The Life-Sized City Blog

There was a brief piece on the news just now about how the City of Copenhagen will launch a plan on Tuesday [17th of March, 2009] that will reveal how we aim to become the world's first carbon neutral capital city by 2025. I'm looking forward to seeing the details. I'll keep you posted.

One of our readers in Geneva, Benoit, brought this new campaign from the city of Geneva to our attention. It is aimed at encouraging more people to choose 'soft' transport forms like walking and bicycling but also the bus and the tram. It is fantastic in it's simplicity. The poster above reads, roughly translated: "There is always a moment where you have to take the first step." Ahhh, l'amour... Then there is this poster, which is the payoff for the first. "By bicycle. On foot. By bus. By tram. A new step in [for] life" The slogan for the campaign is, in my interpretation: "Change is in the air!" It's a prime example of how to promote cycling positively as a normal, everyday transport option for regular citizens. Geneva, like so many other cities in Europe is seeing an increase in the number of cyclists. The metropolitan area hosts 812,000 citizens and since 2005 the number of people cycling has increased by 11% in the summer and 28% in...

It is a constant and eternal hope for citizens of any nation that their politicians are fair, well-researched, thorough and rational. By and large, Danish democracy is refreshingly transparent. You can always come in direct contact with most MPs and corruption is non-existent. Politicians are accessible and with most of them you get the sense that they could be your neighbour. I've always felt that the down-to-earth feeling is a main reason that Danes take democracy so seriously. In national elections, over 80% vote and you can strike up engaging discussions with most people about politics. On occasion, mistakes are made. We're all homo sapiens after all. I was quite suprised to read that a member of parliament for one of the larger parties, Socialistisk Folkeparti [Socialist People's Party] actually proposed a helmet law for under 15's at a recent town hall traffic meeting . The member of parliament for the Socialist People's Party in question was one Anne Baastru...

The City of Copenhagen's Bicycle Office rigged up this truck and parked it on City Hall Square in association with a conference about heavy traffic. It reads: Hi Cyclist! Try out a truck and see yourself from a new angle! Nice simple message. No need for fearmongering texts. We all understand the dangers of what the Americans call "right hooks". Even though cyclists heading straight on have the right of way over turning vehicles, it really is important to understand what it looks like from the cab of such a big truck. With the hysterical and unscientific helmet promotion currently insulting the intelligence of the nation, it's extra important to underline that helmets won't help when you're hit by a vehicle. Therefore, highlighting vigilance and awareness while cycling is not a bad idea. Getting the trucks out of the city is a better idea and the Copenhagen government has proposed just this but the national government refuses. The use of the "Hej Cyklist...