Arlington Crowd Gets Euro Cycling Lesson

Over 100 Arlingtonians gathered to watch a film about European cycling practices and discuss their possible application in Arlington. This occurred during a special meeting of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee at the Central Library on Monday night. The event was organized by the committee as part of its efforts to broaden the base of public participation in cycling advocacy in Arlington. 

The evening was centered around a 45-minute film produced by a traffic engineer after he attended a travelling conference called the International Scan on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety & Mobility. The film examined the details of how different European countries approached the integration of cars, cyclists, and pedestrians on their streets. In Denmark, for example, there were many traffic signals dedicated exclusively to governing the movements of cyclists. The film noted that in Switzerland the government thinks that simply increasing the number of cyclists is an important component of increasing the safety of cycling.

During the screening, the audience reacted with recognizable envy (seeing cars yielding on a right turn to cyclists in the bike lane), surprise (very high cyclist compliance with traffic signals, low helmet use), and interest (handrails at stoplights). After the film, discussion was lively. Some viewers thought that it was possible that Arlington could ultimately become as cycling friendly as Copenhagen, but that it was a very long term prospect. Others pointed out that many of the engineering approaches used in Europe are already in place in Arlington (bike lanes, sharrows) or coming soon (colored bike lanes).   

One cyclist from Kentucky, in town to attend a conference, remarked that he was very impressed the state of cycling in Arlington and hoped that his hometown could one day match it. There was a strong consensus among the audience, however, that Arlington needs to do more. Many attendees remarked upon the need for better road safety education – amongst both cyclists and the larger population. Other needs voiced include signage for cycling-friendly routes, more bike parking near businesses, and improved trail maintenance.  

The event closed with a call for citizens to get more involved in cycling advocacy in Arlington. They were urged to tell Arlington’s political leaders that funding for cycling programs should not only be protected, but expanded. Cyclists were also asked to help put a familiar face on cycling by letting local businesses know that cyclists are their customers and neighbors. Finally, those who were interested in learning more specifics about Arlington’s ongoing efforts were welcomed to attend the regular monthly meetings of the Bicycle Advisory Committee.

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The film, broken into parts by city, can be viewed here.