Cycling in the US from a Dutch perspective [266]
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- čas přidán 18. 06. 2013
- Looking at cycling in some places in the US in June 2013, from a Dutch perspective.
Much more info in the blog post with this video: bicycledutch.wordpress.com/201...
Filmed in Chicago, San Francisco, Davis (CA) and the Lake Tahoe (NV) area.
From a dutch perspective. I would be really freaked out if i needed to drive through a city like Chicago.
Lol such pussy 0 balls.
I learned how to city ride in Chicago.
Scary is South America, India or any third world country where there’s no cycling culture and people actively try and take you out
Mario I learned to drive in the netherlands, its the same in the us just drivers pay less attention
@@babas990 Would you let your little children ride a bicycle in Chicago? No? Pussy! What could happen?
The US is a really big place, city's make up a small percentage of where people live!
Mario oh Dear, if it only smells at critique the little pussy man with zero balls is already Butt hurt. Such big words for a man with a very small hart. Grow up.
I love that he showed some guys riding BMX bikes with the statement 'or those who haven't really grown up'. I'm an avid BMX rider so I had to laugh at the truth behind this.
Mitchell Dowling facts lol
That's because a BMX is not a great bike for traveling distance, they're good fun tho.
Mitchell Dowling they were using the sidewalk that’s why and that’s completely unsafe and illegal
My father once sold my old BMX for ten bucks at the door :'(
@@r.v.b.4153 WTF that's cheap
I'm from Michigan USA but moved to The Netherlands when I married a Dutch man. I cannot believe the difference of cycling . And how the dutch use it as a daily way of life. I love it here.
I think driving in NL is vice versa extreme. There are bike traffic jams like hell and that people have to ride walk speed because of that. I think I would chose public transport or just walk instead of bike traffic jam and looking for free "parking" exactly as people with cars. That from one extreme to another extreme. :-)
Ondřej Matějka lol wtf bike traffic lanes? Not in my 30 years living in Amsterdam, Nijmegen and Groningen.
Ondřej Matějka that is not true.
@@Pidalin the bike traffic jams happened as a protest at certain points where you had to wait for a long time before a traffic light turned green. Besides that I've only been in a "bike traffic jam" whenever we would go do something with the a very big group e.g. whenever we would go on a field trip with school (50-100 people). Parking your bike cam be tough from time to time but you're always able to find an available spot within 30-50m of where you want to go.
@@Pidalin It's not one extreme to another extreme. If you think the amount of bikes in the Netherlands are excessive, then think about how much cars those could be instead.
A bike is about 8 times more space efficient compared to a car, which is very much needed in cities, where everyone having their own car is downright impossible. And that is just one positive aspect out of many that bikes bring to your city. You get less road maintenance, less pollution in terms of the approaching climate disaster, less pollution in terms of general air quality - both through less traffic and through more space for greenery, less noise pollution, generally a safer environment to live in, a fitter and healthier populace, and more relaxed people since riding bikes is actually lots of fun.
Look at cities like Utrecht or Copenhagen, they are absolutely amazing examples for a good and healthy bike infrastructure.
My nephew was once in his homecountry (Armenia) having a walk in the middle of nowhere between mountains. There was nobody as far as the eye could see except a middle aged couple on their bicycles. He talked to them and wasn't surprised at all when he learned they were Dutch tourists haha
>Learns they have cylcled all the way across Europe to the caucasus.
>Dont feel any sense of surprise.
@@tibne2412 that actually is done quite often, they probably rented bikes, since bikes are mostly used for relatively short distances up to 15-20km or around (8-10) miles i believe. But we (dutch people) do sometimes go on a holiday where we just cycle the full day, stop at some beautifull spots, relax in a cafe etc, often you reach distances of hundreds of kilometers/miles, depending on how long your journey is, myself (and im only 15) have done a 400 km tour once, witch took around a week i believe
Same in Canada.... I rode my bike in the summer to work... everyone kept asking me if I lost my license.
lol what shithole do you live in? calgary? i know a lawyer that makes $300k a year that rides his bicycle to work every day in montreal
Arkroyale wow so cool u know a guy! Lmfao fucking loser tryna flex
Is that why you wear that fake mustache and glasses so nobody would recognize you?
DUI huh buddy?
