The Life-Sized City Blog

I didn't know this until yesterday. At Copenhagen City Hall they have what is possibly the loveliest bike parking in the capital. Inside the back entrance, where most of the employees enter, there are two large areas for bike parking. Surrounded by the beautiful interior design from when the building was erected in 1905. You can bet that the parking for bicycles was built into the original plan for the building. Needless to say, the racks were filled to overflowing. The person on the right couldn't find an empty spot and ended up squeezing her bike in. The racks are of a kind seen in many places in Copenhagen. You swing a handle thingy up and place it on your handlebars. It holds your bike in place. There were few bikes actually parked like that. Indeed, I rarely see bikes using this unique design. That's what kickstands are for. Or the classic racks that hold your wheel. Copenhageners go for ease-of-use and this extra bit of work to park your bike defeats the purpos...

The City of Copenhagen announced yesterday that 117 intersections throughout the city will be altered so that the stop line for cars and trucks will be pulled back by a minimum of 5 metres. Vechicles turning right and hitting bikes is the most common form of accident for cyclists so Copenhageners can now look forward to increased safety around the city. Here's a photo of the main intersection next to the City Hall Square in Copenhagen, taken from the City Hall tower. Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard and Vesterbrogade. In all haste I coloured the car lanes orange where the new stop lines would be placed. I don't know if this intersection is one of the 117 chosen and I merely guessed at the five metres distance, but it is an interesting indication of how far back the cars will stop from the zebra crossings. There is a truck, coloured red, waiting to turn next to a wide bike lane, which is perfect for this illustration. The idea is that all motorists, but especially tru...