ESSAY WRITING PRACTICE 2: BIKE-FRIENDLY CITIES

STEP 1: WARM-UP
Answer these questions.
● Are there any bike lanes in your town or
city? How often do you see people
cycling in your town/city?
● Why are bikes not popular as a means
of transportation in our country?
● What do you see in the picture on the
right? Do you think these types of bikes
can be used in your town or city? Why?
/Why not?
a cargo bike for families

A. Go through the information about cycling below and guess the correct number.
1. The Netherlands, which has a population of over 17 million, has around 13 / 20 / 23
million bikes.
2. In Amsterdam alone, there are just under 570 / 670 / 770 kilometers of cycle lanes.
3. 40 / 50 / 60 percent of Copenhagen's citizens bike to work or school every day. Bikes
can also be rented for free.
4. Ireland’s government has directed 10 / 20 / 25 percent of its annual transportation
budget to cycling and walking.
5. Britain’s government invested £ 2 million / £ 500 million /£2 billion to support
cycling and walking infrastructure.
6. Energy and resources that are used for the creation of one single car can be used for
the creation of up to 100 / 150 / 200 bicycles.
7. Konya has 450 / 500 / 550-kilometer network of bicycle lanes, which is the longest in
Turkey.

Reference: https://www.worldcycletours.com/blog/2019/22-interesting-facts-about-cycling

You can make use of the factual information in Ex. A to support your arguments in
your essay.

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B. WHOLE-CLASS DISCUSSION
The way we travel around cities is changing,
especially during COVID-19 pandemic. We
have to keep our distance from one another.
That means fewer buses, trains and cabs
(taxis). Anxiety over public transportation
means that more and more people are
willing to use bikes to go around and this
brought about a dramatic increase in bicycle a bike parking space in Amsterdam
sales around the world.
Read the paragraph above. Then discuss the answers to these questions.
1. What does “bike-friendly” mean? What are the features a city must have in order to be
“bike-friendly”?
2. Can Turkey go through this change and transform its cities to make them bike-friendly?
3. Here are some features of bike-friendly cities. How would you explain them? Take small
notes in the space provided. You can search them online as well. (Answers may vary.)

1. cycling infrastructure

2. public bike share

3. bike-and-ride option

4. cycling safety

5. community support

6. political
support/political will

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STEP 2: WATCHING A VIDEO ABOUT THE TOPIC

How to Build a City Around Bikes, Fast (Duration: 9:32)

Around the world, cycling lanes are popping up and bike shops are selling out. As
the coronavirus pandemic means people need to avoid subways and buses, the
bicycle is having a renaissance. And it could have a much bigger impact for the
health of our cities in the future.

A. Read the short introduction of the video above before watching. Which words or phrases
do you expect to hear in this video titled “How to Build a City Around Bikes, Fast”? Put a check
beside the words or phrases.

airborne pollution attachment to cars political will

gridlocked traffic healthcare costs pro-cycling

cars dominating road space emergency services fluid traffic

to reinforce infrastructure to prioritize cycling sick leave

sidewalk/pavement

World's longest aerial bicycle lane in Xiamen, China

(7.6 kilometre)

pedestrian

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B. Match the definitions on the left with the words in bold in the sentences on the right.

Definitions Example Sentences

1. to control or have a lot of influence over a. Thanks to fast changes in infrastructure, the
somebody/something, especially in an traffic is more fluid now.
unpleasant way ………………………....….

2. to put tasks, problems, etc. in order of b. The city administrations are responsible for
importance, so that you can deal with the reinforcing the cycling infrastructure of the
most important first……………………….…… cities.

3. with so many cars in the streets of a town c. Chinese companies have started to dominate
that the traffic cannot move at all the electric car market for batteries, motors and
…………………………… other essentials.

4. smooth and continuous………..…………….. d. Our municipality should prioritize bike and

pedestrian infrastructure over on-street
parking.

5. a feeling of love or strong connection to e. The radical urban transport scheme is

someone or something………………………..… designed to clear London's gridlocked roads.

6. to make a structure or material stronger, f. Many workers have little attachment to their
especially by adding another material to it companies.
…………………..…….