@@sander2723 point is, in places that aren't shitholes, people of all walks of life ride bicycles, not just drunk drivers
Cycling in the US from a Dutch perspective: suicidal ... :-))
Right😂😂👍👍
Only riding in traffic. Some cities are putting bike paths along rivers away from traffic. However most riding here is done in traffic which is why I ride on the sidewalk.
From a normal perspective, everything is suicidal in the US.
You havent seen Romania yet
@Matthew Tymczyszyn Romania has the highest number of traffic accidents with someone dying
No separated cycle paths? Not even on the side of the road? No bicycle traffic lights? No signs for cyclists? Those are very common things in the Netherlands that you'll barely find in the US.
You don't need to go that far to experience the lack of infrastructure for cyclists, Paris for instance is a good example how far advanced Holland is compared to a big city like Paris. In most US cities it's the lack of money and using taxpayers money to improve life for those wanting to hop on a bike and paddle around the city.
+Marcus NL not "lack of money"
lack of desire to really change from car biased to balanced or bike balanced
the more people bitch about it though the more cities are jumping onboard the idea of making a viable system for cyclists
besides..you don't really reduce income that much by switching to cycle based systems (and you have to spend less to keep the roads repaired for bikes than cars)
most people don't cycle purely because of the safety issues...so it's turned into a never ending cycle
don't bike because it's dangerous
don't invest in a bike network because few are willing to bike
don't bike because there's no investment to make it safer...
In paris you can even cycle better than in the USA
Paris has still a long way to go before it's safe for cyclists.
+Rozy Chan Are you asking if you have them in Minnneaaapolish?
As a Canadian living in Europe, I have experienced the "good side" of cycling... Drivers are respectful, cities give us tons of space, and most workplaces have showers/lockers for those who have long commutes. If north america could get halfway to this level, we would be on the right track.
An interesting take on cycling in the US from an outsider, but it would be nice to have included some scenes from the Netherlands for contrast. They're easy enough to find on CZcams but a direct, inline contrast could have created a better understanding of his analysis.
What worries me is that the clips chosen to show the conditions for cyclists in the US almost exclusively show cyclists indifferent to traffic rules: Driving side by side in a shared lane, overtaking / changing lane in an intersection, doing left turns without indicating ( where I live, Europe, they are completely illegal and have to be divided into two straight crossings waiting for green). This does not worry a Dutchman?
The American cyclists do this because it is the safest way for them to bike because cars don't give two shits about them, so they have to try and protect themselves.
You can put "fietspaden in Nederland" in the search bar of yt and get a pretty good idea.We are decades ahead on the USA on this.
And it all started because we didn't want more dead kids in the 70ties when more cars came on our roads.
@@Tore_Lund Dutch cyclists are also incredibly indifferent to many traffic rules. While in the US the car is the 'king of the road', cyclists are in the Netherlands. Because of laws, unless drivers can prove that they really couldn't help it, they are responsible for any accidents, even if a cyclist runs a red light for example. (Unless they can prove they had no time to brake in time).
@@HackmannT I presume the road code is the same for cyclists and motorists alike in Holland too? It is an offence to run a red light, change lane or overtake in an intersection, do a left turn without indicating, crossing a double line? I think what is needed is that cyclists who owns a drivers licence are punished as if the drove their car, as they are required by law to know better before getting their license. That would have an effect on other cyclists, which might be excused, because they are children or otherwise not expected to have studied traffic laws?
I live in Denmark and we are in a similar situation. I think the problem is that cyclists, are feeling too confident, by speciality road design, making them less adept in normal traffic? There is an urban city in Denmark "Albertslund" which in the 70-80' designed a complete pathway system, with under and over passes, where cyclists could get around without getting near any cars. However this has resulted in children growing up there learn some bad habits, and at the interstate 3 lane road surrounding the city, cyclist fatalities are 6 times higher than average.
I was in Mannheim, Germany for two years in the mid1950's and bought a bicycle there to travel around Mannheim. It was a wonderful experience! Now I'm an old guy in my 80's and recently bought an electric bicycle to travel around my area in Southern California about 60 miles NE of Palm Springs on the Mojave Desert. The bike trails and safe passage on the paved roads is a rare commodity in my area. Most of the paved roads don't even have any shoulders on them. Well, at least there are a lot of horse trails on the sand around my home where I can bike. Riding on soft sand takes practice, and I'm still learning that skill. I don't really have the bravery to travel the paved roads where I'm totally at the mercy of anyone driving a 2 or 3 thousand pound speeding vehicle while texting on his/her IPhone.
