European Bicycle Day
European Bicycle Day is an observance in Germany and is observed every June 3rd. The purpose of this holiday is to encourage Germans to bicycle more, not only because it keeps a person healthy but also because it means that there are fewer automobiles on the road. This holiday originally began as World Bicycle Day, but German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer repackaged it under “Cycling Plan 3.0” to make Germany a cycling country.
Germany (Observance)In the past, cycling was only an integral part of public life in countries such as Holland or Denmark, not in Germany. However, that has changed dramatically over the past few years, and now Germany can count itself as one of the countries that encourage widespread cycling.
The History of European Bicycle Day
European Bicycle Day began as World Bicycle Day in April of 2018. This is when the UN General Assembly declared the 3rd of June every year as that holiday. The resolution for this holiday recognized the versatility, uniqueness, and longevity of the bicycle as a tool that can be used to keep both people and the environment healthy.
Not long after the creation of that holiday, German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer created European Bicycle Day to encourage more bicycle use in Germany. Historically, Germany hasn’t been a big bicycling country, but that has begun to change over the past few years. And during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the role of bicycling was further cemented in the country as bicycle sales in the country increased by over 35%.
Observing European Bicycle Day
European Bicycle Day is a holiday that’s easy to celebrate in Germany. All that has to be done is for German citizens to take the time to enjoy their bicycles. However, while they’re doing so, they should be careful because recently the rise in the popularity of bike riding has caused traffic conflicts with vehicles. This has resulted in accidents at traffic hubs.
Germany (Observance)
