day is a track cycling race that lasts six days. Six-day races started in Britain, spread to many regions of the world, were brought to their modern style in the United States and are now mainly a European event. Initially, individuals competed alone, the winner being the individual...
track raceTrack cyclingTrack cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
, usually held in BallerupBallerupBallerup Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Approx. 15 km. From central Copenhagen. The municipality covers an area of 34 km², and has a total population of 47,116 . It is also the name of the municipal seat,...
in late January or early February since 1934 - Rundetårn Unicycle Race, every year in spring, a unicycle race is held in the tower's 7.5-turn helicalHelixA helix is a type of smooth space curve, i.e. a curve in three-dimensional space. It has the property that the tangent line at any point makes a constant angle with a fixed line called the axis. Examples of helixes are coil springs and the handrails of spiral staircases. A "filled-in" helix – for...
corridor. The contestants have to go up and down the Rundetårn. The world record, set in 1988, is 1 minute and 48.7 seconds.
Tourists
It is quite common in Denmark to rent a cycle for riding around the countryside or the city. Most cities have a form of a bicycle sharing system. The method and pricing varies from location to location: the Copenhagen City BikesCopenhagen City Bikes
Copenhagen City Bikes or Bycykler København is the bicycle sharing system of Copenhagen, Denmark. Launched in 1995 with 1,000 cycles, the project was the world's first large-scale urban bike-sharing scheme. It features specially designed bikes with parts that cannot not be used on other bikes...
in Copenhagen, for example, require a deposit of 20DKR
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
and restrict the use of the cycle to a defined area in the city centre, whereas other companies require documentation and a higher deposit. Bycykel in Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
is like in Copenhagen, for 20DKR and the you can drive around in the city. Cycle rental shops are quite common and a many different types of cycles are available. In Denmark, as with other countries where cycling is popular, like the Netherlands, bicycle helmet
Bicycle helmet
A bicycle helmet is a helmet intended to be worn while riding a bicycle. They are designed to attenuate impacts to the skull of a cyclist in falls while minimizing side effects such as interference with peripheral vision...
s are hardly ever worn. A parliamentary proposal in 2009 to introduce a mandatory helmet law for children in Denmark was defeated.
Cars and cycles
In general cycles and carsAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
coexist quite well in Denmark and, unlike the Netherlands, Denmark does not have strict liability
Strict liability
In law, strict liability is a standard for liability which may exist in either a criminal or civil context. A rule specifying strict liability makes a person legally responsible for the damage and loss caused by his or her acts and omissions regardless of culpability...
for car-drivers, but instead has a system that partially resembles it. There are two forms of liability that comes into action: liability in regards to the Danish traffic law (Danish: Færdselsloven) and liability in damages in regards to the insurance companies. In an accident where a car going the right way in a one-way street and hits a cyclist going the wrong way, there will be a liability for both the car's owner (who will not necessarily be the driver) and the cyclist. This is due to a requirement for liability insurance (Danish: ansvarsforsikring) for vehicle owners; the insurance companies will always apply this and thus make the vehicle's owner liable for damages. However the cyclist may be deemed liable by the Danish legal system for violating the one-way restriction while the driver may escape charges. In that case the car owner's insurance company may seek reimbursement (Danish: regres) from the cyclist. However in the majority of the accidents the car driver is found liable in both regards; in 1999, in 90% of the accidents involving cars and cyclists the car-drivers were found fully liable.
See also
- Danish Cycling FederationDanish Cycling FederationThe Danish Cycling Federation or DCU is the national governing body of cycle racing in Denmark.The DCU is a member of the UCI and the UEC.-See also:* Cycling in Denmark* Danish Cyclists Federation...
- Danish Cyclists FederationDanish Cyclists FederationDanish Cyclists Federation is a Danish non-governmental bicycle interest organisation, with the purpose of promoting bicycling and bicycle-safety.-See also:* Cycling in Denmark* Danish Cycling Federation...
- Cycling Embassy of DenmarkCycling Embassy of DenmarkThe Cycling Embassy of Denmark is a Danish network organization dedicated to the promotion of cycling as a means of transportation and Denmark as a cycling nation by capitalizing on the deep rooted Danish cycling culture to offer solutions to urban planners across Europe and the world in the areas...
- Cycling in CopenhagenCycling in CopenhagenCycling in Copenhagen is - as with most bicycling in Denmark - an important means of transportation and a dominating feature of the cityscape, often noticed by visitors. The city offers a variety of favorable cycling conditions — dense urban proximities, short distances and flat terrain...