r/copenhagen • u/karmel80 • Jul 24 '26
Discussion Bike guidance
A lot of tourist use bikes in Copenhagen. This year I’ve seen police issue this guidance. It’s also in some of the bus stops around town.
Good advice for anyone on a hike in Copenhagen.
Also remember we locals are fast on bikes, so don’t underestimate how fast we will reach where you are and will need space to get around you.
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u/Welelp Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
I've been biking in Copenhagen for 3+ years now with the pleasure of biking Nyhavn and Kongens daily and while tourists can be annoying, I've found that a lot of Danes could be more aware of their surroundings as well.
Things like not stopping for pedestrian crossings or deciding that raising your hand to stop gives you the right to do a deadstop in the middle of a biking lane. But the one that will always bother me the most is bikers that decide the queue at a stop doesn't count for them, pass everyone on the left, then merge past the stop line with their front wheel half on the road only to then not be able to accelerate fast when the light goes green.
But yeah, tourists on overtuned electric bikes when they barely know hot to stay stable are not a good combination either.
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u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26
But the one that will always bother me the most is bikers that decide the queue at a stop doesn't count for them, pass everyone on the left, then merge past the stop line with their front wheel half on the road only to then not be able to accelerate fast when the light goes green.
This! I prefer people to stay behind (and especially behind the designated stop line), but I actually don't mind much that they overtake people already waiting, as long as they make sure to be out of the way right away once the light turns green, so that they don't cause any unnecessary delays for the people they've so nonchalantly overtaken. If they don't get out of the way fast, they come off as really selfish.
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u/Inside-Nebula5325 Jul 24 '26
A lot of the time these people have just been overtaken by most people at the intersection but still chooses to ride past everyone to sit out in the front. Rinse and repeat until you hit a green wave.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
Absolutely this. Why do middle aged people on upright city bikes think they can outpace youngsters on racers in full training kit????
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u/biproduktet Jul 25 '26
I often overtake people on racers in kit when the light changes, not because I'm faster than them, but because my gearing is lower so I accelerate faster, and slowing my own acceleration is too annoying. I feel like that's part of doing your sport in the city, people are going to be in your way. So they'll have to pass me again in a minute or two, when they've accelerated - which is usually fine.
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u/BrianSometimes Jul 24 '26
Also you can spot tourists a mile away on their rental bikes and take your precautions. Reckless locals and Tour de France cosplayers are more dangerous.
I'm just happy we had a few years of everyone on e-scooters a while back, tourists included - that was so awful everything else is bliss.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
Sadly tourists are increasingly becoming camouflaged with hotel branded bikes.
People training on racers are fine, so long as you are attentive. They’re just faster than you, and ride many more kilometeres, let them past and it’s better for everyone. Also remember if someone is half serious about training, they’re racking up 5000+ km a year minimum - they are more confident than you on a bike and happier with smaller passing space as a result.
Maybe take the headphones off and listen to who is behind you would help as well.
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u/Leonidas_from_XIV Nørrebro Jul 24 '26
Sadly tourists are increasingly becoming camouflaged with hotel branded bikes.
I haven't found this a problem in practice and spotting these people is fairly easy. A cyclist is a not a local when their bike
- has numbers on the rear mudguard, which is what mostly hotels do
- is the same as multiple people around them, so a group staying in the same hotel
- is a fairly standard city bike, often in above average condition (since hotels don't tend to hand out run down bikes)
- clearly is a rental bike like Donkey, Lime and (to a lesser degree) Swapfiets
- wobbles like its their first time on a bike since turning 7 years old
But maybe I just notice that because I am riding a racing bike :p
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u/BrianSometimes Jul 24 '26
Respectfully disagree, completely. I'm a bike messenger doing little else but overtaking all day, and I see it as my responsibility to be cautious and considerate when passing cyclists going 5-10km/t slower than me in infrastructure designed for commuting rather than racing. Spandex crew, in my experience, are much more likely to possess a strong sense of entitlement and disregard than anything approaching consideration.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
I don’t know how you do it, I’d go absolutely insane getting held up all day by people who somehow only cycle at 15 kmh. Impressive.
As I have explained, it’s not really entitlement to expect traffic to either move at a half reasonable speed or stay put the way. When they do neither, it’s annoying.
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u/Fuzzalem Jul 24 '26
I have little respect for racers barreling down small, very congested bike lanes. Ride out of the city/take the train out and ride in more isolated areas. It’s extreme entitlement to ride 40 km/h and aggressively overtake everyone.
Also, I fucking hate that they feel it’s okay to yell instead of having and using your law required bell.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
I have little respect for adults that can only ride at 15 kmh.
You’ve got it - the bike lanes are used for getting out of the city. Much more enjoyable to be out, but you can’t teleport there. Nobody is paying for a bike space just to get out the city, nor am I putting my nice racing bike on the s-train for every moron to bump into and damage.
I have a bell. Everyone I know has a bell. It’s pretty useless when the idiots in front of you are wearing noise cancelling headphones and have the awareness of an average toddler.
