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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
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Big Cyclist Data. A study on bicycle practices in an urban context.: A study on bicycle practices in an urban context.

Translated title

Big Cyclist Data. A study on bicycle practices in an urban context.

Authors

;

Term

4. term

Publication year

2017

Submitted on

Pages

142

Abstract

Intelligente transportsystemer (ITS) i byer har hidtil i høj grad overset cyklister i deres kortlægning og monitorering. Store datamængder kan støtte beslutninger i byplanlægning, men kun hvis vi ved, hvilken viden data faktisk giver, og hvordan de bør bruges. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan store cykeldata kan bidrage til byplanlægning, og i hvilket omfang sådanne data kan give indsigt i cykelpraksisser. Undersøgelsen bruger flere metoder: et casestudie af, hvordan store cykeldata er anvendt i Oregon, USA; en analyse af data for København og Greater Copenhagen, der dækker cykelaktivitet i én måned indsamlet via Strava Metro (en smartphone-app, hvor brugerne udgør datagrundlaget); samt et eksperiment i København, hvor ti frivillige kortlagde deres cykelruter gennem en smartphone-app. Der blev gennemført dybdegående interviews med hver deltager for at belyse deres motiver og erfaringer, og praksisteori (Shove, Pantzar og Watson) bruges som ramme for at forstå mobilitetspraksisser. Resultaterne viser, at kvantitative cykeldata især fremhæver de mest benyttede ruter og i nogen grad viser, hvor alternative ruter findes. Disse data gør det muligt at opstille antagelser, der kan pege på nye forskningsspor. Samtidig er cykelpraksisser forskellige, og interviewene gjorde det muligt at identificere fælles faktorer, der påvirker, hvordan cykelinfrastrukturen bruges. Store cykeldata – eksempelvis visualiseringer på åbne kort, tællinger og døgnprofiler – er derfor et værdifuldt supplement i byplanlægning. For en dybere forståelse af bycyklisters praksisser er andre kilder nødvendige, såsom dybdegående interviews. En kombination af metoder kan støtte beslutningstagere og planlæggere i at udvikle løsninger, der fremmer bæredygtige mobilitetspraksisser.

Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in cities have largely overlooked cyclists when it comes to mapping and monitoring. Big data can inform urban planning, but only if we know what information the data provides and how it should be used. This thesis examines how big cyclist data can support urban planning and to what extent such data can explain cycling practices. The research uses multiple methods: a case study of how big cyclist data have been used in Oregon, USA; an analysis of one month of cycling activity data for Copenhagen and Greater Copenhagen collected via Strava Metro (a smartphone app whose users form the data sample); and an experiment in Copenhagen in which ten volunteers mapped their routes with a smartphone app. In-depth interviews with each participant provided insight into their motivations and experiences, and practice theory (Shove, Pantzar and Watson) is used as a framework to understand mobility practices. Findings show that quantitative cyclist data highlight the most heavily used routes and, to some extent, indicate where alternative routes exist. These data help generate assumptions that can guide further research. At the same time, cycling practices are diverse, and the interviews identified common factors that influence how infrastructure is used. Big cyclist data—such as open-map visualizations, counts, and time-of-day profiles—are therefore a valuable supplement in urban planning. To gain a deeper understanding of urban cyclists’ practices, other sources are needed, such as in-depth interviews. Combining methods can support decision makers and planners in developing solutions that encourage sustainable mobility practices.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]