Denmark’s healthy problem - many bicycle riders

Copenhagen, Denmark is experiencing a healthy problem. It has too many people riding bicycles.

Copenhagen is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly city in the world. About 36% of the population commutes by cycling. The city offers a variety of conditions to facilitate this habit and aims to increase cycling population to 50% by 2015. This all sounds like a healthy and environment friendly trend. 

Bicycle parking

However, according to an article in Guardian, Copenhagen is running into a problem of its own and they even have cycling rush hour because of too many bike riders. Apparently, cycling in Copenhagen in the rush hour is not for sissies because it requires concentration  In rush hour, there are enormous numbers of cyclists fighting for space on Copenhagen's bike paths, which become cramped and packed.

The city is struggling to deal with its growing number of cyclists. It is already near-impossible to find cycling parking places near main stations and the cycling lanes, three to four meters wide, are buried beneath the scrum of cyclists going around the city.

Cycling advocates are working with the government to make cycling better and safer in Copenhagen. The suggestions include increasing the width and number of cycle paths and introducing multi-storey bike parking facilities. It is a challenging task but worth doing when you consider the beneficial impact of cycling and physical exercise on health and the environment

This is something for American couch potatoes to think about.

bike friendly cities of the world

Here is some news for bike enthusiasts.
A recent article in CNN named 15 most bike friendly cites of the world:

Happy bikers

Amsterdam, Netherlands, Europe
      The " bicycling capital of Europe" where 40 percent of the city's traffic is on bikes.

Barcelona, Spain, Europe

Berlin, Germany, Europe  
  400,000 people bike to work each day

Copenhagen, Denmark, Europe

About a third of the workforce gets to the office by bike and an estimated more than a million kilometers are pedaled every day.

Christiania, Denmark, Europe

A neighborhood of 850 where cars are banned

Paris, France, Europe

One of the world's largest public bicycle rental programs that distributes 20,000 bikes through1,450 rental stations throughout the city and offers free rides under 30 minutes.

Boulder, Colorado

Devotes 15% of its transportation budget to improving and promoting bicycle travel. They have even launched a pilot program to get kids biking to school.

Chicago, Illinois

Calls itself  "the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States."  

Davis, California 

A city of 65,000 people that has more bikes than cars.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Has 170 km of bike paths and the highest percentage of bike commuters in the country.

Portland, Oregon

Considered  the bike capital of the U.S., has a 260-mile bike path network and the highest percentage, 10%, bike commuters in the country.

San Francisco, California

Has taken initiatives to remove car parking to make room for bike parking,

Beijing, China  

Probably the city with most bicycles in the world

Cape Town, South Africa

Offers public commuter showers for bikers

Bogotá, Colombia, South America

Hosts special Sunday Ciclovía events where main thoroughfares are closed to cars

Perth, Australia

Has more than 700 km of bike routes