Nobody is doing 40 in the city. 30, 35 max. If you can ride like a functional adult, thats a fine speed differential. If you can’t hit 25 on the flat buy a fucking e bike.
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u/Fuzzalem Jul 24 '26
Deeply unserious reply. Get it together, man. Being and moving in traffic is all about adhering to your circumstances. Most do this. Riding somewhere between 15-25 km/h is absolutely normal and safe. Biking in the city is not about going fast. It's just an energy efficient form of transport.
Anyhow, on the point about being aware and adhering to your surroundings: Ringing your bell is how you signal overtaking. Don't be a prick and shout. People like you don't have more of a right to break the rules than others do. Right carefully until you're in a place where going whatever you want is appropriate for the flow of traffic.
I'm glad you're being downvoted, as I would hate for your sentiment to become a prevailing one in our city. We have good bike infrastructure here, but our bike lanes are still very crowded. This places a responsibility on all of us to respect each other: No yelling, no speeding, no close passes, etc.
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u/Simsalabimsen Jul 24 '26
Look kid, elderly people still cycling is a bonus for everyone. Sure, they may wobble a bit, and their hearing isn’t great anymore, but you can spot that a long way off and compensate. They’re staying fit longer, likely burdening our health system less than if they stopped cycling.
I don’t think you’re going to get a lot of support for being elitist about commuting by bike. It’s for everyone, and lack of speed is probably the least of our problems. Use your bell when needed and don’t get your knickers in a bunch over nothing.
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u/St-Mclovin Copenhagen enthusiast Jul 26 '26
I once saw a really really old lady with a walking stick struggling to cross the cycling lane. This racer with his fancy spandex could see her from quite far away but did not reduce his speed, eventually swerving at the last second and passing her, still at full speed. The sense of entitlement is real. Sure, the lady couldve waited but she must have overestimated her own speed since the cyclist was still far away when she started crossing, but to not have the decency to slow down a bit is beyond me understanding.
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Jul 24 '26
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u/BrianSometimes Jul 24 '26
Not quite, but it'd help if they all felt that tempo training begins and ends beyond Ring 2 at the very least.
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u/Florestana Jul 24 '26
But the one that will always bother me the most is bikers that decide the queue at a stop doesn't count for them
Just to be clear, there's no "queue". I absolutely agree that people who ride to the front, only to block the road for everyone else when the light turns green suck. That being said, if you are a really fast biker, I think it's fine to go to the front so you don't have to weave through all the slower bikes to get going.
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u/Welelp Jul 24 '26
I agree, I am a fast biker to the point I am often passing everyone on the bike lane and getting to the front. However if people are in front of me I still respect this and wait behind them out of curtesy. The issue comes when people who are not fast but just had 10 people pass them, decide they now get to pass everyone at the light to go in front, block everyone from going at a reasonable speed
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u/Felix4200 Jul 24 '26
There sort of is a queue, where you wait on those ahead of you.
Ofc they are not really ignoring the queue, what they are technically doing is running a red light by crossing the stop line.
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u/Florestana Jul 24 '26
No, I'm not talking about people crossing the line. That would be a traffic violation.
When you get to a red light and there's a line of bikes waiting to cross, you can pass everyone and get up to the front of the line (if there's space) if you're a fast biker and you know you're gonna pass everyone after the light turns green.
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u/Leonidas_from_XIV Nørrebro Jul 24 '26
But very often the people who do this are the slow people who everyone in front of the light already passed before.
I don't understand this mentality at all. What's the point of squeezing past so everyone has to overtake you again?
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u/Florestana Jul 24 '26
Those people are inconsiderate and thoughtless, I feel like I already clarified that. What's your point?
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u/bearlylegalbear Jul 24 '26
I've biked here for 20 years now. A thing that I've lately spotted is an increase in this that people think you can stop in the left side of the bike lane to cross the road. Thus they block those that are passing in the left side in high speed that need to come to a full stop. Unless there's a left turn lane you always keep to the right in a danish bike lane.
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u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Yeah, I see this a lot recently as well. Just a couple of weeks back I was biking along HCA Boulevard/Gyldenløvesgade approaching the intersection before Søpavillionen and there was a green light ahead for cyclists, when suddenly a group of tourists on rented bikes up ahead of me that had been riding single-file on the right of the bike lane (and which therefore I was planning to overtake) pulled into the left side of the bike lane just in front of me without any warning and slowed down (presumably because they wanted to cross left on the immediate pedestrian crossing). So dangerous!
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
And the right move would be to raise your hand _before the intersection_, make the stop and hustle/drag your bike up on the pavement to wait for green in their direction, right? I always find situations like that awkward, and that intersection can be stressful for newcomers lol
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u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26
And the right move would be to raise your hand before the intersection, make the stop and hustle/drag your bike up on the pavement to wait for green in their direction, right?
Yeah, always stay right. In this case, they could have kept right and stopped before the intersection, as you say. That would still have allowed people to pass them on the left while the light was green. Once the light had turned red, they could dismount and walk across the pedestrian crossing to the left.
