City, Healthy Streets Campaign Target Crashes

Alderman: 'People Have No Concern For Pedestrians'

Social Pressure is Key to Making Drivers Careful

Meet New Events Team Staff

'Real Vikings' Bike all Year Round

Ask Mr. Bike

Traffic Report

Home

previous | next

'Real Vikings' Bike Year-Round

For many Americans – even for some Chicago area bicyclists – freezing temperatures and bicycles are a strange match.

But in northern European cities such as Uppsala, Sweden, bicycling is a familiar part of winter traffic. Uppsala has one of the highest bicycle mode shares in the west (25 percent of trips are by bicycle). Its Central Station boasts Sweden’s largest bicycle parking lot and, like Amsterdam, they even have to dredge their river periodically to clear discarded bikes.

Turning to the land of the ice and snow, we caught up with columnist Karl Liljas of the daily Uppsala Nya Tidning to crack the mystery of why so many Swedes are undeterred by old man winter.

BT: So, what do you use your bike for?
KL: Everything but sleeping (unless after the occasional late-night pub visit).
BT: What sorts of routes do you take?
KL: Mostly bike lanes.
BT: Are they plowed?
KL: Yes, but they tend to get somewhat icy during winter.
BT: Is there any kind of weather that would stop you from bicycling?
KL: Please! I just got home from biking through a blizzard.
BT: Do you bike all year round?
KL: The Swedes who dare say "no" are not real Vikings.
BT: How many bike trips do you make in a day?
KL: At least four.
BT: Is a bicycle your favorite way to travel?
KL: Next to being stuck in traffic with my SUV.
BT: How far is a typical trip for you?
KL: Far enough to soak my back (1.5 miles).
BT: When you ride in the winter, do you wear anything special?
KL: Do trendy Swedish clothes count?
BT: Why do you think Swedes prefer pedal power over four-wheel drive?
KL: The freedom to decide for yourself when you want to get somewhere and get exercise.