It's great to be German - part 2

The DE Magazin had a article on the German love of cycling. It was a bit of an eye-opener to me but I also keep shaking my head at it, still. Why is it so hard to understand the advantages of a bike and the fun in riding it? And I mean riding it to commute, to run errands, to go from A to B, not just to ride around the park on a Sunday afternoon. When I still worked I cycled past avalanches of cars, lined up in the main roads of Kitchener that are currently under heavy construction, every single day. And every single day I wondered why these people sit like ... (well never mind) in their cars waiting for something to happen. A bike is so flexible in city traffic. Unfortunately lots of places in KW still do not have bike racks and I am left searching for a lamp post and the like to lock my ride. 

"Most non-Europeans who come to Germany find it hard to imagine that people voluntarily use their own muscle power to get around." - Human beings adjust surprisingly quickly to whatever they do regularly, may it be sitting around or cycling and walking. As far as I am concerned a bit of exercise has not harmed anybody, but not exercising at all has harmed a lot of people. Also I still walk a lot but with my developing belly I much prefer riding my bike. It combines sitting on my bum and exercising - how awesome is that? Sitting for hours in the car meantime just makes me stiff and I am only in my early 30s.

"What, even the rich ride them?” she asks. “Yes, even rich people ride them.” My aunt from Istanbul can’t believe it. “What do their customers think when they see their investment banker riding a bike?” I say: “They probably think – look at that big head, showing off his wealth. Riding an expensive bike while my shares are hitting rock bottom!” She says: “I would never trust a cyclist with my money.” 


I can't believe that this aunt can't believe the German cycling culture. I suppose it's one of those advertising scams that has taught us over many years that you have money if you drive a car but you are super poor if you cycle. Some bikes costs a fortune though. And I'd rather have a better, more expensive bike than a fancier car. I intend to get a bike for my daughter in a couple of years and hope she'll have the opportunity to cycle to school just like I did for 13 years, even though she does not grow up in Germany. I don't want her to be like one of these kids that expect to be carted around all day by mum or dad, and think there's no going anywhere without a car.