Meet Dominic. The rider from Ostrava, who in 2021 broke the mark of 1068 borrowings and became our new Czech record holder. That’s a big deal! We met Dominik together with representatives of the Statutory City of Ostrava, thanks to which Ostrava residents still ride 15 minutes for free. What does he like about the shared bikes, where does he go every day or what routes does he like in Ostrava? Check out the interview and be like Dominik.
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Why do you ride a bike?
I lived in the Netherlands for 6 years, where everyone across all generations rides a bike for every occasion and every day. I’ve adopted this mode of transport, I’ve gotten used to it.
When you have a sedentary job, you are happy for any moving. To work, from work, to the gym, to do a little shopping… and suddenly you find you have maybe 6 rides a day in the summer. I really didn’t expect that many in total.
Do you drive in the winter?
In the winter, if it’s icy, I don’t ride, of course. But if it’s at least around zero and you have weather that’s manageable on a bike, I just get more strung out. I prefer it when I can ride.
So you’re totally comfortable with that? Or can you think of any improvements?
I’m happy with the system as it is. There are racks pretty much everywhere, you don’t have to look for anything for long distances. For me personally, the service is great. Sometimes it makes me sad to see what happens to the bikes. When you come to a rack and see a bike in unusable condition.
Do you have a favourite route in Ostrava?
Yes, towards Ostrava-South. If you go past Kotva and turn right up to Výškovice, there is a path around the river to a wooded area. There are even stands there, so you can drive into the countryside. Maybe even with more people without having to deal with your own bikes. Which is one of the things I appreciate too – you don’t have to deal with bike storage and servicing. You just put it away and find it again the next day.
How many kilometres have you ridden?
I didn’t count off the top of my head, but if you take it that you have roughly 5 km to and from work every day, plus a little riding around, it could be say 10 – 12 km per day. That’s like 2000 – 3000 km a year. That’s a lot, from what I hear. 😊
And what is your job?
3D graphics.
Dominic, thanks and hats off to you, you are our inspiration!
* If you want to know more about Dominik and the strongest bikesharing city Ostrava, check out reports from our meeting on ČT Události Ostrava or TV Polar.
