Cycling in town: do's and don'ts for students cycling in Leuven
Leuven is compact and bursting with bikes. For international students, it is immediately obvious: there is plenty of cycling here. But cycling in a new city, with unfamiliar infrastructure and traffic rules, can be quite challenging. That is why since 2017, KU Leuven, in collaboration with De Fietsschool, has been organising Cycling in Town - a practical cycling initiation for students who feel unsure about cycling in Leuven traffic.
Orientation Days: cycling as a start in Leuven
Cycling in Town is part of the Orientation Days at the beginning of the academic year. New international students thus get not only practical info, but also a real bicycle tour of the city. Accompanied by volunteers from De Fietsschool, a group of about 20 students explore Leuven by bicycle. Those who do not (yet) have a bicycle can use one for the occasion.
Cycling in town, hands-on traffic education on bicycles
De Fietsschool mapped out a traffic-educational cycling tour that introduces students to Leuven's bicycle traffic. The route is a mix of busier axes with mixed traffic and quiet, traffic-free shortcuts. Along the way, attention is paid to rules that often cause confusion or fines as well as to useful locations such as:
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bike hire points
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safe bicycle parking areas
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self-repair stations for bikes
The tour combines education with discovery, so students not only learn how to get around safely, but also get to know their new city in a relaxed way.
Conclusion
The Cycling in Town educational bike rides are a first positive experience for many students in Leuven. Afterwards, they feel better prepared and more independent. Moreover, the tour offers a low-threshold introduction to the city, traffic and each other.
"Thanks to Cycling in Town, I now know how to bike safely and where to go in Leuven." - international student
Would you also like to organise a traffic education bike ride for your organisation?
De Fietsschool works out routes and plans the organisation and communication with your participants.