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Mrs Dierickx lives in rue Vandervleet, in Jette. But above all, Ms. Dierickx is very lucky: her municipal administration has decided that it will be right in front of her house that a bicycle box will be erected. Admittedly, from the window of her living room, she will only see this greyish aedicula. But she will have the happiness of being able to store her faithful two-wheeled steed there every evening, well protected from theft. Except that Ms. Dierickx is 95 years old. That she hasn’t cycled for a long time. And that she certainly never asked for anything to be put up in front of her house.
However, it was not she who launched the petition asking that this box be installed elsewhere. It’s Guy, the neighbor two houses down. He fears that the bicycle box functions as a magnet for clandestine deposits. He also regrets that it entails the elimination of two parking spaces for cars. However, in the evening, parking is complicated and it is not uncommon to have to turn for a long time in the neighborhood to finally manage to put away your car.
And don’t come and talk to him about NIMBY syndrome, you know”Not In My BackYard“, not behind my house, this phenomenon which makes that any inhabitant asks nothing better than to see new installations, but never near his home: “No, we are not against bike boxes. In fact, there are two down the street and two more a little further. We just would have liked to be consulted. And that the new box is installed in a place where it does not interfere with anyone.“
Her petition was a resounding success: in two days, she obtained 70 signatures. Not bad for a street that must not exceed 100 meters in length. She was sent to the municipality. Who remains on his positions.
The Alderman for Mobility, Nathalie De Swaef (Groen) explains that it is impossible to consult the population for each small development, and that the decision was taken by the entire College of Mayors and Aldermen. She adds that the whole street is devoted to car parking and that, if we want to encourage the use of bicycles, make it more pleasant and fight against the scourge of theft, these boxes are essential.
At the same time, she realizes that it is impossible to satisfy the 300 or so Jettois who sometimes wait up to a year to obtain a place to shelter their little queen in one of these boxes: “We plan to create larger shelters, which could accommodate up to 20 bikes. We are thinking of putting them, for example, in buildings to be renovated.”
In the meantime, Ms. Dierickx still wonders when her end of the street will be transformed into a bicycle garage.
Mrs Dierickx lives in rue Vandervleet, in Jette. But above all, Ms. Dierickx is very lucky: her municipal administration has decided that it will be right in front of her house that a bicycle box will be erected. Admittedly, from the window of her living room, she will only see this greyish aedicula. But she will have the happiness of being able to store her faithful two-wheeled steed there every evening, well protected from theft. Except that Ms. Dierickx is 95 years old. That she hasn’t cycled for a long time. And that she certainly never asked for anything to be put up in front of her house.
However, it was not she who launched the petition asking that this box be installed elsewhere. It’s Guy, the neighbor two houses down. He fears that the bicycle box functions as a magnet for clandestine deposits. He also regrets that it entails the elimination of two parking spaces for cars. However, in the evening, parking is complicated and it is not uncommon to have to turn for a long time in the neighborhood to finally manage to put away your car.
And don’t come and talk to him about NIMBY syndrome, you know”Not In My BackYard“, not behind my house, this phenomenon which makes that any inhabitant asks nothing better than to see new installations, but never near his home: “No, we are not against bike boxes. In fact, there are two down the street and two more a little further. We just would have liked to be consulted. And that the new box is installed in a place where it does not interfere with anyone.“
Her petition was a resounding success: in two days, she obtained 70 signatures. Not bad for a street that must not exceed 100 meters in length. She was sent to the municipality. Who remains on his positions.
The Alderman for Mobility, Nathalie De Swaef (Groen) explains that it is impossible to consult the population for each small development, and that the decision was taken by the entire College of Mayors and Aldermen. She adds that the whole street is devoted to car parking and that, if we want to encourage the use of bicycles, make it more pleasant and fight against the scourge of theft, these boxes are essential.
At the same time, she realizes that it is impossible to satisfy the 300 or so Jettois who sometimes wait up to a year to obtain a place to shelter their little queen in one of these boxes: “We plan to create larger shelters, which could accommodate up to 20 bikes. We are thinking of putting them, for example, in buildings to be renovated.”
In the meantime, Ms. Dierickx still wonders when her end of the street will be transformed into a bicycle garage.
In conclusion, the installation of a bicycle box in front of Ms. Dierickx’s house has sparked a controversy in Jette. While some residents see it as a necessary step to encourage cycling and prevent theft, others are concerned about the loss of parking spaces and the potential for illegal dumping. The petition launched by a neighbor to relocate the bike box was successful, but the municipality remains firm in its decision. As the city seeks to expand bike parking options, it is clear that finding a balance between the needs of cyclists and car owners will continue to be a challenge. As for Ms. Dierickx, she patiently awaits the outcome of this debate, hoping that her street will someday become a safe haven for cyclists.