Government: “Everyone should take up cycling to stay healthy and reduce emissions”
Also government: “You will cycle in the gutter. We will not implement any cycle lanes with divides to protect you; instead, you’ll get some road markings that drivers ignore and occasionally disappear, usually at the section of road that’s most dangerous”
I’ve taken up cycling as a hobby recently, but there’s no way in hell I’m risking my life on a commute when drivers are so reckless, and the government doesn’t take action to protect cyclists.
Look at Berlin. The new mayor decided to stop pretty much all cycle lane projects and now wants to reevaluate, whether they might hinder car traffic.
Of course he’s from a conservative party and of course he came to power under very sketchy circumstances and elections fueled just a teeny tiny bit by propaganda.