Support bicycle as a vehicle!

„I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike …“ Melody of this famous song is always in my head when I´m going down the city center of Prague. I got used to use bicycle as a vehicle in town during my exchange studies in Finland. Everyone use bicycle there even in winter on a snow and ice. Cycleways are as wide as streets, there are no hills, therefore it is very easy and fast. In Prague the situation is unfortunately not like that, but I´m among the luckier ones, who live near by cycleway, so I can enjoy the ride by the river to school or work. Cycling in this particular area is very comfortable. Well, you have to pass some smelly and dirty homeless places but still … when the sun is shining, it´s very relaxing and let´s say mood improving. After whole day at school or work, your brain switches in a different mode and you get rid of all those angry looking and rushing people in subway or tram. I love it.
Once, on 16 of July last year, I noticed a huge move on my favorite cycleway. On that day there was a public transportation strike and subway in Prague wasn´t working (for the very first time since it was built). It was crazy! Streets were full of people on bicycles - young, old, children going to school, businessmen with suitcases, students with laptops and old woman with long skirt and scarf flying all around her. Everyone was trying to find his way. You would expect people angry (as usual) but not. For some reason, everybody was smiling and in great mood. It was exciting. More strikes like that and live in big cities would be nicer.

and a bonus: map of Prague for bicycles