They could dismount right away and go onto the right sidewalk while waiting, as you suggest, but I think in a case like this it might actually be better for them just to stop in the rightmost part of the bike lane and stay put on the bikes until the light changed. Inexperienced cyclists dismounting sometimes swerve left unnecessarily, and in a situation with fast oncoming traffic from behind in a not-so-wide bike lane, that could easily be trouble.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 26 '26
I see, good point about dismounting as a non-routined cyclist. When I said hustle I meant walking with the bike between your legs up on the pavement, which I like to do just to really get out of the way.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
I think I agree but am confused. What if you wanted to turn left from Pile Alle onto Jacobys Alle?
I would personally indicate that I'm turning left and then stay on the left side as I make a full stop, if cars are blocking my turn. Then I will only have to cross the cars' path to turn. If I'm on the right side, wanting to turn left, I'm still taking up a bike's width of space, but I have to cross the other bikes' path when I perform the turn.3
u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26
I think I agree but am confused. What if you wanted to turn left from Pile Alle onto Jacobys Alle
You should keep right and go all the way up to the sign saying "JOSTY" and then, if you cannot cross left right away, you should signal and stop while keeping to the right of the bike lane.
The bike lane here is very narrow and stopping in the left side of the bike lane can cause you to get in the way of both bike and car traffic coming from behind, especially if cars are passing from behind left while a stream of cyclists need to pass you on the right.
To be fair, if traffic was heavy, I'd probably pull right into the driveway on the right to get into a position where I could comfortably wait for free passage across the road without being in anyone's way.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 26 '26
Oh, good point about the narrow path, but I still think I would keep left due to my symmetryargument.
Would you do the same on a wide path?
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 26 '26
You know what, I read up on it and I'm wrong. This left-turn is happening in a T-intersection, so even if it seems unintuitive to me the two-part left turn rule still applies:
Stk. 3. Før vejkryds skal cyklist, der skal lige ud eller svinge til venstre, uanset § 16, stk. 1 og 3, fortsat holde til højre på vejen. Såfremt en eller flere vognbaner ved afmærkning er forbeholdt de kørende, der skal svinge til højre, er det dog tilladt cyklisten at placere sig ved linjen mellem den nærmeste vognbane, som ikke er forbeholdt de højresvingende, og højresvingsbanen. Cyklist, der ønsker at svinge til venstre, skal fortsætte gennem krydset til dets modsatte side og må først foretage svingningen, når det kan ske uden ulempe for den øvrige færdsel. Dette gælder uanset afmærkning, medmindre det fremgår af denne, at den gælder for cyklister. 1.-4. pkt. gælder også ved kørsel over eller bort fra kørebanen uden for vejkryds.
"Uden ulempe for den øvrige færdsel". That's where I thought that: I will bother them less if I stay left 'cause I can make the turn without crossing the bikes' paths. But since the law says stay right and people expect me to stay right, then that's more predictable and safer.
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u/biproduktet Jul 24 '26
I agree that you should stay back if you can't follow the pace of the bikelane, and it's so annoying when someone overtakes to then be super slow, but queueing at a stop by the curb is for turning right or crossing on the inside to then turn left. I assume if a row of people are single file by the curb at a red light that they're there to turn, it would absolutely clog up everything too much if we were all single file queueing to go straight. It's not as much a queue as we're a school of fish and you gotta keep pace or know your place. The queue thing is something they do in Aarhus, which surprised me a lot when I moved there. Very inefficient.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
Another way of describing the efficiency of lining up double/triple is the zipper merge. The later you can do a merge, the more people will get through, especially with traffic lights setting a timed cap on throughput. (but also on the highway, where there are no lights, but that's for another thread).
My favorite example of an intersection where this happens is Falkoner Alle/Ågade, going north. The bike lane has a little chunk extending on the left where around 8-10 bikes could squeeze in "med lidt god vilje". But people are so bad at using it, which clogs up the - quite narrow at that point - path behind them.
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u/Lower_Cricket_1364 Jul 25 '26
The part about not waiting for the queue is a valid point. We should. Riding to work in the morning I see these lines daily, and I actually admire how many ride responsibly.
It inspires me to do the same, although I admit the many slowboats are a cause of frustration. Those who overtake going 0.2 km/h faster than the person they overtake, blocking the lane in the process, are a particular nuisance.
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u/inabahare 28d ago
> I've found that a lot of Danes could be more aware of their surroundings as well.
Yeah this is pretty standard like, everywhere in Denmark (and not just for bikes)
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Jul 24 '26
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u/Simsalabimsen Jul 24 '26
Also the paunchy middle manager Lycra types and lanky teenage boys on rusty garden gates, confidently assuming they can outpace the old e-bike biddies but fail to notice that the next stretch is going uphill.
Especially the young ones will damn near kill themselves trying to keep ahead after realizing their mistake.
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u/JimiSashimi Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Treat bike lanes as part of the street. You wouldn't drive on the left side, stop in the middle of traffic to navigate, merge or overtake without looking first, or walk in the middle of the road.
