Women in Barcelona and its metropolitan area use bicycles less to get around than men, they travel shorter distances, pedal at a slower speed and travel less at night. And those who do not take the bike cite insecurity, fear of not knowing how to navigate correctly or of suffering harassment as reasons for not doing so. 35% of urban cyclists report having suffered harassment. These are aspects revealed by the study
Everyday mobility in the metropolis of Barcelona. A look from the perspective of women,
carried out by the Metròpoli Institute on behalf of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB). The work shows how traditional gender roles are transferred to bicycle mobility: both in the way of moving by women who pedal in their daily lives; as in the reasons why they don't. Those who ride a bike, however, are very faithful to the pedals: 65% travel by bicycle daily. 27% use it regularly (more than once a week) and only 8% use it occasionally.
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Why women pedal much less than men
To begin with, the number of urban cyclists is lower than that of men. They have a weight of 1% in the modal share (the percentage of each mode of transport in the total journeys); and they 3%. But women's mobility is more sustainable: they travel more by walking (52% compared to 43% of them) and by public transport (26%, compared to 17%). Men, on the other hand, use the car much more: 35% of trips, compared to 21% for women. Mobility to get to work is the main reason for cycling for both of us. But women pedal more for unavoidable reasons (issues linked to the domestic sphere or care, which accounts for 18% of their trips) than men (10%). “These figures are explained by the roles of women in homes, so that they assume a more active role in care and domestic tasks,” the study notes.
Another relevant difference is in how and when they pedal. The average distance for women on a bike is two kilometers, the average duration is 18 minutes and the speed is 6.6 kilometers per hour (we are talking about going through the city, there are traffic lights). They go further (3.3 kilometers), longer (22 minutes) and faster (9.1 kilometers per hour). By time zone, differences are also observed: women make trips mainly in the morning, noon and afternoon (they make up 71%), and less at night and early morning (22%). They travel 63% during the day and 35% at night. “The bicycle also highlights the global mobility behaviors of women: with shorter trips and with a time profile in which they concentrate fewer trips at night,” the report observes. Regarding speed, he points out: “Driving behavior shows more cautious behavior and slower speed.”
The Metròpoli Institute's study follows the trail of analysis carried out in recent years by the Col·lectiu Punt 6 cooperative, made up of professionals from different disciplines (sociologists, architects or urban planners), who work rethinking domestic or public spaces from a feminist perspective. . Sara Ortiz, the mobility expert at that office, points out that these works show that “patriarchy and gender socialization are transferred to mobility.” “Men, in traditional masculinity, are educated not to be afraid of risk, in speed as something positive... and it has to do with road safety education in general. The positive side of taking risks has a negative impact with more serious accidents. And, on the other hand, we women are educated to have other behavior when driving, more cautious and preventive.” Regarding the lower use of bicycles among women, Ortiz also points out that “it has to do with the fact of linking activities throughout the day, the difficulty of doing some of the activities with older people or children, or the fear of having an accident or fall.” “Gender impacts the bike, gender socialization conditions how we drive any vehicle, the pace, it impacts being caregivers, and also the road siege,” she concludes.
05/16/2023 - Barcelona - Bike lane traffic light on Calle Girona corner with Ronda Sant Pere. photo: Massimiliano MinocriMASSIMILIANO MINOCRI
The metropolitan report is based on data from the Weekday Mobility Survey (EMEF, in its Catalan acronym) and on a specific consultation with women, whether they choose the bike to get around or not. And in this sense it is interesting to observe how the reasons why some do not dare are the same ones that cyclists point out as issues that they dislike. Specifically: those who do not pedal do so due to aspects linked to insecurity (fear of suffering an accident, fall or not knowing how to navigate correctly on the roads), or fear of being harassed by other road users. The perception of insecurity increases with age, starting at 45 years of age. They also cite cycling infrastructure and the availability of parking as the reason for not pedaling.
Regarding the reasons for satisfaction on the part of urban cyclists for using the bike regularly, health (24%), sustainability (17%), speed (16%) and comfort and autonomy (16%) stand out. Cost (11%) and pedaling as a pleasant experience (9%) also appear as notable reasons. And when it comes to citing important issues when traveling by bike, they indicate safety, cycling infrastructure and its maintenance, and safe parking.
Bullying victims: “Get off the street, bitch!”
The study has also paid attention to the situations of harassment suffered by women when they ride a bike. 35% of bicycle users say they have suffered from it, 65% answer no. Of those who have felt harassed, the bulk have been situations of verbal or gestural harassment (65%), 28% by road and 8% physical. Attitudes of harassment that have affected 64% of cyclists who have suffered it: “emotionally, physically” or have even changed their mobility behavior.
In London, the London Cycling Campaign launched a campaign against harassment some time ago, following a report that reveals the levels of harassment suffered by cyclists in the city. Following a survey of more than a thousand female cyclists, when asked what barriers prevent them from cycling, cases of verbal and even physical and sexual attacks surfaced. Nine out of ten have suffered harassment. 93% of those surveyed responded that drivers had used their vehicles to intimidate them. A third do not pedal at night because of the darkness of the lanes. In a video from the campaign, cyclists of all ages recount experienced situations (drivers who touched their butts or crossed their cars in front of them and their children when going to school) or replicate niceties that men behind the wheel said to them, such as “ Get off the street, bitch!”, “Get away, old cow!”, “Go back to your country!” or “fuck you and suck your mother!”
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