Bicycle users’ risk perception and satisfaction, and reasons to choose the way

This study investigated bicycle users’ risk perception and satisfaction with road conditions and characteristics, and reasons to choose the way. In this study, we interviewed 285 bicycle users in two different streets of the city of Bologna (Italy). 146 (51.2%) participants were female. Participants were most satisfied with the speed of the bicycle lane, whereas the satisfaction with the road surface was lower. Participants indicated that the presence of a bicycle lane and the speed of movement the most important reasons to choose the way. The presence of high volume of motor traffic and high speed of vehicles in the road had the highest levels of risk perception. Participants also rated as risky the presence of roundabouts and crossroads without traffic light. The average rating of risk perception concerning bicycle use in general was just above the midpoint. There were no differences between habitual bicycle users (ie, people who use their bike almost all the time) and nonhabitual bicycle users in these measures. There were small gender differences in some of these measures.