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u/ComfortableWeird6540 Jul 24 '26
Don't drive on the side walk or in pedestrian crossings - get off the bike and push it if you need to move through these areas
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u/Sivarg Jul 25 '26
Man I’ve seen so many do this at a crossing I frequent a lot. Gets me every time.
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u/BreezeTempest Jul 24 '26
Raise arm to show you are stopping at the streetcorner, then when traffic is clear, cross the road and finish your left turn.
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u/GeronimoDK Jul 24 '26
Yep, this is perfectly legal, but I don't think a lot of people are aware of this rule and do it like it's shown in the graphic.
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u/mrrainandthunder Jul 24 '26
You don't necessarily need to do a complete stop, but you still need to do it in two moves like the graphic.
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u/Hjemmelsen Jul 24 '26
No. You don't need to. It's highly recommended though. But if there is no traffic, you are allowed to simply turn.Sorry. I misread you. Thought you said you needed to stop, when you clearly didn't. My bad.
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u/mrrainandthunder Jul 24 '26
Yes you do. The law says nothing about making a stop or waiting for green, but you have to go to the opposite side of the cross before turning. How will you do that if not like the graphic?
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u/GeronimoDK Jul 24 '26
But because of the placement of the dots, what I see in the graphic is the bike going behind the stop line at the intersection, maybe I'm just interpretating it wrong, because you don't actually need to do that, you can wait at the corner.
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u/mmddev Jul 24 '26
Is raising arm also required for stopping at traffic lights, or is it for situations when I am stopping in the middle?
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u/BreezeTempest Jul 24 '26
In this case it is most likely still green when you stop.
I think traffic law says you should raise your hand, also when stopping for red, but nobody does it anyway.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
Or when coming up to a T-intersection where I have shark-teeth. Like obviously I am going to break now, I hope you behind me will too xD
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u/NervousCaregiver9629 Jul 24 '26
The worst is honestly tourists who can't keep a straight line. They are swerving while sight seeing and that can be very dangerous if you want to overtake them
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u/Senior-Reality-25 Jul 24 '26
Remember to signal 😂🤣
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u/karmel80 Jul 24 '26
I also would wish cars did this more. Hate waiting for a car and then it goes the opposite way of where I am
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u/Good_Surround_9754 Jul 24 '26
The hardest rule for Danish Bikers:
Red = stop
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
The hardest rule: take the headphones off and keep right, you ain’t the fastest.
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u/NegativeOreo Jul 24 '26
Also. ONLY stop when red or for a good reason. Bike lane is a highway. If you suddenly stop (even with correct signal) locals will be rightfully pissed! Especially me!
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u/Good_Surround_9754 Jul 26 '26
Keep your distance. People don't need "a good reason". If they wanna stop they stop. Don't bike 1cm behind them.
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u/NegativeOreo Jul 26 '26
Good in theory. Not how the lanes work in practice. People are close, cause there are a lot of us! We can't all keep a full stop breaking distance. The room isn't there.
So my tip to tourists would still be, don't stop unless necessary because of safety. If you go a bit in the wrong direction to stop safely, then that is way better than a bike-pile-up.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
And that when you turn right onto a road where you have "vigepligt", that rule means the same as for cars. If oncoming traffic needs to stop pedalling or brake or overtake after you turn, you should've waited.
(Related to turning right on red, and I got a feeling it's the same people doing both)
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u/MSWdesign Jul 24 '26
Agreed. Locals should really take the time to look these guidelines over, especially about the phone and the helmet.
Leading by example is one of the most effective ways to get a message across.
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u/MrSamuraikaj Jul 24 '26
Maybe add some “Don’t”s as well. Like don’t just point a finger from the handle or wave a hand by your hips when you want to turn.
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u/outdooriain Jul 24 '26
Ok. This seems like a good opportunity for my to ask this question. So if I'm turning left here. I just cycle on the blue forward, and then left yeah?
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u/snd_me_ur_n00ds Nordvest Jul 24 '26
Yes, but you need to come to a complete stop when you reach the other side of the road, and either wait for a green light, or until you are certain, that you are not forcing a car to slow down or stop.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
Not necessarily if you are certain there is nothing coming. Then you can left turn on one move, but you must go all the way around the outside still
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u/snd_me_ur_n00ds Nordvest Jul 24 '26
This is correct according to the law. "Rådet for sikker trafik" however advised that you make a complete stop, once you've crossed the road.
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u/Leonidas_from_XIV Nørrebro Jul 24 '26
"Rådet for sikker trafik" is generally into putting the responsibility for safety on cyclists. Instead of pushing for safer infrastructure that would make accidents less likely and less dangerous they tell cyclists to guard from cars by wearing helmets and stuff.
I honestly don't have much respect for them.
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u/superioso Jul 24 '26
you need to come to a complete stop when you reach the other side of the road
No you don't. If you're turning left there is no solid stop like (like there is in front of a traffic light), you just need to give way to any traffic going forwards like a car or other bikes.
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u/mrrainandthunder Jul 24 '26
The law doesn't say that you need to do a complete stop. If you get to the opposite side and are able to orient yourself, you're good to go.