David Miracle I live near Mannheim and i honestly have no idea how it was in the 50s but as it is now I really don't like the bicycle infrastructure there. Bike lanes are narrow with bad surfaces and are built as if they were pedestrian space (you need to slow down quite often, take sharp turns, use pedestrian lights etc)
I think they did a much better job in Darmstadt and especially in Frankfurt, though they have changed alot in the recent years
Cycling in Germany sucks since the 60s. Traffic is heavily dominated by cars, and bike lanes are abused by both cars and pedestrians. Cyclists always look up to Copenhagen or the Netherlands. Even some bike lanes in the video look better than those in most German cities. I live in Frankfurt and they have improved some streets, but there is still a lot to do.
@@electricboi9319 At least since corona things seem to start to change. The last couple years were lots of talks about improving our bike infrastructure, but nobody dared to take away space from the cars like parking spaces or even entire lanes. My city is an absolute nightmare at the moment, barely any bike lanes, very hilly, big ass crossings with 2-4 lanes in both directions. If we wanted we could do significant changes within the next couple years and I hope politics finally realizes this too.
Cycling ain't even good in Germany but that just shows how bad it is in the US
@@LuisMan123 Cycling in Germany is decent, but it depends where you are. Here in Münster it is really good, in my home town there are many extra bike lanes (seperated from the street).
As a Dutch person, my face was like this 😱 while watching this video.
G E K O L O N I Z E E R D
Come on now, you live in bike paradise. You cant compare lola
As a norwegian person that go to Nederland every summer vacation my face was like yours too😱😳😱😳😱
Frankly, the footage in this video shows disproportionately far better infrastructure than most cities in the US. In my hometown of Phoenix AZ, I’ve been nearly run over three times just from trying to bike roads with a) no shoulder, b) no bike lane, and c) no sidewalk. Drivers are frankly shocked that a cyclist is even attempting to use the roads.
Not surprised. In the UK it is worse in my opinion just take a look at @cyclegaz videos. In north England it's even worse.
One thing you can say about cycling here in the states is that it sharpens your reflexes. (^L^)
+captainandthelady That's definitely true..
The 'Quick and the Dead'!
Until it kills you.
Lol it sharpens The Grim Reaper's death scythe.
yea 32000 deaths a year.... from bike accidents. i ment car accidents
We're in this condition because a relative handful of people and businesses that had a vested interest in creating a car culture were given a free hand to do so. Transportation networks, whole communities were designed to cater to the automobile, at the expense of the people driving them. From family budgets drained by the expense of car ownership to traffic congestion and air pollution, we've been paying the price ever since.
The US is 3,794,101 square miles, the Netherlands 16,000. You could bike around the country in a week. If you want to live in an apartment the size of your college dorm, pay 70% of your income in taxes and not be able to afford a car, then go live there.
Boxhawk er None of that addresses Greg's point, even slightly.
Seriously, look up the idea of "jaywalking", who came up with it, and why.
Boxhawk er The whole national size comparison as an argument against cycling is specious. Nobody cycles over 3.8 million square miles, or even 16,000, unless they're on an extended vacation. Nobody drives that much on a daily basis, either. They go from Point A to B and back in the city or town where they live, which means that cycling is a perfectly valid way of getting around, provided the local infra allows for bikes and cars to share the road. And yes, that can be done. It wasn't that long ago in our history that people were saying cars would never catch on because it would cost too much to pave all those roads.
Greg Gross Actually roads started to be paved for bicycles. The road is for everyone but if any mode of transport had more right to it, it would be the bicycle.
M Jurewicz If by "almost a hundred" you mean about 85.
Hey, to be honest, you in the Netherlands live in the cyclist-paradise...(Writes your neighbour from Germany.)
ekim andersom No,you’re right!! I live in Norway but every summer vacation we go to NEDERLAND!!! Ohhhh !!!! what a wonderful place!! PEOPLE are so friendly !We use the bike all the time and the bodo and mind are thankful !!
I'd stay out of amsterdam then
It’s flat and The climate is mild. That's a great starting point (and something no US cities have) .
To that, they’ve added great infrastructure.
