Dirk Zedler – bicycle expert, managing director of Zedler-Institut für Fahrradtechnik und Sicherheit, deputy chairman of Zukunft Fahrrad
"LED lighting that turns night into day, brakes that can be finely adjusted in any weather, a huge range of tyres that make even snow and ice a thing of the past and, last but not least, drive units that allow you to climb uphill with ease: What more could a cyclist’s heart desire? I enjoy all of this every day on my 3,000 or so inner-city kilometres per year. Everything is great? Well, if I compare my current place of residence Ludwigsburg with my place of study Karlsruhe, then no. After thirty years, we have not even reached the level we were at back then. The infrastructure here and in many other cities I know is still inadequate for a safe and enjoyable use of bicycles and e-bikes. The parking situation is not only a problem in Ludwigsburg, but in many places, especially in places where it would be reasonable to connect mobility, e.g. at railway stations. As a result, we have done very good work together in the cycle industry in terms of technology and sales (leasing). To ensure that the bicycle is not only used extensively by hard-core cyclists and can take its rightful place in mobility and contribute to relieving the burden on cities, we must work just as hard in the coming years to promote its infrastructure and its appreciation. I don't want to have to hear phrases like “Cars always have right of way” for the next 30 years."
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