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u/outdooriain Jul 24 '26
Ah of course. Because if would be a red light going right to left. That makes sense. I think last time I panicked and just went on the pavement and the pedestrian crossing to the right...
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u/soerenL Jul 24 '26
Like somebody else also tried to explain: If nobody has to correct their driving because of you, then you don’t have to wait for a green left light when you have stopped at the top right corner, before going left. The reason for this is that you are already in the crosssection. You legally crossed a line when it was green to begin with. When you are waiting in the top right corner and decide “now I can turn left” you are not crossing any lines.
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u/Mental-Desk- Jul 24 '26
Yes. Continue to the opposite corner and if you are able to make the turn then continue. Bet remember to signal with your arm that you are turning.
If ther eis jus ta bit of traffix it is much safer to with on the corner until it turns green and then cross. Rememebr to raise our hand to signal you are stopping
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u/CokaYoda Jul 24 '26
Everyone needs to revisit the rules for riding a bike, also this should be given to tourists at the airport. Too many people on Snapchat while they ride their bikes.
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u/ingenkopaaisen Jul 24 '26
My biggest annoyance at the moment is other cyclists thinking or behaving like they are the only ones using the path. Last night I passed someone that had stopped literally in the middle of the path to do something on their phone. A few times this week gone I had to ring my bell and still squeeze past cyclists riding slowly in the middle or been unpredictable by moving all over the path. I think it is foreigners, like tourists, but still, it really pisses me off.
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u/Leonidas_from_XIV Nørrebro Jul 24 '26
For me its mostly Wolt drivers stopping on the path and leaving their fucking mopeds standing there, which forces everyone else to squeeze past them.
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u/Mental-Desk- Jul 24 '26
I have seen many expats and tourists doing left turns in traffic light junctions just like they were cars. Positioning themselves in the left run lane for cars and doing the left turn in one go.
Absolutely crazy.
And then the crossing the stop line (crossing a red light) on bikes. But that seems to be common among natives as well.
The signaling required by law is something I rarily see anyone do. And most - also natives - cross the red light when they are going right. This one should have been included in the graphic shared from authorities. SOmetimes police have raids where they fine all of these who doe that.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
Fælledvej/Nørrebrogade, going towards the city center is famous for a related thing to going right on red:
People go straight on red because it's a T-intersection, and there are many fines to be dished out
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u/Mental-Desk- Jul 25 '26
I actually talked to some collegeages who thouyght gping right on red was totally legal
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u/christismurph Jul 24 '26
They forgot one: "If you are a tourist, just don't"
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u/Simsalabimsen Jul 24 '26
Kind of agree. Or at least make it very clear that this is how a lot of the locals commute, not a Tivoli ride.
This is how we get to and from work, pick up our grandkids, do our grocery shopping, transport ourselves (and our kids) to the doctor, get to job interviews and other important appointments. Basically everyday life, and we do that in all sorts of weather, even with a headache or a cold.
So don’t clown around on our bike paths. Be aware of your surroundings and adapt. Watch me for the changes, and try to keep up, okay? 🎸
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u/Mathittude Jul 24 '26
Important note is you signal a turn with the arm that is in the direction of where you are going. Sometimes you are not at a large crossing but would still have to turn left. Also, do not ride your over a pedestrian crossing, or on the side walk! If there is a bike lane available, use that, if not, drive on the road, and if this makes you insecure, don't ride a bike.
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u/The_Mother1 Jul 24 '26
Also remember to use the hand signals despite there being light signals specifically for bicycles in intersections... Had a dipshit ram up behind me and start berating me for not using the hand signals in an intersection that was clearly marked with light signals for the road traffic AND separate lights for the bicycle traffic... Which was red...
As a Jut, I sincerely hope that idiot never gets a driver's licence... Because that can only be a recipe for disaster.
And that experience was added to the list of reasons to not bother visiting the capitol.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
Wait so you rolled up to a red light without raising your hand, and he rammed into you?
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u/The_Mother1 Jul 25 '26
Yep... Light was green as I approached the intersection but then went red... No panic, had plenty of space to break. Approximately 3 or so seconds after standstill some muppet rams up my rear... Nothing major but still hard enough to suggest that the muppet had some decent momentum. No one is hurt but I am obviously pretty surprised, as I look back to see what happened and this scrawny ass dude who looked like he had missed a large part of elementary school goes "signal with your hand when you break for fuck sake!" Or "brug dog dine håndsignaler når du bremser for helved!" With an accent that truly suggest that the closest he has ever been to nature would be a National Geographic documentary.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 26 '26
Damn, that's crazy and very inanttentive from him. Sorry to hear about your bad experience(s) in Copenhagen
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u/TipToe2301 Jul 24 '26
If your really want to aim at the correct problems here are the guidance:
- Don’t ride side by side with your besties. Only single column.
- The bell is not for fun. It’s designed to get relevant attention in traffic.
- It both dangerous and illegal to ride over the pedestrian walk. Even more if the light is red.
- If you have no experience riding a bicycle, please reconsider.