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C. FIRST VIEWING: Tom Gibson, presenter of the video, talks about the urgent need to re-
organize cities and turn them into bike-friendly spaces.
➢ Read the questions below before watching the video.
➢ While watching the video, take small notes in the spaces provided. Then check your
answers.

How to Build a City Around Bikes, Fast (Duration: 9:32)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-
I6HFQXquU&list=PLRocsFRngP7_tbrZVWP4lEr0WZT_YO0If&index=9&t=33s

1. Throughout the video, which

problems about traffic and
transportation in London are
mentioned?

2. What are the benefits of cycling in

cities?

3. In Seville’s cycling transformation,

what were the two key elements?

4. Towards the end of the video (at

7:29), Will Norman, who is London’s
walking and cycling commissioner,
compares Berlin, Paris and London.

What is the difference between London

and the other two cities?

5. What is Tom Gibson’s message

throughout the video? What does he
want?

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D. SECOND VIEWING (OPTIONAL): Here are some data given throughout the video by the
speakers. Watch the video again and fill in the missing numbers.
You can make use of this factual information to support your arguments in your
essay.

▪ Society loses 79 cents per km driven by a car, but it gains ………….. cents per km
cycled.

▪ There were over 72,000 trips on bikes in Seville in 2011. That’s a …………. %
increase in just 4 years.

▪ Seville’s 80 km of cycle paths cost ………….…………. million.

▪ On these cycle paths, there are …………. trips per day.

▪ Metro line in Seville cost …………. million and it has ………….trips per day.

▪ 1 km of highway equals …………. of bike lanes.

▪ The UK government has fast-tracked …………. million pounds to invest in

emergency infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

EuroVelo 12 (EV12) was the first European route, opened

in June 2001, 6,000 km (3,700 mi) route through England,
Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the
Netherlands and Belgium. It features in the Guinness
Book of Records as the longest unbroken signposted
cycling route. It was funded in part by the European
Union's Interreg initiative.

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STEP 3: VOCABULARY STUDY

Here are 10 sentences from the video. Rewrite these sentences so that they have the same
meaning as the original. Check online dictionaries to learn the meanings of the words in bold.

1. More people on bikes usually means

fewer people in cars.

2. From Berlin to Bogota, cycling

infrastructure is popping up or being
reinforced.

3. This strange period is the smartest time to

transform our cities into bike-friendly
utopias.

4. Are we ever going to get a chance to

reorganize a city like this ever again?

5. If people cycle, the level of air pollution is

going to fall enormously.

6. The amount of people you could fit safely

into a road space is far greater with bikes.

7. Most of us associate a road with the

motor vehicle, but actually there was a time
when streets were for people.

8. Cars have come to totally dominate our

road space.

9. Making enough space for bikes means

taking that space away from cars.

10. We’ve got a bit of a strange attachment

to cars.

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STEP 4: READING
A. Tom Gibson states: “If our urban spaces are to function after the pandemic, cities will have
to implement actions that are pro-people and make sure it happens fast.” Making cities bike-
friendly is one of these actions.
However, there are some people who think cycling is not a good alternative to cars. Go
through the list of their arguments. What are these arguments mainly about? Classify them
under these topics:
safety physical comfort traffic problems high costs

Critics say cycling has clear drawbacks.

They claim:

1. Bike lanes narrow down the car lanes, which leads to more traffic
congestion. …………………………………………………….

2. When the roads are restricted for cars to create space for bike lanes,
this will lead to many other problems. ……………………………………………

3. Serious injury rates for accidents involving bicycles are considerably higher than for most
other vehicles. …………………………………………………….

4. Even if a cyclist is wearing a helmet, the rest of their body is completely unprotected and
bikes themselves do not stand up well to collisions. …………………………………………………….

5. Cyclists have to share the road or the street with car commuters and motorcyclists. Drivers
may not respect cyclists’ right of way and this is risky.…………………………………………………….

6. The cyclists themselves contribute to the danger if they are overconfident and try to keep
up with or pass motorized vehicles. …………………………………………………….

7. Riding is uncomfortable for the cyclists. The small seat is unable to hold their body.
Moreover, being a non-motorized vehicle, it requires more physical effort. It can also cause
back pain. Cyclists have to utilize their lower back in order to power and control the cycle.
…………………………………………………….

8. Bicycles are not a good choice as a reliable mode of transport when the weather is bad.
They do not have sheds and when it rains heavily, one cannot ride on it. …………………………..

