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Every Child Left Behind?

There are many things that I respect about the Danish way of life. I love wearing all black, riding my bike all over the city, and admiring the mix of ancient and modern architecture that makes Copenhagen so unique. There are only two Danish habits that I’ve come across that utterly confuse me. The first is silly, but I just cannot stomach herring. I don’t care if you bake it, pickle it, or cover it in mayonnaise, I learned my lesson last year and I won’t go near that fish again. The second thing is a bit more serious and, in my opinion, more concerning. I cannot fathom what would provoke a parent to leave their child outside without them. Maybe that’s unfair of me, and perhaps it’s a custom that is perfectly reasonable here, but I can’t seem to wrap my mind around it.

When you walk around the city, even if the weather that day is cold and dreary, you will pass multiple strollers outside café windows. Strollers that are not accompanied by any adults. The first time you see one, you may assume that the parents simply carried the child inside without the cumbersome baby carriage. If so, you likely would be incorrect. The child is left outside while their parents grab a bite to eat or a cup of tea or whatever they choose.

I grew up in a very calm, quiet, tiny town in Texas, but even so, I have never seen someone intentionally leave a child alone outside. To be fair, it’s harder to be in a safer society than Denmark, especially as far as child abduction is concerned. From what I’ve read, there have been fewer than five child abduction cases in the last three decades. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, nearly eight hundred thousand children are reported missing each year in the United States. This number is skewed because of parent abductions, but child abduction by a stranger is still obviously far more prevalent in the USA than it is in Denmark.

Though it may be safe to leave a child outside a cafe in Denmark, I certainly would not recommend a similar action in the United States. My inability to fully understand the common practice of leaving your child alone with strangers passing by them constantly probably arises because of this extreme difference in the child’s safety.

Feeling a Little like a Local

Last year, I attended the Business 180 spring term class that spends two weeks in Copenhagen. After the first few days, I felt like I was at least reasonably competent in my abilities to traverse the city. Like Cassidy mentioned in her blog post “Maybe change isn’t that bad,” I also felt strangely calm when I arrived in Copenhagen for the first time. At every opportunity, my classmates and I ventured into the streets to find food, visit museums and churches, or even just to “do as the Danish do.”

Well, if you are trying to “do as the Danish do,” at least two things will probably happen: first, you’ll start to wear A LOT of black; and second, you’ll walk or ride a bike almost everywhere you go. The walking and bike paths in Copenhagen make it extremely easy to get around the city, even if you, like me, are directionally challenged. The architecture also helps.

Copenhagen boasts an interesting variety of architectural styles. The ancient structures of days gone by stand right next to impressive modern buildings like the Black Diamond Library and Royal Danish Theater. Because many of the buildings are so unique, I find it easier to figure out where I am in relation to where I am trying to go. The buildings also make it easier for me to pick a path to take.

Today, on the way to dinner at Paper Island, I knew that if I could either cross the bridge next to Danhostel and follow the waterway until I reached a footbridge that crosses to the food service area, or I could walk past City Hall onto the main pedestrian street, follow the street until it essentially ends in front of Nyhavn, and then cross the newly built bridge that connects Nyhavn to Paper Island. I honestly have no idea what any of these streets are called or whether I’m walking north, south, east or west, but I do know that walking next to the harbor is a bit colder because there is nothing standing between you and the chilling wind, but it takes less time than following the pedestrian street.

After dinner, I left Paper Island and decided to walk back on the other side of the harbor which is now a viable option because of the new bridge. I was almost to the part of the sidewalk where there are trampolines when a young girl split off from her family and walked over to stand directly in my path. She asked me if I knew where “the building full of food trucks” (aka Paper Island) was located. Her father followed her and looked at me hopefully.

I happily gave them directions and then finished walking home. I cannot believe that I know the streets of Copenhagen well enough to give strangers directions. I almost felt like a local taking short cuts and wearing black from head to toe with simple, comfy walking shoes. I can’t wait to spend the next four weeks getting to know Copenhagen even better.

Giving up Four Wheels for Two

Copenhagen is a city of cyclists. Those visiting for the first time are often taken aback by the volume of bicycles on the streets and the number of bikes in the racks around various metro stops and other high traffic areas. I’ve seen statistics that suggest 40-60% of Copenhageners cycle to and from work daily.

I grew up in Houston, which is a city of solitary drivers. “If it can be done on two wheels, why not do in on four?” seems to be the attitude of Houstonians. “Even better if a 5-8 passenger vehicle can carry only a lone driver,” one might conclude from the number of cars and SUVs with a solitary person behind the wheel sitting in Houston rush hour traffic.

There are certainly plenty of other cities that exhibit cycling propensities similar to Copenhagen and many urban centers the more closely resemble Houston. Why is this? What accounts for the differing preferences for cars vs. bikes?

Allow me to get a few of the more obvious similarities and differences out of the way quickly. While both Houston and Copenhagen are coastal and relatively flat, the climate varies greatly. Copenhagen has a temperate climate, with average summer high temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s according to Wikipedia. That’s typical of Houston too . . . in February. While average winter lows obviously vary too (just below freezing in Copenhagen to mid-40s in Houston), most would say you can dress for the Copenhagen chill easier than for the Houston heat and humidity. Beyond climate, the cities exist on an entirely different geographic scale. Municipal Copenhagen is roughly 33 square miles, while Houston covers 667 square miles. Account for suburbs and the difference grows. There is, however, another key reason for the difference that mirrors one of the big differences between the broad commitment to sustainability of Denmark vs. the US. The respective governments have committed to divergent paths, in this case related to sustainable transportation.

For my entire lifetime, Houston has been investing in expansion of its freeway system to handle the large population and the propensity to drive. Sure, there have been initiatives designed to introduce alternatives, but they have been half-hearted at best. A high occupancy vehicle lane here. A new bus route there. We notice them as we sit in our SUVs twice a day during morning and evening rush hour(s).

Copenhagen, on the other hand, has made and continues to make significant investments in infrastructure to encourage more sustainable transport. We could complain about the metro expansion and the disruption it has caused around the city for several years, but it is likely to make a good mass transit system even better. Let’s get back to the bikes.

City planners in Copenhagen have taken steps for some time to nudge people out of their cars and on to their bikes. Many years ago the city introduced what amounted to free loaner bikes. This ensured that there was always a two-wheeled option available. Next? Turn the city’s parking lots in to parks and green spaces or plazas full of cafes, kiosks, and places to relax with a meal or drink. While improving the aesthetics of the city, these public spaces also made it a bigger hassle to park a car, thereby nudging folks to the bike racks. Ample bike lanes and bike traffic signals make navigating on two wheels much easier (just learn the rules of the road before you hop on a bike).

As I was walking to my favorite bakery (Andersen’s, if you must know) this morning, watching the wave of bikes build for the morning commute, I wondered . . . How many other cities could follow Copenhagen’s lead? I’m not sure that a 15 mile commute from Houston’s suburbs to the central business district in 98 degree summer heat will ever be feasible on a bike, but I suspect that there are other decisions that might at least increase willingness to consider other more sustainable alternatives than hopping in that SUV by oneself. I’m not holding my breath.