Cyclists stop train: confusion around the way goes viral!

Cyclists stop train: confusion around the way goes viral!

In an unexpected and amusing incident, cyclists in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania recently stopped a regional train to ask for the way. An unfamiliar picture: the passengers on the train were visibly surprised when the bikers who were looking for the best route were simply knocking on the door of the train. A report by SPIEGEL A short but concise interaction between the travelers and the Train staff.

The two cyclists obviously had read the card incorrectly or were simply lost. So it happened that they did not hesitate to stop the regional train to orient themselves. One can only assume that the train was not too terribly busy to allow something like that! This spontaneous action not only underlines the importance of cycling in the region, but also reflects the associated current interest.

bicycle traffic in focus

cycling is becoming increasingly popular in Germany, while cities such as Copenhagen and Münster show how important bicycle traffic is for urban mobility. According to the Environmental Federal Agency up to 30 % of car journeys could be shifted to bicycle traffic in metropolitan areas. This development is crucial, since more than 40 % of the car journeys in big cities are shorter than 5 km, where the bicycle often represents the fastest means of transport.

Cycling not only offers practical advantages, but also health. Health experts emphasize that 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day can reduce the risk of civilization diseases. In addition, the heat calculator shows that the economic benefit of cycling projects can be up to 1 euro per additional wheel kilometer. Numbers that speak for themselves!

A look at the advantages

• cycling is environmentally friendly and saves space in the cities.
• It costs less: the usage costs of a bicycle amount to about 10 cents per kilometer, compared to over 21 cents for cars.
• bike traffic reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 166 g per person kilometer compared to motorized traffic.
• cities benefit from lower costs for cycling infrastructure compared to motorized traffic.

The connection between cycling and public transport is also a promising strategy to promote sustainable mobility. Initiatives such as public bicycle lending systems could further reduce car traffic and make the cities more livable. The trend towards cycling is no longer to be stopped and shows that a positive cycling infrastructure and an attractive image are decisive for acceptance.

The spontaneous stop of the regional train ended not only with the receipt of directions for cyclists, but could also be understood as an impetus to further promote cycling in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.