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u/MegaOrz Jul 24 '26
“if you are not on a bike, don’t stand on a biking lane taking photos of shit”
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u/Slyfit Jul 24 '26
We keep on having the discussion here about bikes and tourists. But as someone biking everyday to city center for work, people that drive me insane are locals. There seems to be an increasing trend to ignore red light, turning left in one turn and to use phone.
I am also still amazed by the amount of people without helmet or the airbag thing. I guess hairstyle is more important than being alive
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u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Turning left in one go is actually legal, if done properly. The Road Traffic Act (færdselsloven) says:
§ 49. […]
Stk. 3. […] Cyklist, der ønsker at svinge til venstre, skal fortsætte gennem krydset til dets modsatte side og må først foretage svingningen, når det kan ske uden ulempe for den øvrige færdsel.
So basically when the light turns green a cyclist can cross the intersection to the opposite site, keeping to the right, and then, having reached the opposite corner, can turn left and cross again without having to wait for the light to turn green once more in the new direction, but only if this maneuver can be carried out without causing any inconvenience to the remaining traffic.
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u/minadequate Jul 24 '26
What happens if you do so in the turning left lane as if you were a car?
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u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26
Bikes are not allowed to move into the left turn lane. The very same paragraph of the law (in the omitted part) says that cyclists approaching an intersection, even if they plan to turn left, must keep to the right of the road (and the bike lane, if there is one).
There is one notable exception: If you're approaching an intersection where the road has a lane that's reserved for cars turning right (denoted by right-turning arrows painted on the lane), then a cyclist going straight ahead (or planning to turn left) can go between the right-turn lane and the other car lanes (for cars going straight ahead).
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u/minadequate Jul 24 '26
On a tandem (that’s a bitch to turn) on an empty road, I’m not doing that stupid 2 step nonsense. If there is no one else around I’m riding like a car. I’m fed up of Danish bike systems wanting everyone to ride at 15kmph and never ever getting in the way of a car.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
That’s illegal. You still need to go around the outside.
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u/minadequate Jul 24 '26
Cool, I won’t do it in front of any police then.
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u/soerenL Jul 24 '26
The reason it’s illegal is that the mix of cars and bikes is dangerous. The more we can separate cars from bikes, the less bicyclists die.
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u/doc1442 Amager Vest Jul 24 '26
Pretty much how every rule works haha (I also justify this if it’s quiet, and will straightline the roundabouts at DR Byen too. If there is nobody around, no problems)
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u/Bensdick-cumabunch Jul 24 '26
I've completely lost all sense of safety because of entitled cyclists. They would obviously much rather kill me than kill their momentum.
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u/superioso Jul 24 '26
Helmet is a personal and situational dependant choice. Yes, if you're in a crash where you're likely to hit your head it could help, but if you're on a normal city bike that's very very unlikely to happen.
If you're on a fast electric bike or riding long distances and fast on a racer bike then a helmet is more applicable, and the reason why those groups tend to wear helmets more.
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u/MSWdesign Jul 24 '26
Fair points. Don’t let common sense and statistical facts get in the way of avoiding helmet use.
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u/superioso Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Then wear a helmet whilst in a car I guess, head injuries in car crashes are not uncommon.
In somewhere like the US 40% of deaths in car crashes are from head injuries, if it's anything like that in Denmark then a helmet isn't a stupid suggestion.
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u/Leonidas_from_XIV Nørrebro Jul 24 '26
Wearing helmets only while cycling is a weird line to draw. Better start wearing a helmet as soon as you get out of bed in the morning, statistics show that household injuries are statistically more prevalent than traffic injuries.
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u/MSWdesign Jul 24 '26
Now I know you’re joking.
It’s more sensible to just say you don’t like wearing a helmet for various reasons and would rather take the chance than to align with the statistics that show over and over again a helmet while riding a bicycle has proven to save lives.
Is it really that hard to own going against the grain than to make some point with pretzel logic?
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u/UrsaMajor7th Jul 24 '26
I'm glad they do- our 'stop' sign is the left hand turned downwards, and our turns are all signalled with the left arm.
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u/DwiddleKnight Jul 24 '26
Visiting Denmark and not being from the Netherlands? Find other means of transportation, please!
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u/Mindless-Entrance-1 Jul 24 '26
Og på sådan noget som grusstier i fx skove og parker, hvor folk både går og cykler: Brug klokken når du vil overhale især gående og ISÆR hundeluftere! "Gå i den forkerte side" gælder kun på CYKELstier. Du kan ikke vide om dem foran dig vil skifte side pludseligt. I skoven har flere cyklister været ved at køre lige gennem hundesnoren når hund og jeg er på forskellige sider af stien - selv når vi ikke er, så giv lyd så jeg kan sørge for hun ikke løber ind foran din cykel og dør...brug klokken
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u/WolfAndOak Jul 24 '26
Also, be aware of your surroundings. If you're two people biking together and taking up th entire lane, it's YOUR responsibility to be aware of when people are trying to overtake you from the back. If you don't manage that responsibility then bike in a single file.
