Bicycle Infrastructure

Bicycles play an important role in Danish society - many adults commute to work by bicycle, and Copenhagen is known as one of the the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world.

One of the reasons that so many people ride is that the infrastructure makes it easy and safe to do so. Bicycle lanes are usually physically separate from car lanes, and are often well away from roads on their own separate paths.  This makes bikers feel safe, a feeling that is aided by the fact that traffic laws favor bicycles, and those laws are strictly enforced.

Here you see three paths - pedestrian on the left, bicycles in the middle, cars on the right.

This is a separate bike/pedestrian path - notice the underpass to avoid the busy road with cars.

This is the same path as above out in the country - notice how the paths separate for safety. 

I happened to pass a primary school just as the school day started - most of the kids arrived by bike via the path I had been following.  I noticed that none of them showed signs of being overweight - probably not a coincidence, given the exercise they were getting on their bicycles.