More than one in two cyclists worldwide say cycling is still too dangerous in their home city, according to an Ipsos study conducted jointly in 28 countries. The lack of dedicated infrastructure and the behaviour of other road users are often blamed.
Today, the bicycle has become the most common mode of transport for small local trips in the Netherlands (45%) and China (33%). It is also very popular in Japan (27%), India (21%), Germany (21%) and Belgium (20%). In the end, 35% of
respondents take their bikes at least once a week.
Marta Mieze / The Brussels Times
However, many feel that it is not a safe way of travelling: 52% of respondents believe that getting around by bike is still dangerous today. This proportion is higher among those living in large cities (58%) than among those living in rural areas (47%).
It is in Chile and Colombia (70%) that cyclists believe that it is still the most dangerous to travel, both because of the almost non-existent infrastructure and the risky behaviour of other road users. Mexicans and Peruvians (68%), Malaysians (65%), Argentines and Saudis (64%) also fear a lot for their safety when travelling by bike. On the other hand, the Dutch (14%), Swedes (31%),
Norwegians and Poles (32%) feel safer.
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The majority of citizens say they are in favour of bicycles having priority over cars in new projects.
In total, in the 28 countries studied, 63% of adults surveyed say they know how to ride a bike and 42% say they own one. The Netherlands, Poland and Sweden have the highest rates of bicycle ownership.
This study was conducted online, from March 25 to April 8, 2022, among 20,057 adults over the age of 16.