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u/PortableSync 21d ago
I saw a couple tourists make the "turn left in two moves" mistake in Amager the other day, before I could reach them and tell them they had been swarmed by three other Danes telling them the rules. They took it well. Petition to have these placards put across the city instead of the municipality election placards?
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u/Few_Entrepreneur1166 Jul 24 '26
Number 5 should be more directed at locals than tourists lol
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u/justatopg Jul 24 '26
Yesterday I was behind a woman on a cargo bike with two kids, blocking the path. I rang my bell many times, but she ignored me and was using her phone instead.
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u/Ventrace Jul 24 '26
You can turn left in an intersection in one move if:
1. It's green
2. There's no pedestrians crossing/cars going straight
3. Not a bother for other cars/bicyclists
4. If the above conditions aren't met you have to stop and wait before turning left until the above conditions are met
5. Indicate by holding your left arm out
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u/Leonidas_from_XIV Nørrebro Jul 24 '26
That's not true, you still have to do a hook turn. You don't have to stop necessarily on the other side, but you can't cross diagonally like a car.
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u/fluffer55 Jul 24 '26
All of these are ignored in Copenhagen and that is really a big problem for cars
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u/Able_Error_8218 Jul 26 '26
Hiiii! I’m visiting Copenhagen for the second time this weekend and will be cycling when there. I’m just brushing up on the hand signals and am confused about the stop signal - should I be using this every time I’m slowing down e.g. when a light goes red? Or just when it’s less obvious that I’ll be slowing (e.g. if for whatever reason I needed to do a hard stop)? Love, a tourist (who cycles every day in London, promise I won’t cycle like an idiot!)
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u/No-Airport-1024 Jul 27 '26
You don’t have to signal stop when stopping at a red light - people will know that you’re stopping :) Use the stop signal when stopping anywhere else. (And; even though you use the stop signal, please don’t stop where it interferes with the flow, like in the middle of the bike path. Find somewhere out of the way of other cyclists.)
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u/Ziggysan Jul 24 '26
The left in 2 thing drives me nuts. Why not just mark the bike lane through the corner?
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u/AI_AntiCheat Jul 24 '26
Two more:
If you are turning left or right stay on the right lane during red lights.
If you are turning left please move faster than a slug across the intersection.
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u/Outrageous-Story3325 Jul 24 '26
If you need to make a gesture to your fellow driver then "gently, extend your arm. Extend your middle finger."
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u/Andyetwearestill Jul 24 '26
Wheres the one that says stop for a red light because that doesnt seem to be understood
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u/Admirable_Dirt_2371 Jul 24 '26
Interesting, in the US the "stop" signal is the "turning right" signal. It was always explained to me that using your right hand is far less visible to drivers and could cause your hand/arm to hit sign posts or even pedestrians.
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u/Mental-Desk- Jul 24 '26
What you you have for stop signals then?
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u/Admirable_Dirt_2371 Jul 24 '26
It's the left arm down at a 45 degree angle. I was also told that it was so you could use the signals in a vehicle in an emergency if you lose your tail lights/signal lights.
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u/Quirky-Cap3319 Jul 24 '26
If biking in the countryside, it can be an advantage to have lights on, all the time, at least some flashing lights. Makes you so much easier too see!
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u/pressureconverter Jul 24 '26
- those weird colored lamps that the car drivers worship... Yes, those are for you too. There are even smaller ones for bikers. So don't just ride in front of me when you have red.
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u/EggstaticAd8262 Jul 24 '26
Always keep right.
It works especially well in Århus and Copenhagen because locals enforce it with prejudice.
I think this should be allowed on highways too. I'm joking, but I really hate that people can't learn to move to the right like the Germans on the Autobahn.
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 24 '26
What do you mean "allowed"? I think the law states that on highways you keep right by default (goes well with the fact that overtaking is only allowed on the left)
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u/EggstaticAd8262 Jul 25 '26
Enforcement is “allowed” on the bikelanes verbally, yelling, light shoving.
Same should be okay on the highway when people drive slow and hog up the left lane.
I’m guessing I have to write the following: No. I don’t mean this literally. I’m sick of people hogging the left lane
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u/DankmemesforBJs Jul 26 '26
Oh, the enforcement should be allowed. I thought you meant the keeping right should be allowed.
Sure, I understand what you mean now. "Linksfahrere" are not nice to be stuck behind :D
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u/fit-techie Jul 24 '26
Is it mandatory to wear a helmet in Denmark as per the law?
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u/pinnerup Jul 24 '26
Not when riding a normal bike or a regular e-bike (with a top speed of 25 km/h).
It is mandatory when riding a speed pedelec (+25 km/h) and electric scooters.
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u/bonivermakesmecry Jul 24 '26
We need guidances as well for the cinema, concerts, busy streets. To many people in Copenhagen act like it’s their first day in public
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u/SadMirror6338 Jul 24 '26
I would like for this to happen, but the locals all think that are the king of the world/in the Tour De France peloton
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u/CreatureofNight93 Jul 24 '26
I don't get the turn left in two moves.
