“I feel like a rebel”: Bicycle Mayor of Amsterdam on Moscow cycle paths

Overview

Together with the Bicycle Mayor of Amsterdam Katelijne Boerma we have been cycling across the centre of Moscow to compare the city's bike infrastructure with that in Amsterdam. This article combines an interview and a field observation. The interview was recorded while we were riding, which makes it a very special story. The material became one of the most-viewed articles in Strelka Mag in June 2019.

Outcomes and insights

Together with Katelijne we identified and explained the main issues of the Moscow cycling infrastructure: disconnectedness and inconsistency, even in the very centre of the capital. The interview and the accompanying research have uncovered that citizen activism usually triggers a complex development of such infrastructure, like it happened in Amsterdam in the 70's. Since then, the Dutch people believe that it is a well-developed infrastructure which provides for safety on the streets, not wearing a helmet.

The Bicycle Mayor of Amsterdam Katelijne Boerma came to Moscow in early June to give a lecture at Strelka. Katelijne’s main goals as the Bicycle Mayor are to ensure safety and develop cycling culture in the capital of the Netherlands. We invited her to ride through the city center and evaluate the safety of Moscow cycle paths.

START FROM THE HOUSE ON THE WATERFRONT, IMMEDIATE “SUCCESS”

We were only able to rent a bike for Katelijne at a rental point for city bicycles on Kropotkinskaya on second attempt. The handlebar of the first one almost immediately sank down. Unlike ours, Dutch bikes are simpler, for example, they do not have hand brakes, only coaster ones; the fewer the parts, the longer a bike would serve. “I'm not a snob when it comes to bicycles, I love all kinds of bikes. If the bike is bad, I would just advise fixing it,” Katelijne carefully notes.

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ENCOUNTERING A CYCLE PATH ON THE TURN FROM ZNAMENKA TO THE ARBAT SQUARE

The Moscow network of cycle paths is still not fully developed as such. It is more like parts of this network are scattered across the city. Some of the paths can be found in the city center, along embankments, and sometimes in parks. Activists have ascertained that there are 223 kilometers of equipped cycle paths in Moscow, while in Amsterdam there are 1,295 kilometers of them.

Finally, we are riding on the cycle path at the entrance to the Arbat Square. Katelijne asks us how to distinguish a cycle path. We explain that usually it is the narrowest lane on a road, marked in red at the intersections. Katelijne is surprised: “We are riding on the wrong side of the street.” Indeed, the cycle path runs only on one side of the road, so the lanes of cyclists face each other.

“In the Netherlands, this would never have been allowed. We would have to go exclusively on the right side of the road. I feel like a rebel. I hope Putin does not get angry.”

FROM THE NEW ARBAT TO THE OLD

It is rare to see a cyclist wearing a helmet in Moscow. It is the same in the Netherlands. Katelijne says that only American, New Zealand, and Australian tourists wear helmets, because the law obliges them at home: “The sense of security and comfort depends on the culture: Americans think it’s safer if you wear a helmet, we think it’s safer if the infrastructure is good.”

The cycle lane ends as abruptly as it begins. The roadway blocks our path and Katelijne says that if she hadn’t been stopped, she would have continued riding on the road.

We turn to the New Arbat and decide not to cross it: the only way to cross that street is to go down an underpass. “The bike itself is lightweight, but it’s still hard to carry. I would never drag it up the stairs,” this time Katelijne openly complains.

“Have you seen that cyclist riding along the roadway? If he collides with a car, he will most likely die, because the speed difference is enormous. It’s also hard for the car drivers, they don’t expect to have cyclists on the road.”

The Dutch travel around the city at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour. The speed limit is even lower in the places with a lot of tourist walking routes. We also have such places, for example, the Old Arbat street. There are no cycle paths there and we just ride along the wide sidewalk, maneuvering between passersby.

“Are you sure we can ride here? I would place a cycle path right in the middle of this street. What we’re doing now is not riding, we’re just balancing and disturbing the passersby,” Katelijne notes.

TURN TO THE QUIET STAROKONYUSHENNY LANE

The Starokonyushenny Lane has few people on weekdays. It is relaxing here. The Bicycle Mayor tells us that building new cycle paths is the city administration’s responsibility. But in many cities, change began with activism.

“If you live in the north of Amsterdam, you have to cross the river on a bicycle ferry. The ferries are a part of the public transport system, so when a strike occurs, people get stuck on the shore and cannot get to work.

Amsterdam recently had a strike announced. Then several activists came to the mayor and said: “Listen, about a hundred thousand people will not be able to cross the river on Tuesday. You must block one of the car tunnels and open it for cyclists.” And so it happened, the administration closed one tunnel for cars for just one day. It was a private initiative to come to the municipality and ask for that. The decision is made by the authorities, but we, the society, can have a voice in that.”

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