I have today invented a new way of measuring “quality of life” in various cities of the world: it’s called the International BikeLock Index (IBLI).
Basically, the measurement reflects how heavy and how numerous are the locking mechanisms used to secure bicycles left in public. A high BikeLock variable can then be used as an indicator of poor social cohesion and trust, or indeed breakdown of public human relations. A low BikeLock variable indicates the opposite: trust, mutual respect, and functional human relations between strangers in public.
I believe that the BikeLock Index is quite a useful and reliable measurement.
It is perhaps superfluous to point out the London has one of the highest BikeLock variables I have ever come across (usually multiple locking devices, at least one of heavy-duty standard, and always attached to immovable street furniture). Oxford has a much much lower IBLI figure (bikes here typically have just one light cable attaching wheel to frame, with nothing attaching the bike to immovable street furniture). Some of the lowest IBLI figures I have encountered have been in Scandinavia, Laos, and it is interesting to note that Amsterdam also has a fairly low IBLI figure, despite being a large, cosmopolitan, and very permissive city.
I believe the lowest I have seen is in Copenhagen, where most bikes are not locked up at all.
Comments 1
um… colombo city is somewhat of an exception to this Index. The thing is that here nobody leaves bikes outside at all if they are not using them. This may be due to the fact that a heavy duty lock probably costs more than most of the bikes that people ride, it could be that people are very untrusting, lacking social cohesion etc., or it could be that I don’t actually know what I’m talking about. Nevertheless, I think that due to these difference Colombo must be approached on somewhat of a different angle in relation to the IBLI. Perhaps I could propose that the term EBLI (European Bike Lock Index) be used. I am aware that you also mentioned Laos, but I am concerned that the City/Country differential was not taken into account in this particular instance.
Posted 21 Apr 2007 at 12:36 pm ¶Post a Comment