I know what you're thinking...you gotta be kidding! Riding my bike...over traffic...on a thin metal wire?!?!?!?!? Yeah right, tell me another one. Who's actually going to go along with this cockamamie idea?!? This is no joke, though. Martin Angelov's Kolelinia concept is dead serious and others are sitting up and taking notice ever since the architectural designer participated in and won first place in the international Line of Site competition. In his own words, "The first crazy idea which came to my mind was to make flying bicycle-lanes, using steel wire, something like a ski lift but working on the opposite principle in which the wire is static and it doesn't need electricity."
What makes Angelov's wacko idea so appealing is that in our global push to make urban commuting easier on the planet, cities are actively trying to convert pre-existing infrastructures so they can accommodate greener modes of transportation. While expanding traffic lanes on the ground to make room for comprehensive bicycle routes traditionally requires a great deal of expense and time, running an aerial line above cities wouldn't be nearly as labor intensive and could be completed with relatively little fiscal investment. Of course, there are examples of conventional bicycle lanes being implemented with great success (such as Portland, Boulder, New York and Copenhagen) but the downside is that in addition to the cost, there is always a safety concern should biker meet bumper inadvertently.
On the other hand, overhead biking lanes circumvent the traffic accident potential despite the fact that they are literally hanging in the balance. Featuring sturdy metal channels that bicycle wheels fit into, it would appear that even the clumsiest cycler can pull it off without bodily harm. Angelov recently modified his plan with the addition of extra safety features and a personal safety device which he shared details about in a TED talks conference (video not yet available). Of course, it will probably take people a bit of time to get accustomed to - it's definitely NOT for the faint of heart - but outdoorsy personalities and thrillseekers would probably appreciate the adrenalin rush of cruising above bumper-to-bumper traffic. What about you, though? Would you happily give it a shot? Do you think that the thrill and novelty of cruising to work on a metal rail high above all other normal commuters would make you more inclined to bike 5 days a week?
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