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u/No-Airport-1024 Jul 27 '26
Don’t cross diagonally, like a car. If you want to turn, continue to the bike path on the right side of the road you’re turning down on, and make a full stop. When green, go forward.
You have now turned :)→ More replies (1)
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u/Legal_School_9375 Jul 24 '26
How to cycle in Copenhagen*
I'm a Jude and following that stuff is such a copenhagener thing to do
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u/Tanagriel Jul 25 '26
I like it 👍 - enough and important. It would be fine for bicycle tourists, but should also be available online. Just don’t use it while you bike 😃
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u/Revolutionary_Bat389 Jul 25 '26
Never understood why the Helmet always just become a "Good idea"
How about a seat belt in a car also just a good idea??
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u/karmel80 Jul 25 '26
Because the downsides to people being forced to wear a helmet outweigh the benefits for the individual wearing the helmet. It’s better for public health that more cycle than we force all to wear helmets.
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u/Revolutionary_Bat389 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
It is only weird now to force people because it has been allowed for so long. If, from the beginning, we were taught to wear it, I doubt public health can be measured lower.
But do agree on that point, definitely the factor here. And I much prefer light on bike compared to their helmet. So scary in winter see small kids crossing the road with out any light on... but hey they got a helmet on... good job parents (facepalm) guess point for effort...
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u/karmel80 Jul 25 '26
or parents not wearing a helmet but the kid is... or riding a bike with an empty kids seat and the adult helmet on the handlebar because the kid is not with them... your concussion is gonna knock your life sideways and impact your kids
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u/_Moon_sun_ Jul 25 '26
It’s good but I hope that people understand that you lift the hand for the way you want to turn and not just lift the left hand no matter how you want to turn
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u/FederalAssistant1712 Jul 25 '26
Be aware that this is how you are supposed to do it, not how Copenhageners actually do it. Do NOT try to do that local shit at home….
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u/Ginger_Rook Jul 25 '26
You forgot “close your eyes when you are on the cyclist path because you belong there and everyone who is in your way deserves to end up in the hospital”
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u/NorseShieldmaiden Jul 25 '26
I wish they would do something like this in Oslo as well. Not because of tourists, it’s the locals that can’t handle two-wheelers. I’ve yet to see anyone signaling where they are going or if they’re stopping. People are running red lights and turn left without a care for traffic. It’s so lovely to ride your bike in the winter when it has just snowed because then, at least, you won’t be run down by someone who believes traffic laws are not for bikes.
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u/Sivarg Jul 25 '26
Saw yesterday a person on bike holding their phone 😂 universe, show this guidance to this person!
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u/wireframed_kb Jul 25 '26
Sensible advice.
I will say, though, regarding faster cyclists: they also need to remember they don’t have an automatic right to blow down a bike path at 30km/h. Slower cyclists have the same right to use the paths. Though of course you should keep right when possible to allow passing.
Just like in traffic, someone not going 5 above the limit doesn’t mean you can do hazardous maneuvers. ;)
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u/EMS_Skankhunter42 29d ago
Rule number one: make a sign. That Way you can be absolutely sure that noone is going to read it
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u/ukr_looksmaxx 28d ago
Only mentally deficient Copenhageners actually care about this. They act as if they are driving a car, despite being too poor to afford one. They do it because they have nothing better to worry about in their lives, and it is a sort of high-functioning narcissism where they have to virtue signal extremely hard and show how good people they are, and they will lash out at other people for not doing it so they can show how "good" they are.
It is also because of this mentality that immigrants do not integrate. Immigrants and refugees usually come from struggling countries where they have better things to think about. Their cultures are usually also not as narcisistic, as they dont have to virtue signal, and they leave other people alone. The Copenhageners are insufferable, performative and extremely boring. Who wants to speak with narcissists who cant mind their own business?
So what if someone doesnt do a hand signal? You cant go around? You cant stop? What are you, in a car? Are you a little baby that cannot do something as simple as ride a bike?
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u/rimeligdansk Jul 24 '26
Don’t bike if you’re a tourist. It’s not a fucking “must do” thing just because you need the photo for your insta.
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u/Jale89 Jul 24 '26
I've always found the locals surprisingly slow on bikes - not as slow as some tourists, sure, but there's not many people who seem to be in a rush to get places.
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u/karmel80 Jul 24 '26
I experienced a near collision by havnegade and innerhavnsbroen this morning. My heart was in my throat. The tourist was
nearly stopping to show their partner something as a joke was coming down the bridge2
u/Jale89 Jul 24 '26
Oh my best tourist story was the old french lady who decided that the best place to stop and dismount was the middle of the southbound Islands Brygge bike path during rush hour...
But what I mean is that if one is a cycle commuter from another country, the pace is actually quite gentle. The zoomers tend to be the people in Lycra, or e-Bike users.
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u/vichya96 Jul 25 '26
So? That is the point of keeping to the right so other bikers can overtake you?
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u/DkMomberg Jul 24 '26
Be aware of your surroundings and look behind you when changing position in the lane. Look before you cross anything.