Spain and Italy. Are they in the same position in front of the world economic crisis?

credit: pelodia

Spain and Italy. Two countries in the same troubles, with the same difficulties, in the same position in front of the world economic crisis, everybody says. But are we really sure about that? Do Spain and Italy, right now, offer the same quality of life? Let’s take a look, for example, at this tiny but we think enlightening comparison: what happens if you want to rent a bike in Barcelona? And what happens if you want to do the same thing in Rome?

Barcelona is a city where, if needed, you can live without a car, since every main street has a practical and enjoyable cycle lane. Above all, if you don’t have your own bike, it can be rented easily and in many many ways. One of the most known is renting red and white bikes from Barcelona Biking. Aligned along Las Ramblas, Plaza Catalunya, near Arc de Triomf, walking in Barceloneta, Port Olimpic and so on, the red and white bikes are clean, always tidy and ready to be used. How? You can subscribe to the service for just 43 dollars (30 euros) per year. With the internet ordered card, you can go to any Barcelona Bicing point, take a bike and use it for 2 hours. Then you have to return the bike to any other Barcelona Bicing point around the city. A public, cool, efficient service that’s open almost all the time and that in just two years can count on 190.000 subscribers.

Let’s switch to Rome now. Some time ago, a celeb italian newspaper (“La Repubblica” online) wrote this line: “In the centre of Rome bike sharing is a flop”. So, what’s happened in the Italy’s capital city? Bike sharing parkings are completely derelict and empty because all the bikes have been stolen. At “Campo de’ fiori”, “Piazza Colonna” and the “Pantheon” the situation is the same and in place of bikes you can find some cars, motorcycles, and even chairs and tables of some restaurants that illegally occupy the area. In general, bike sharing parkings are dirty and covered with stickers or spray paint, while pilasters are smudgy and wrecked. Besides, calling the toll-free number dedicated to this “public service” is totally useless. They just answer to you: “The bikes have been stolen”. And that’s all.

Of course it’s just a tiny example but, although Spain and Italy live both really tough times, we honestly think that Italy needs much more “riding on his bike”.