Post-pandemic: one in four to switch to bicycles, shows survey

As a result of a coronavirus pandemic, 84 percent of Poles plan to use mainly their own car, 39 percent would prefer walking, 24 percent would choose bikes or scooters, and only 10 percent would like to use public transport, according to the survey “Pole on two wheels,” conducted by ING Bank Śląski, Polish arm of a Dutch banking giant, and Nationale-Nederlanden, an insurance firm.

“There are many indications that the share of bicycles will continue to increase as a result of the pandemic,” Andrzej Sowa, from ING Bank Śląski, said.

The survey shows that 55 percent of respondents buy bikes worth up to PLN 2,000, 23 percent up to PLN 3,000, 8 percent up to PLN 4,000 PLN and 14 percent up to PLN 5,000. In 41 percent of the cases, they are city bikes, 36 percent mountain bikes and 13 percent road bikes. Nearly half (46 percent) store it in garages, 29 percent in basements and 17 percent in apartments or on the balconies. To prevent theft, 49 percent use security cables, 34percent chains and 26 percent U-locks. At the same time, 47 percent of respondents declare that they always protect their bikes against theft, even as 28 percent admit that they often forget about them. As many as 52 percent of cyclists feel safe on the roads, but 37 percent feel threatened by cars, 9 percent by other bicycles or scooters and 4 percent by pedestrians, with only 27 percent of respondents claiming to use helmets.

(ISBnews)