@@mikesmith2057 its fucking booring to ride if its mostly flat... greeting from switzerland btw if theres no mountain its kinda lame for me
After learning about Dutch cycling, I stopped wearing a helmet. I’m in Houston, Texas though, so I had to face reality. I now wear a helmet, with flashing lights(!!!) at all times. Incredibly, we’re starting to get protected bike lanes here, but they’re limited to short routes.
I went to the Netherlands last year and I loved cycling there. I spent a week in Leiden as well as two near Amsterdam. We rode our rental bikes to the North sea and it was great. The had a trail the whole way. It's tough in America except for a few cities. Of course, rural biking is pretty good here.
I was just debating cycling rules with an American guy, and he kept on insisting that I don't know cycling rules and that cyclists should not drive on bicycle lanes but in the middle of the street. Not sure if he was trolling, was just dumb, or if this actually is the rule on the USA.
Yep, many non-Dutch don't know it, but every single beach in the Netherlands can be reached by bike.
"There could be a good future for cycling in the U.S."
If only it were true.
I think the US could make an amazing cycling infrastructure if your American road planners can manage to make cycling infra safe enough for cycling without interfering cars, then that would be amazing..
But the thing is, its really up to you..
Don't be too negative. I was really surprised when I visited Phoenix of all places to have a decent cycling infra. There's a 30 year plan to increase bike lanes by more than 1,000 miles there. It's really something great for human health & safety overall. Also take the chance to look back at American history and Dutch history. The bicycle in US was super popular in the late 1800's, helped to liberate women, change their dress, give them freedom of movement, and arguably the right to vote! Netherlands was also overtaken by cars in the 70's and the people protested and fought so the gov't was forced to listen.
It is possible.. only need to pressurise your local governments
Denver has awesome bike lanes and bike lights, I commuted downtown on my bike everyday with them.
In the US cycling is like going to the gym, it's for fitness.
That's a pretty accurate impression of cycling in the US.
I find that having a task like grocery shopping or running errands gets me more motivated to bike than going on a joy ride. It's fun to know that I accomplished a necessary task and got exercise without having to use a polluting car.
I've lived in the US my entire life and I so wish there was a system like that in the Netherlands
I know it's been 4 year but still
-_- rly?
i live in the netherlands! in highschool i always cycled a good 45 minutes from and to school. now im a college student, and i cycle to the busstop and 30 minutes to work. if i ever hang out with friends, i just head over on my bike! for a large part of my life i had undiagnosed add and my eating schedule was a mess . this definitely played a small part in keeping me fit and from being overweight! very blessed and happy, i couldnt imagine having to take pt or a car everywhere.
Dafuq is an Eating Schedule? I just eat when I'm hungry. Also cars are awesome
I would love a city designed for bikes here in the U.S.
Newy Oudone Portland is close
I drove the PDX WNBR a few years ago. That's the Portland World Naked Bike Ride! About 8000 cyclists that year, I think the number of participants has increased even more lately. Portland has a rather good infra for riding a bike.
America has an endless amount of cycle infrastructure and more is being built constantly. The Netherlands is a nation the size of a large US city. If we concentrated everything we had into the cycle infrastructure of NYC it would be world class, but we have a bigger show to run. No city is going to be "designed for bikes", you need to advocate for cycling infrastructure to be included in future projects. Noob.
Newy Oudone Davis california is the closest thing in my opinion. there are bike lanes everywhere and people use bikes to get everywhere. but it's still probably nothing compared to every city in the Netherlands it's the closest thing the u.s. has got.
No, they really don't. Maybe in designated parts of like Long Beach, and in UC Davis, but otherwise the #'s of bicycle commuters is quite low. Lots of sprawl, not much promotion for cycling or advocacy, and a lot of CA lack seven remotely decent bicycle facilities they just END.. like in San Jose CA, a flat mostly city, I would be riding along a good 4-5 ft bike lane for a stretch and it would just "poof" disappear and you would be stuck with traffic on your butt. They are not nearly as bad as most areas. Many people just view cycling differently in CA. Maybe it is the wealth, the elitist way of some trying to prove their wealth? Show off a car? I just cannot say a lot of good things about cycling in CA. In places where it "should" be much more the case.
Thank you so much for making this video! I live in the US and I recently bought a bicycle to start riding to school everyday. I live close to school, less than 2 miles away, but I still feel like I'm about to get killed every time I try to ride my bike! So I'm mostly just driving, which feels like such a waste considering how close I am. I want to show this video to politicians in my area to start making some real changes!
