The Swiss approach to cycling

Before Christmas I spend a day in Zürich, Switzerland. To be fair -- I did not go there by bike (but by night train from Vienna) and I did not even cycle there. But I have lived in Zürich for a while in 2008 and commuted by bike every day back then. Thus I'm not a complete greenhorn when I talk about cycling there :).

I could write a lot about Zürich's bike infrastructure because there are many things I like about it. However, I already mentioned a few things I like earlier (see "Commuting in Zürich"), so I'm going to tackle different topics today.

Early morning view from the ETH terrace in Zürich

Let's start with bike parking facilities, one of my favorite things that I always look out for when I visit foreign places. In Switzerland, and especially in Zürich, they have typical bike racks that I haven't seen anywhere else, namely something that I would just call semi-hangers. The "hanger" is pretty obvious cause the handlebars are lifted and hung on a metal hook. The rear wheel, however, stays on the ground. That's where the "semi" comes in. Additionally -- and that makes that kind of parking really safe -- there is a thick looped cable attached to the each such hanger.

"Semi-hangers" at the ETH	Wild bike parking	A lonely bicycle at the lake

Another very typical "Swiss thing" is the so-called Velovignette (velo = bicycle). Many people in Austria (and probably also elsewhere) mistake this with a number plate, so I'm going to spend some time elaborating what it really is. It's not at all a number plate although, of course, it contains numbers. The little sticker is simply a mandatory liability insurance for cyclists covering third-party claims of up to 2 million CHF. It has to be replaced every year (indicated by the largest two digits one the colored background), lasts from the 1st of January to the 31st of May in the following year. Since every Swiss cyclist has to have such a sticker, the insurance is really cheap -- it costs about 6 CHF (that's only 4 € for more than a year!). The SBB sells it here.

Swiss Velovignette for 2009

For little extra money it's possible to register the number of the Velovignette (otherwise nobody knows who bought or owns it, which makes the "number plate" argument sound even more ridiculous) and to thereby obtain an extra insurance, e.g. against theft. On the other hand, to prevent theft of the vignette itself, it is recommended to place the sticker at a hidden spot on the bike. People that are caught without a Velovignette have to pay a fine of 40 CHF (about 27 €).

Summing up, I have to say that I really like the idea of such a mandatory insurance. It's the obligation that makes it affordable for everyone. And everybody can cycle without having to worry what happens in case of an accident.

By the way, visitors from abroad don't need a Velovignette, but since I spend a few months there I also got one for my bike. Generally I'm anyhow well-insured (through a liability, accident and legal protection insurance). How about you?

Finally, although these are pictures from last year, I wish you a happy and safe year 2010! Cycle on!!!