General way of thinking. Without prior analysis no statement of “general thinking” could be given (this would be driven by fantasies of the author). But in general it could be observed that a big share of the inhabitants do their shopping in the outskirts of the city at big shopping malls by car, although they have almost all facilities in their borough. Also the share of senior citizens using their cars for short distances is high.
General way of thinking. There is complete declarative support to sustainable transport but it needs to be translated more systematically into individual behaviour. Transport sustainability issues are not widely discussed at levels higher than the local level. Perception of traffic issues, such as safety, do not correspond to the actual facts. “Short distance trips do not harm the environment to a large degree” – motorists do not consider the harmful effect of short car trips. Perception of distance and weather still favours the car trips. Benefits of walking are mostly ignored in unfavourable weather conditions. General opinion is however constantly improving in favour of sustainable transport judging by citizens’ positive reactions to new measures.
General way of thinking. It is often thought that nobody cycles in winter. However, cleaning snow off a car and warming the engine sometimes takes as much time as getting to a destination by bicycle. Cycling may be dangerous in winter because of slippery or poorly maintained roads but inner-city roads are usually kept clean of snow. Snow also limits parking opportunities, which might make cycling more popular. Parents take their children to school by car because they are afraid of road incidents which could otherwise occur. There is a common way of thinking that cycling does not suit people in higher positions.
General way of thinking. We think that people are open minded in our town to the issues raised by this project, but most parents bring their children to school (elementary school) by car. Most of employees think they will be considered freaks if they go to work by bicycle. However there are some people who walk or cycle to their workplaces. During winter, autumn and spring (so almost all year) the weather is cold and frosty, so it’s more comfortable for people to travel by car.
General way of thinking. For people living in Budapest, a “big city always xxxxxxx”, everyday shopping is becoming just another bothersome task, one of many others like standing in line at the post office. So shoppers try to find the most comfortable ways for shopping and as cars are a symbol of comfort, they use their cars for shopping. This phenomenon is catalyzed also by a lot of shopping centres that have been built in the last fifteen years in the suburbs, on the city border, or, in many cases, even outside of Budapest. They are far away from people’s homes and they have nearly everything, so if you go there, you buy enough shopping for at least two weeks. This really can’t be done by bicycle. But doing one’s shopping in these centres became the “evident” way of doing it to such an extent that people feel they have to use their cars because they think shopping can’t be done in any other way.
General way of thinking. Due to the fact that the car is a status symbol most of the people drive even short distances. According to the law, parents have to accompany their children to the school till they are 7 years old. This is done most of the time by car because they think it is safe. Till the year 2008 when we opened the Pomurje motorway this was a fact in Gornja Radgona because of the heavy truck traffic. It is not a habit to use the bicycle for going to the shops or to work – we have a lack of tradition.
General way of thinking. “It is quicker to take the car. Not enough buses for certain places. Trains often on strike!” “Too many people on the road, too many traffic jams in rush hours!” “Good to go by bike for health.”
General way of thinking. “It is dangerous for children to walk to school because cars go too fast.” People don’t really care about environment: they don’t want to loose freedom and look at a schedule to take the train to go shopping. Work schedules do not always allow people to use public transport. They need a car because they are far from malls and shopping centres and also from their workplace and they often need 2 cars then!
General way of thinking. Shopkeepers think that it is crucial that customers could arrive at the commercial area by car. They don’t want pedestrian streets. Customers don’t feel safe to go on foot or by bike. On the other hand they prefer to go to the malls outside the city because they think they are more likely to find what they want to buy. Parents would change their ways to take their children to school if there were safer routes and more control on the paths and around schools. So the project of safe routes to schools is a good measure to implement.
General way of thinking. People don’t have the cycling or walking mentality as a mode of transport for various reasons: • it is considered dangerous for children (and adults also) to walk or cycle due to the lack of infrastructure, • during summer time it is impossible to walk or cycle because of the heat, • shopkeepers think that the largest part of their customers arrive by car and will buy more if they have a car.
