My name is Tobias. Since I got my driver’s license at the age of 18, I went almost everywhere with my parents’ car (shopping, visiting friends, etc.). This behaviour has changed fundamentally when I moved to Darmstadt two years later for my studies. When I started studying, I bought a new bike, because I couldn’t afford my own car. Since then, I use my bike exclusively for all trips within the city. Meanwhile, I live and work for in Frankfurt for six years and have kept it that way and there are no plans on changing this again.

My name is Martina and I live in Chieri. My parents used to take me to Monti School by car; on the return, a friend of mine often gave me a ride back home. My house is 3 km away from school and there are no public transport connections to reach the school. In February 2020 I joined the MUV App competition that rewarded non-polluting travels. My friend, who used to give me a ride,  and I started going back home on foot. Even after the end of the competition, during the covid pandemic, we stayed with the habit! The path on foot through the pedestrian area of the city center is very pleasant to walk through.

For years I have used the car to move around the city.

When I moved houses and started living in the city center, 2km away from my work, without any convenient options of public transport and a distance that did not justify the use of the car. Just like that, I started using the bike: it was a revelation! Later, when I had my kids, I could no longer live without it. The bike was the only way to turn off my computer and be at my kids’ kindergarten or teacher’s meeting within 10 minutes.

After a few years, I decided to finally sell my car.

To go to work I first take the bike from Grenoble, about 7km of cycle tracks to get to the park-and-ride.
The bike is a time for oneself, a privileged time and an ideal speed to see the landscape go by. At the car
park, depending on the situation, I “ride” to Lans-en-Vercors by carpooling with colleagues. But I often
hitchhike. I wait a short time, about 2 minutes. Almost every time, the driver is willing to talk. It’s an
opportunity to meet people of other ages, from other “backgrounds” than mine: a painter, a young doctor,
a pastor, a farmer, a plumber, a ski resort manager, a teacher, a retired woman who goes hiking… Thank
you to everyone.

I always cycle in the city because it’s the fastest way to get around. Nevertheless, I always thought that you need a car on holiday. Because of Corona, I bought a new, functional bike and went on a cycling holiday for the first time last year. There are so many beautiful places that you can only discover by bike. Cycling offers on the train or on the ferry make it easy to cover even long distances.
Definitely not my last holiday by bike.