On two wheels in Poland

For the last few years I have regarded my bicycle as my main means
of transport, though my experience of cycling in Poland is limited. In
Summer 2000 I spent two weeks cycling across the country, starting in
Krakow and crossing to Lithuania near Sejny in the North-East. Apart
from the weather, it was a great experience. Now living in Warsaw, I’m
finding myself in the paradoxical position of being more and more
reluctant to venture out on a bike, whilst becoming more and more
convinced of the need for cycling to become a major means of urban
transport.

Much of Green Federation’s work here focuses on promoting cycling
and thanks to sustained efforts during the last few years there are
now approximately 100 km of cycle paths in Warsaw. These undoubtedly
help to make cycling here more of a pleasant experience, but there is
still much more to be done before a significant number of people will
see it as a viable alternative to the car.

Cycling has become something of an extreme sport in Warsaw, which may
improve its reputation among virile young men, but I think it’s fair
to say that most people don’t really want an extreme sports experience
on their way to work, school, the market etc. This situation
diminishes many of the advantages of cycling: It is usually quite an
inclusive way of getting around, which most people can afford, and
many, though of course not all, are physically capable of, but it
becomes exclusive when only a few brave soul dare to do it; It usually
keeps people fit and healthy, but not when they are breathing the
exhaust fumes of thousands of cars; and in an urban environment it is
usually fast, but not if people have to take huge diversions to avoid
traffic blackspots, wait at lots of crossings and cycle on uneven
surfaces.

In a large city, 100 km of cycle lanes go virtually nowhere, and
indeed one of the problems is that most of the cycle paths in Warsaw
go virtually nowhere. One gets the distinct impression that cycle
routes are accommodated where there is some free space rather than
where they are actually needed. More fundamentally, there is almost no
recognition by city officials that cars are an anti-social and
dangerous phenomenon, and therefore there is no will to reduce their
number. This is hardly surprising seeing how long it is taking too get
this message across in Western Europe, but it is the biggest barrier
to sustainable transport, not only because cars make sustainable urban
transport such as bikes, roller-blades, skateboards and scooters
extremely dangerous and unpleasant to use, but also because roads
swallow huge chunks of public money which should be being spent, among
other things, on public and sustainable transport.

Happily, cycling is a much more enjoyable activity outide of large
towns and cities, though this in itself is paradoxical since it is
precisely in urban areas that it could be the most approbiate form of
transport. Most of Poland is flat and many of its rural roads are
quiet and lined with fruit trees and flower-fringed fields, or flanked
by forests full of berries. Roads are of variable qality, with
occasional potholes, stretches of gravel, sand, or cobblestones. Some
indication of this is usually given on maps but there are a few extra
surprises as well.

Rural drivers in Poland seem to be less dangerous
than their urban counterparts but perhaps it’s because they are more
spread out than in urban areas. Drivers often sound their horns but
there does not seem to be any discernable reaon for this most of the
time. One sometimes encounters cars with no lights after dark and dogs
can also be a nuisance as they are sometimes able to run out into the
road and chase after cyclists. These irritations weren’t serious
enough to detract from my overall impression of cycling as the only
way to see the Polish countryside though.

Poland has a lot of potential for encouraging cyclists if it so
chooses, but if my experience is anything to go by then cycling will
continue to be seen as a countryside leisure activity and not a the
serious means of urban tranport which it needs to become if the haze
of pollution is to be lifted from major towns and cities.