9. Most importantly, making cities bike-friendly is a complex and an expensive operation.

Transforming the infrastructure, changing people’s attitudes and habits, adopting to new rules
and regulations…these are difficult tasks to deal with financially. …………………………………

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B. Now, have a look at the list of arguments stating the benefits of cycling. What are these
arguments mainly about? Classify them under these topics:
economic benefits solving traffic problems psychological/social benefits
environment-friendly health benefits

Benefits of cycling
1. Bikes are a modern, clean form of transportation because they
do not burn any fossil fuels. That is, they do not exhaust toxic
fumes into the environment. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
means improved air quality. …………………………………………………….

2. Bikes are affordable for everyone. ………………………………………

3. Cycling is great cardiovascular exercise at a time when lifestyles

are becoming increasingly inactive. Riding a bicycle allows the average person to get in their
daily exercise efficiently on their way to work. …………………………………………………….

4. Bicycles are the most useful form of transport to combat against traffic gridlock as many
cities are suffering from traffic jam due to the increasing number of private cars. Bicycles are
tiny and need less space on the road. …………………………………………………….

5. There are almost zero maintenance costs for the bicycle. …………………………………………………….

6. Cycling is easy and fun. It is associated with joy. People who walk or cycle to work are more
satisfied, have less stress, and are more relaxed in comparison to the ones who drive. They
also experience more freedom. …………………………………………………….

7. Cycling encourages social interaction because you are (un)consciously aware of your
surroundings. You can also have a high degree of interaction with the surrounding
environment. …………………………………………………….

Reference:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-29/how-the-feds-could-keep-the-bike-boom-
rolling

https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/made-on-earth/the-great-bicycle-boom-of-2020.html

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STEP 5: BREAKOUT ROOM GROUP DISCUSSION
Discuss these questions in groups of 3-4 and take short notes. You may need these ideas
while writing your essay.

1. When you think about the problems of

cities related to transportation and
traffic, what examples can you give from
your own city/town? What kind of
problems does your city suffer from?

2. If you were a member of a cycling club

and wanted to have basic infrastructure
for cycling (bike lanes, parking for bikes,
bike-share stations, etc.), who would you
ask for help?

3. Without political support, it is difficult

to transform cities into bike-friendly
spaces. What are the things that citizens
can do to attract politicians’ and public’s
attention?

25 kilometer-bike lane in Arsuz, Hatay

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STEP 6: WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY (BREAKOUT ROOM GROUP WRITING
ACTIVITY)
Make groups of 3-4 and choose ONE of the topics below. Do you agree or disagree with the
statement? Write an opinion essay of at least 250 words explaining why you agree or disagree.

➢ “Cycling is a good alternative to cars.”

➢ “In order to create a healthier public environment after the pandemic, cities
have to integrate cycling to their public transport systems as quickly as
possible.”

➢ “Cities in Turkey must prioritize biking infrastructure and become bike-

friendly for all the residents.”

Procedure:
1. The T shares the Breakout Room Group Writing Activity in Google Doc (in editor mode)
with the whole class, explains the task and creates groups in Breakout Rooms.
2. On this shared Google Doc, each group fills in an OUTLINE for their essays. The teacher
gives instant feedback to each group about their outline.
3. When the groups finish their outlines, they are given 50 minutes to write their essays.
4. Giving feedback: The T gives instant feedback to each group while they are working on
their essays. Once all the groups finish writing, all groups read each other’s essays and give
feedback in the Main Room.

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Google Doc Sample for Outline & Essay:

Fill in your outline in short notes.

GROUP 1 members

ESSAY OUTLINE

THESIS STATEMENT

VIEWPOINT#1 Write your ideas in short notes.

+ Supporting ideas

VIEWPOINT #2 Write your ideas in short notes.

+ Supporting ideas

Others’ view Write your ideas in short notes.

& Refutation

WRITE YOUR ESSAY HERE.

More videos:
How Amsterdam Became a Bicycle Paradise (Duration: 3:57)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKbRL6Opifg&list=PLRocsFRngP7_tbrZVWP4lEr0WZT_
YO0If&index=8&t=88s
Beijing's first bicycle-only expressway (Duration: 1:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ebS0Fn2QE

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