Gender and Age Gap in Waiting Times at Signalized Intersections – Are Groups of Cyclists Structurally Disadvantaged?

Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/ReportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

This paper addresses whether traffic lights in German cities exhibit systematic discrimination against potentially slower cyclists. Recent literature indicates that female and elderly riders tend to cycle at notably lower speeds compared to other demographic groups. Hence, our analysis centres on waiting times at intersections in six German cities, specifically focusing on these particular groups. GPS trajectories were collected via smartphone apps as part of the CITY CYCLING campaign in 2022. Statistical analysis revealed only minor differences in waiting times between genders at traffic lights. Similar observations were made concerning age groups, except for two categories. Unexpectedly, individuals in age brackets where discrimination was anticipated (<16 and >64 years) experienced shorter waiting times at traffic lights compared to others. When examining waiting events per kilometre, a slightly different scenario emerged: women encountered significantly more waiting instances at traffic lights than men. This, coupled with a marginal disparity in average waiting time, hints at potential avoidance strategies.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTransport Transitions: Advancing Sustainable and Inclusive Mobility
Pages594–599
Number of pages6
ISBN (electronic)978-3-031-88974-5
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 3 Sept 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

Publication series

SeriesLecture Notes in Mobility
ISSN2196-5544

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-5497-3698/work/191533809
unpaywall 10.1007/978-3-031-88974-5_86
Scopus 105015382840

Keywords

Keywords

  • Cycling, Gender, Waiting time