Traffic, pollution, the gasoline cost, the incentives that have been recently launched, the everyday life that is too sedentary for much people...these are some of the reasons for the bike boom occurred in Italy in the last few years. If you have had the impression, visiting an Italian city, that the number of cyclists has increased, you are not wrong: according to Legambiente, an environmental association, and Irp Marketing, a society working in the field of marketing research and opinion polls, the use of bikes in Italy has tripled on working days. The people who usually use bikes to move around in some Italian cities must have also noticed that this increase in the number of bikes does not correspond to a substantial decrease of cars, and traffic is still a big problem as well as a deterrent for many potential cyclists, especially in some cities. However, what is certain is that the interest in and the aptitude for using bikes instead of cars is growing in Italy, and we cannot but assert that this is a positive sign.
The study carried out by Legambiente and Irp Marketing reveals that while in 2009 only 2,9% of Italian adult people rode their bike to move around in the city, in 2011 this percentage has tripled up to 9%. This means that 5 million people, i.e. almost one tenth of the population, use bikes as means of transport in the city. The poll is also useful to understand the cyclists' customs and the differences between North and South. The results of the poll tell us that the most "virtuous" people live in the North (is this perhaps due to the flat and more inviting land and to the bigger amount of bicycle paths?): only 1% of regular cyclists live in the southern regions and in the islands, while in the central regions the percentage is near to 0. But as far as occasional use is concerned, the percentage in the south increases up to 23%, meaning that people are interested in this special type of transportation, although it might be seen more like amusement and distraction rather than a real alternative to cars and public transport. And this trend is common all over Italy: 75% of the people who have taken part in the poll use bikes only occasionally or never, while 25% consider biking as a pleasant way to spend their free time. But the Italians' opinion could change if more attention was paid to the itineraries for cyclists and to the cycling paths: 43% of the interviewed people, indeed, told that one of the main obstacles in using bikes is the lack of sufficient safe paths, while 42% would like a traffic reduction. Also special parks for bikes are missing (as pointed out by 19% of people) as well as the possibility of getting on trains and other means of public transportation with bikes.
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In conclusion, it is undeniable that the Italians' interest in bikes is growing, but it might become greater with targeted interventions in the Italian cities.
