Through the traffic with the pool noodle
Hannah Zacher & Nepomuk Frädrich
Environmentally friendly, health-promoting and sustainable: being mobile in the city by bike is an alternative to the car for more and more people. The first bicycle concert in Chemnitz will take place on 29 May to increase the safety of cyclists in road traffic and make car drivers aware that they are equal road users. Hannah Zacher, who brought her curiosity about the East from Augsburg to Chemnitz three years ago, launched the bicycle concert project. Nepomuk Frädrich and a few others help with the organisation. In this interview, they explain why a pool noodle makes cycling safer and how you can take part in a bike concert.
How did you come up with the idea?
Hannah Zacher: The idea came from the Chemnitz 2025 circle of friends. We thought back and forth about how we could bring the topic of cycling to the city. Then a friend of ours mounted a special device on his bike, a so-called Akustomat, which contained both jukeboxes and a lighting system. We then cycled through the city at night with a few friends and it was a really great atmosphere. That's how the idea of organising the bike concert was born.
Why does the city need a bike concert?
Hannah Zacher: It's not just a concert, but also a demonstration for many different aspects. That's the great thing, that we can address so many things with such a simple event. On the one hand, of course, it's about the environmental and health aspects, but also about better and, of course, more cycle paths. The city still perceives itself too much as a car city. Since we started working on the project, I've noticed how many cyclists there are in Chemnitz. We want to make this visible with the campaign. We are of the opinion that the perception of Chemnitz as purely a car city is long outdated.
Nepomuk Frädrich: It's also good for Chemnitz when more life is visible in the city. If there are more people actually on the streets that you can see and who are not hiding behind window or car body facades, it immediately seems much more lively. The ring of cars that virtually seals off the city centre can be easily broken through by bike. It revitalises the whole city.
Chemnitz and cycling? To what extent does that fit?
Hannah Zacher: You often hear the excuse that there are too many hills in Chemnitz to be able to cycle well. But I don't think any of the hills are insurmountable. With a bit of training, you can do it. Chemnitz is a city that is still searching for its identity. Then you tend to hold on to old things that are no longer relevant. Of course, the automotive industry is rooted in the region through the VW Group, for example. But that's not all that makes the city special. Cycling definitely suits Chemnitz.
The tour kicks off at 4 pm with concerts by Solche and Jasmin Färber at the "Vereinte Kraft" allotment garden association in Gablenz. From there, the bike tour starts with STVO-compliant bikes to Inspire on the Brühl, where the band Stellar Cellar is already waiting for the cyclists. The event will end at 8 pm at Weltecho with music by Jante Music and Fuxxxer & Jan Stuebing. The entire bike concert is free of charge. The concerts can also be attended individually without a bike. People of all ages are invited to join in.
Why did you choose this particular route?
Nepomuk Frädrich: We asked several locations. The allotment garden site "Vereinte Kraft" was part of the walk. As a result, the members have already clearly positioned themselves as being open to culture and projects. So the starting point was quickly decided. We then selected other locations and linked them together. That's how the route was created.
Hannah Zacher: Another important factor was the space. The locations had to offer enough space to park bikes.
Do you then ride along the cycle paths in a metre-long convoy?
Hannah Zacher: No, we deliberately want to take up a lot of space on the entire street and show that cyclists are also part of city traffic and have the same rights and obligations. Drivers need to realise that they don't have top priority in road traffic. A friend of mine always rides on the road with a pool noodle on the carrier of her bike. This gives her the necessary safety distance that car drivers have to keep from cyclists.
The bicycle climate test published by the ADFC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club) a few weeks ago rated the city's overall bicycle friendliness with a school grade of 4, although Chemnitz only deviates slightly from the national average. The cities have a lot of catching up to do. In Chemnitz, the ADFC was particularly critical of the winter service on cycle paths, the traffic management for cyclists at roadworks and the traffic lights. On the other hand, the 330 or so respondents rated the transport of bicycles on buses and trains favourably.
How would Chemnitz have to change to become more bicycle-friendly?
Hannah Zacher: I really like the Chemnitz Valley cycle path. I would like to see more cycle paths like this. Existing cycle paths shouldn't just stop at dangerous places, they should continue. That would improve the safety of cyclists.
Nepomuk Frädrich: Cycle paths often end just before a roundabout or junction. Then cyclists are on their own. Drivers find it difficult to know how to behave towards cyclists who are disorientated at the junction.
Hannah Zacher: Covered bike racks would also be a good thing. There was once the idea of a bicycle car park on the Getreidemarkt. However, the money for this was used for other purposes. The political priorities should be set differently.
Why would a Chemnitz resident prefer to cycle to work tomorrow rather than drive?
Hannah Zacher: It saves time if you cycle.
Nepomuk Frädrich: Then of course there are many side effects: It promotes good health and protects the environment. Cycling is also much cheaper when it comes to repairs or buying spare parts. But the time argument is probably the most convincing in the morning rush hour.
Speaking of arguments: what argument can you come up with for Chemnitz wanting to become European Capital of Culture 2025?
Hannah Zacher: Chemnitz has an incredible amount of cultural offerings. I regularly get annoyed that I don't know where to go because there's just so much going on some days. Many organisations tend to operate behind closed doors. Unfortunately, people don't take advantage of what they have to offer. I've only lived in Chemnitz for three years and I already realise how much has happened here. The city has so much potential. The Capital of Culture application can definitely help to make the offer and the potential more visible.
Nepomuk Frädrich: I've lived here for ten years and can say from my perspective that a lot has really changed for the better. One prominent example is the greening of Reichenhainer Straße. The Capital of Culture bid means that people can achieve a lot with small actions.