June 12, 2025 - (Gdansk, POL) Day 2 focused on cycling for everyone. From bikelash to bike share, speakers tackled big questions on inclusion, equity, and advocacy. The day ended in style with a surprise-filled bike parade through the streets of Gdańsk!
Quote of the Day
“Have a heart like a giraffe. And remember, the giraffe can reach places no one else can.” – Piotr Kuropatwinsk & Philippe Crist
Plenary 3: The Social Power of Cycling – Dealing with Bikelash
Storytelling from yesterday and today have the power to transform the cycling landscape–either for better or for worse.
The second day of Velo-city was off to a great start with a thought-provoking plenary on bikelash. While a session on the topic was also held yesterday, today’s deep dive provided rich insights on the roots of this opposition and how we can break through it.
Moderator Philippe Crist began by asking audiences to reflect on their personal bikelash experiences, many of which typically elicited fear, frustration, and anger. Peter Norton’s presentation revealed that cars also faced similar reactions before becoming the norm many years ago, a symbol of urbanity. Since then, cyclists became the new radicals despite being widely used.
Discussing the current landscape, Céline Scornavacca talked about France where 34% of bikelash involves physical violence, typically perpetuated by men and covered largely by mainstream media. Meanwhile, in Tirana, Albania, Iden Petraj said that bikelash stems from citizens’ car dependence and political opposition, hindering the growth of bicycles’ mobility share.
Moving west, Canada faces similar political challenges, particularly in Ontario with the region’s current populist premier. But according to Eleanor McMahon, former MPP and founder of Share the Road, understanding people’s anxieties and fear is key to unlocking change.
Panelists then shared various solutions from their home country, highlighting the importance of stories, statistics and positivity in reshaping the narrative against cyclists. Piotr Kuropatwinski, a senior expert of cycling policy based in Gdańsk, emphasized that “mindset is the most important thing, infrastructure is a tool.” True enough, Poland is seeing more pro-cycling movements from social media to the streets.
The session ended with a word from Stanislaw Bukowiec, Poland’s Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure. He shared their best practice of thinking locally while working internationally to ultimately create tailored solutions.
Read the full report here.
