Fifth Day in Copenhagen

5/20/11

Stupid tourist. I was a bad cyclist today. I was lost in thought, pondering whether or not I should trust the fickle weather and go for a swim in the harbor. I saw a green light and kept going straight. The green light with a green arrow pointing to the right was for the cars who were allowed to turn right while I should have been stopped. Woops. Fortunately, I caused no damage to persons or property. Perhaps my mistake fuels the argument that Copenhagen should offer bicycle education to the growing number of tourists who are becoming curious about bicycling and giving it a go. After all, Danes get bicycle education throughout school. The police go out to the schools and teach children the laws and the children’s riding skills are tested.

Imagine that! Policemen that know bicycle traffic laws. I don’t mean to generalize. I’m sure that there are many American policemen that are well-versed in bicycle traffic laws, but I think back to a particular incident that Colleen told me about. She was stopped by a policemen and told that as a cyclist she was not allowed to be in the road and should get on the sidewalk. Wrong.

Eva said that tourists used to not dare to ride. At least when I had my bright red rental bike I stood out as someone who might not know what they were doing. Just as with drivers with foreign license plates, bright red rental bikes indicate “Beware, unpredictable behavior may ensue”. Ok, lesson learned. Moving on.

I love riding Eva’s bike. Henrik calls it the tank. I feel like a queen. What could give you better posture than riding an upright city bike? Riding an upright city bike with a guitar strapped to your back. Yes, I saw a young lady doing that on a bright blue bike with her blond hair blowing in the wind. She would have been miserable on a road bike. She does not win the prize though. Today the prize goes to a man in a recumbent that was covered with a silver shell. He looked like a bullet.

I saw the sensor activated bollards for the first time today. A car rolled up to the bollard and it sunk down into the ground. It was activated by a sensor that detects metal like those used at stoplights. A taxi approached from the other direction, where traffic was prohibited from proceeding. He proceeded to drive halfway in the cycle track and halfway on the sidewalk to pass through. Guess they aren’t foolproof. 

Today I noticed that there is a narrow sidewalk between the bus lane and the cycle track across from Christianshavn Station. I think this is a good solution. If the strip is wide enough, it also provides place for a shelter for people waiting for the bus.  Bus riders have a place to exit to and then cyclists and pedestrians can negotiate who has right of way as the cyclists prepare to cross the cycle track to the full sidewalk. Education about courteous behavior is still a good idea.

The weather was looking up so I went on a run through the city. My favorite part was running down Stroget, darting and dodging through the window shoppers. I realize that I was probably slightly annoying, but it was thoroughly enjoyable. The feeling is akin to picking a route when mountain biking, trail running, or downhill skiing, except your obstacles are people instead of rocks. Stroget might be my favorite street in the world. Why do I like it better than Hans Christian Anderson Boulevard?  Because it is smaller scale. The shops are inviting. The people in the outdoor cafes are fun to watch. They are either wrapped up in food and conversations or enjoying people watching as much as you are. The streets are full of people so you know you are in “the” place to be. There are no cars. There is no construction.

At the end of my run I went down to the harbor. They have an area fenced off with lifeguards to supervise. There is an area for lap swimmers, shallower pools for children, and a staircase that allows older kids to dive from different heights. Most swimmers were wearing wetsuits. Uh oh. I stuck a toe in and decided to take the risk. I dove in and swam the length of the pool before catching my breath. After a few minutes I decided I should get out before I catch a cold. I felt like a new woman. I guess a fresh sea water ice bath has that effect.

In the Architecture Center there was a video on creating a city that encourages active living. The pool at the harbor is one technique. I encountered another unintended technique that encouraged active behavior. Three little girls were practicing their dance moves and watching themselves in  semi-reflective glass stairs that surrounded a stairwell. Doubt the architects planned for that one.

 

There is good and bad in traveling solo. Good: I get to do whatever I want, whenever I want. Bad: It is a bit lonely. No worries. I will be with the study abroad crew soon enough enjoying their company, but likely searching out solitude. Eskil and Henrik say that there is a different style of riding in Amsterdam. Traffic is more mixed. I am looking forward to analyzing the differences.