Veilig Verkeer Nederland (VVN) is not happy with Lonneke statue in Veghel. The artwork of 3.6 meters high from the cycling lady with loose hands on the wheel shows life -threatening traffic behavior, says the traffic organization. “You just cycle in the circus without cycling.”
Two weeks ago, Lonneke, the first of ten bicycle artworks along the F50, was a fast bike route between Veghel and Uden. The province of Noord-Brabant hopes that residents will cycle more often and safer because of this art.
Art at the expense of road safety
A wonderful initiative, says Willemijn Pomper of VVN. “I think it’s nice to see that there is so much attention for cycling in Brabant” There is only one big one. “The statue does not show safe traffic behavior, cycling without cycling is extremely dangerous.”
Pompers hopes that cyclists will not cycle without a massive cycling. She does not understand the province and artist’s choice for this image. “Cycling pleasure and road safety can also go together. It should not be the case that the artist gets all the space at the expense of road safety.”
According to the traffic organization, it is ‘incredibly dangerous’ to cycle on the wheel without hands. “You have zero control over your bike. As a child you do that sometimes, because it is cool. But it is up to adults to explain that that is not the intention. With loose hands you can no longer brake. You can do without cycling on a field or in the circus.”
‘Freedom and happiness’
The statue of artist Florentijn Hofman depicts Lonneke, a resident from Meierijstad. “She associates bicycles with freedom and happiness, in this case depicting her arms in the air,” explains provincial spokesperson Roy van der Lee. “Cycling is fun, it is healthy, it helps enormously in the fight against traffic jams and therefore also in the fight for cleaner air.”
According to the province, the artworks are not there to give ‘the good example’. “Art is to turn on to think and beautify the area. In it the artist has of course been given a free hand.”
Yet the other artworks are ‘safe’, according to Van der Lee. “Everyone who is hereby depicted on a bicycle has their hands on the wheel, some even have a bicycle helmet on.”
The Fietsersbond in Brabant finds the fuss but exaggerated. “Art based on reality is independent of reality. Artists must have the freedom,” says Aad Smid. “And no, this is not really going to ensure unsafe cycling behavior.”