Biking in Copenhagen
In addition to the obvious environmental, financial and physical benefits, it makes for infinitely more mature and self reliant youngsters.
In bicycle-centric cultures all over the world, the kids never have to ask their parents for a ride to anything. At a young age, they bike to school, bike to after school activities, and they bike home. By the time they are in their late teens they are perfectly capable of traveling without adult supervision, even abroad.
Young people in bicycle-centric cultures are not infantilized until driving age like they are in the car-centric United States. They have a solid 10 year head start on becoming responsible independent individuals compared with suburban Americans, having managed their schedules and fully presiding over their transportation since grade school.
Nor are they at risk for driving drunk.
It's urgent that we seriously start to rethink our car culture and get biking, wherever possible, now. Let's learn from the Danes!
--Bibi Farber
VIEW HERE
http://www.nextworldtv.com/videos/transportation/biking-in-copenhagen.html