The Italians are seeking cheaper means of transport amid the ongoing economic crisis, which is good news for the environment. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19801599
For the first time since the end of the Second World War the number of bicycles sold in Italy has overtaken the number of cars. In a radical departure for the car-mad country, home to Fiat, Ferrari and Lamborghini, 1,750,000 bikes were bought in 2011 compared to 1,748,000 cars.
With deep austerity cuts and record high petrol prices, the purchase of new cars has dropped to levels not seen since the 1970s. Families are buying bikes, car pooling, and ditching second cars – a major shift for a nation with one of the highest car ownership rates in the world (around 60 cars for every 100 people).
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