Commuter cyclists’ risk perceptions and behaviour in the city of São Paulo

Abstract

São Paulo, with its more than 12 million inhabitants (about 20 million including the metropolitan area) is one of the largest urban areas in the world. Due to a heavy reliance on motorized transport, air pollution, physical inactivity and congestion are calling into question the excessive use of private motorized transport and reinforcing the support of sustainable alternatives including cycling. Since 2013, the capital city has seen a six-fold increase in its cycle network, now consisting of more than 400 km of cycle lanes and paths. However, lagging behind the most recent structural developments, is the creation of a corresponding cycling culture. Thus, to provide an up-to-date picture of the current situation faced by cyclists, the present study aimed to investigate the risk perceptions and behaviour among current active commuter cyclists in São Paulo. To this end, an online questionnaire was developed based on consolidated instruments in the field, combining quantitative as well as qualitative measurements, and was completed by 207 active cyclists (45 women, 160 men and two other, 36 years-old). The results showed that there is a general tendency for a higher risk perception among women and high income cyclists, although the only (marginally) significant result was found for therisk of being run over by a car, which was perceived higher among women. Cyclists themselves reported engaging in a variety of risk behaviours ranging from misjudging the speed of approaching cars to ignoring red traffic lights or swerving around pedestrians. Qualitative results suggested that road space remains contested among cyclists and other road users or pedestrians, even in the presence of cycle paths, with a minority of road users disrespecting or even trying to harm cyclists intentionally.