Today, June 3, is World Bicycle Day, but why is it so important to dedicate a day in his honor?
First of all, the choice of date was approved in a resolution of 12 April 2018 by the United Nations for the awareness of the social benefits deriving from use both as a means of transport from home to work and for health and leisure.
The photograph in which the Ipsos portrays Italy on a bicycle, in terms of its use as a means of transport, is quite disconcerting.
Almost 60% of Italians say they know how to ride a bicycle, of which 50% have one, but only 10% say they use the bicycle as a real means of transport. Only 8% of respondents move thanks to bike sharing made available in large Italian cities.
Among sportspeople who use the bicycle as a means of entertainment (about 37% of the interviewees) stated that they do not use it as a means of transport. Only 13% of them use it to move around their city, disentangling themselves between work and daily chores.
Cycling is a danger
Although almost all of the interviewees argue that the bicycle is a means of eliminating CO2 emissions in the environment, and therefore considers it a highly ecological means, it is still perceived as a danger.
Approximately 80% of the people who joined the IPSOS survey believe that there is incorrect behavior while using the bicycle due to the total lack of compliance with the rules of the road. However, many cyclists interviewed also state the same thing, namely that they do not feel safe enough while riding their bicycle.
In this regard, despite Italy being a country of cyclists and companies that operate successfully in the world of cycling, we have a total lack of infrastructure that allows you to travel safely with your bicycle. In fact, among the interviewees only 43% say that there are optimal dedicated infrastructures, for those lucky enough to own them, while in the great majority of cities we are unfortunately still very lacking.
Consents.
However, the dispute is always on. Despite the lack of cycling culture in a country where cycling is a thriving business, cycling enjoys excellent acceptance.
As for the popularity front, the bicycle is considered by 81% of the people interviewed to be an ecological and economical means of transport for getting around, followed in second place by electric bicycles and mopeds. Scooters, on the other hand, hold about 39% of the votes.
There is still a long way to go to bring Italy to the levels of European countries such as the Netherlands where the bicycle is not just a means of having fun and staying fit but a real, totally ecological and sustainable means of transport. A country that understands cycling culture understood as mutual respect and has been carrying it on for several years now.
