One very useful
thing that I learned from living in Copenhagen is how to fix a bike.
Probably the
first thing that you would notice about Copenhagen is that pretty much everyone
owns a bike. Though there is a great system of public transportation in this
city, biking is the most preferred way of getting around. It is a lot cheaper
than taking the buses or owning a car, and also a lot more convenient in many
ways. (The picture here shows bikes parked at one of the major metro stations. You can see how many there are)
On every stop
light there are three sets of lights: one for the cars, one for the
pedestrians, and one for the bikers! Most streets have special bike lanes that
are wide enough for a couple of bikes to ride side by side. Just like with car
traffic, there are “rush hours” when there are lots of people pedaling their way
to school or work. And it is really true that this way of transportation is not
only for the young students. Biking in Copenhagen, you will find yourself among
people of all ages, dressed for any occasion. It is not surprising to see women
bike in dresses and high heels, or men dressed in formal suits. I have many
times seen my professors lock up their bikes at the school’s bike parking lot.
For
a long time after I arrived here, I was shocked to see so many bikes always on
the streets. I am not sure about this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the
bikers actually had the right of way over the pedestrians, because there really
are just so many bikers everywhere, at any time of day and night. And actually,
in this city – drinking and biking becomes more of a problem than drinking and
driving. People who take their bikes to go out in the evenings often face
difficulties going back. But at least biking under the influence is usually not
as dangerous for the others around. It may only do you good having to walk your
bike home after a night out.
Seeing
that biking is such a popular thing in Copenhagen, it only took me a couple of
weeks to get one myself. I bought a used bike off of another international
student who was leaving the country. If all goes well, I will resell this bike
right before I leave, and hopefully get my money back.
Another thing that I forgot to mention is that
there is a possibility of biking without actually owning a bike. There are many
places around the city where you can get yourself a “city bike.” With a deposit
of 20 Danish crones (about 3-4 US dollars), you can get yourself a not-so-good
but working bike and ride it anywhere within Copenhagen. You are required to
return it to one of the assigned places at the end of the day. However, I have
seen way too many of these bikes lying around in places they are not supposed
to be in. So, when needed, its ok to “borrow” one of these bikes for the night
or until someone else decides to “borrow” it from you.
One
of my friends took one of these bikes home one night when the metros weren’t
working so late. He said he kept riding it around for a couple of days after,
until one day someone else must have taken it from where he last left it. So,
these bikes get around the city and may be very useful on different occasions.
Once
you get a bike, there are many accessories that you can also get for it. Bike
lights are required by law. You may get fined riding around without a light in
the front and the back of your bike. Another useful thing to have is a bell,
since it helps navigate your way through the large bike traffic in the
mornings. And I am always grateful when other people ring their bell to let me
know they are behind me. I feel that people having lights and a bell on their
bikes helps keep biking safe and prevents accidents from happening. Among other
things that you can get for your bike are a basket to carry your bag or
groceries, a rain cover for your seat (very useful), oh, and most importantly –
a lock! Even though there are so many bikes in Copenhagen that everyone seems
to have one, bike theft still exists. I know many people who had their bikes
taken from them. Most of the time, this happens when the bike is left unlocked
in the evening, even just for a couple of minutes.
There
is one funny story I heard about a bike theft. Since Copenhagen is not a very
large city, it is not uncommon to see your bike in someone else’s hands after
it is stolen. Someone I know fond his “stolen” bike locked to another bike a
couple of days after the theft. Since there was no other way to get his bike
back, he just took both of them home. In any case, that other bike was probably
also stolen. Now he has his own bike back and another one to use as he pleases.
As
I said in the beginning, it is also very useful to be able to fix your own
bike. Riding around in the city, there is a big chance of puncturing your tire,
and you don’t want to be paying 10-20 dollars every time you have to fix it.
During my three months here, I already had to fix my own bike about five times.
If you are not inclined to fixing your own bike, however, there are many bike
shops throughout the city. So, if your bike breaks on your way to school, it is
very easy and not too expensive to get it fixed at any of these shops.
In
conclusion, I have very much enjoyed living in this “city of bikes.” I do not
only ride my bike around the city, but I have also gone on multiple excursions
outside of Copenhagen. There are very nice national bike routes spanning all of
Denmark, going through pretty countryside and many sight seeing spots. So,
there are many opportunities for day or weekend trips for those who are
adventurous enough. (This picture is from one of my bike trips)
Finally,
I have also concluded that biking adds to the very healthy life style that most
Danes lead. I think that getting in this extra exercise on the bike makes the
Danes overall very fit and energized. The typical stereotypical Dane is blond,
tall, and skinny. I’m not sure where the first two are coming from, but the
skinniness is probably from all this biking!