The car is now king in China. The country’s rapid road to industrialisation has meant a large proportion of its citizens have traded in their bikes for four wheels.

This may have helped build a new modern economy, but it also has its downside: chronic congestion.

But now a bikes are returning to China’s gridlocked streets, only this time they are electric.

Adam Shaw visits the country where an estimated 120 million electric bikes are already in use, providing a greener alternative to the country’s four wheeled obsession.

Watch the BBC video

Nice video: https://vimeo.com/34414313

The auto industry campaigned against the relatively bloody rise of cars in the early 20th century via TV, the term “jaywalker” and school safety patrols

Drivers may feel spooked by seeing the first self-driving cars appear in coming years. But the new era could prove far less disruptive and bloody than the automobile’s 20th-century battle to push pedestrians off U.S. streets.

Read article

The bicycle, an amazing tool for change. People all over the world are moving towards a new system. Will the economic power allow it? Read article

Joachim Hochstein recently gave talks in Tralee and Dublin on the Frankfurt Cycling Scene: his presentation is available here

German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Europe’s biggest bike trade fair Eurobike last Wednesday, signaling a huge step forward for the cycling advocacy movement. At the same time ECF released its analysis of the “Economic benefits of cycling in the EU-27” making it clear that such high level interest in cycling is set to continue. Senior politicians are beginning to realize that daily cycling not only changes the face of our cities for the better, it also makes much sense in economic terms.

Continue reading Economic benefits of cycling in the EU-27 →

Problems of success; read article

You can determine the future of your European cities!

We want to have real traffic safety and a better quality of life. So, we are asking for an EU-wide speed limit of 30 km/h (20 mph) in villages and cities. Register to vote with us – support our European Citizen´s Initiative (ECI).

Sign the petition

HERE’S SOME NEWS to put Ireland’s cyclists in a good mood for the weekend: Google Maps now allows users to find cycling directions between any two points in Ireland.

The feature has been added to Google Maps as of this evening, and aims to find the optimal cycling path between any two locations in the country. Continue reading On your bike! Google Maps now includes cycling directions →