Bikes Outsell Cars in Most of Europe

  • 11 years ago
In almost every country in the European Union, people are purchasing more bikes than they are cars, says a report from NPR.

In almost every country in the European Union, people are purchasing more bikes than they are cars, says a report from NPR.

Bikes were chosen over cars for the first time ever in Spain – well, at least that’s been recorded. Prior to 2012, the last time Italians picked cycles over autos was during World War II.

In fact the only countries that didn’t prefer the two-wheeled option were Belgium and Luxembourg.

Cyprus and Malta were excluded from the scope of the research due to a lack of information.

Some European dwellers like Parisians and Amsterdammers have reputations for being fans of the more eco- and health-friendly transportation option. Denmark even has separate highways for cyclists.

However, based on the ratio of bikes over cars, among the biggest cycle buying countries in the EU were Lithuania, Greece and Romania. Slovenia and Hungary rounded out the top 5.

One reality behind the apparent rise in bike sales is the documented drop in car purchases.

Throughout the EU, auto-buying activity has hit a 20-year low.

Overall, much of Europe is still struggling to overcome the devastating effects of the recession.

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