Impact of environmental and demographic factors on urban cycling

Abstract

Little is known about the importance of different variables in shaping cyclistsʹ risk perception when cycling in urban areas. We evaluate the effects of environmental and demographic factors on cyclistsʹ perception of risk in urban cycling, by conducting a study in the central area of a large city, Qazvin, Iran. We develop a linear mixed model to predict the cyclists' angular movement. With twenty‐six cyclists included in this study, the outcome variable is the change in the cyclistsʹ angular movement as a surrogate for risk perception, while the predictors are the personal characteristics and environmental features. Cycling through residential and commercial areas, one‐way routes, routes with speed limits, wide routes ≥ 12 m, existing bike lanes, traffic volume, and path elevation (all P≤0.001) are associated with angular movement. However, sex, age, cycling history, psychological distress score, and presence of parks are not significant predictors of the angular movement. While the cyclist characteristics do not show significant correlations with the angular movement, environmental factors have significant effects on the cyclists' risk perception. This study, therefore, highlights the critical role of cycling infrastructure in shaping the cyclists’ risk perception and it provides implications for urban planners and policymakers.