I’m a Dutch man who cycled through NYC last year. I’ve got to say it’s quite nice to have a shared bike system over there where you can easily pick and mount bikes al over the city.
The lanes though. There are some colored lanes at the roads at the outer side of manhattan, but most of the bike lanes are filled with buses. Buses and bikes share the same spaces on the street which in my opinion are crazy. I did not where any helmet and I think thats fine because traffic is not riding that fast in downtown Manhattan, but some better lanes could seriously reduce the amount of motorized traffic, because the island is flat and very much accessible by bike. Love the channel! Groetjes
I live in Manatee County, Florida, where our few bike lanes are narrow and often disappear after a few blocks. But we have bike racks on the buses, and some nice scenic bike trails you can drive to. I try not to ride on our major streets at all - we have one of the highest bicycle death rates in the U.S. because our average driver is a moron.
Spandex. Heh. Not for me. I'm old and have a potbelly. A helmet when I leave my low-speed neighborhood. One of the super-dorky ones. Good thing I have flip-up sunglasses to complete the dork effect.
FL just seems like one of the worst places in the USA for cycling. There needs to be more investment on complete streets with bike lanes at the very least. Keep seeing statements being made about the danger to get around on a bike there.
Robin Miller this is not an attack on you or bikers in general, but I live in pinellas and bikers are the bane of my existence. They are always in the way and don't obey traffic laws (ie running stop signs etc.). I drive a pickup and pull trailers (cars and boats) and very frequently I run into bikers going 15-25 under the limit and I can't pass because I'm wide and would likely hit them or come close to it. I really wish they would change the law to allow them to ride on the side walks or create true "bike lanes."
totally agree with the true bike lanes idea; or something like a dedicated lane with a barrier. From experience though putting bikes on sidewalks is a terrible idea; cars aren't going to look at sidewalks for cyclists and bikes would pose a risk to walking pedestrians on sidewalks. When I was a kid I got hit by a car because I was on a sidewalk and the person driving wasn't expecting someone to be riding down it.
Sidewalks are the only option in many areas that have done nothing for livability, or on highways, main thoroughfares. In many cases, they provide a sense of false security, since the assumption is it is safer than being seen on the shoulder or in the middle of the lane. More people are hit at blind turns coming down a curb cut than any other way just about.
So sad that so many parts of the USA are poorly planned and not inclusive with active transport. So many older people would benefit in FL. But, Politics, and assuming they cannot ride, when in reality.. they cannot, if they have "been". Bodies need to move. Things start to give up on you. Instead it is fast food with a coupon and driving a Buick to the mall. I live in a city that does better than most, but I still wish to live somewhere over seas with much better planning.
This makes me happy that i am from the Netherlands...
+Daniel Marinkovich (Moravac) what do you mean? We have sturdy, comfortable bikes, which is something the rest of the world doesn't seem to have...
We don't race to where we want to be so we don't need racing bikes, we also don't need to off-road so no need for mountainbikes. Remember that this is people's commute, a 'Dutch-style' bike gives us everything we need. Also, bikes can sometimes look a bit crappy because if you have a new bike there's a bigger chance it might get stolen. Bike-theft is a serious problem in big cities, so people ride a shitty (but still comfortable) bike in the hope the thiefs won't find it worth stealing.
Outdated? They are actual bikes. Not road bikes. These are made a heck of a lot better than the Chinese crap and carbon road bikes here in the USA. Sensibility. Not racing or cheap crap.
I would first learn a bit basic geography. Because Copenhagon is not in the netherlands. Copenhagen is denmark
***** Wat Denmak is not in the benelux
Update: The only place in the country that resembles closest to the designated paved cycling lanes (non lane paint marking) is the Cultural Trail in Indianapolis,Indiana. No city comes close to Indy...not even Portland. The designated bike lanes are paved separated from the road way and sidewalk. It's the closest I've seen when I was in the Netherlands. It's relatively new but suspect someone who designed this was inspired by the Dutch system. I'm really happy to have this in my city. CZcams "cultural trail" to see what I mean.
I used to live in Seattle and use the Burke Gilman Trail to get to university. It's limited, but one of my favorite cycling infrastructures ever. If only it wasn't shared with pedestrians...
@@LisetteLowe It might be limited but it is a start to getting people accustomed to the awareness of cycling.
I would put the coastal greenways of lower Manhattan (south of Midtown) on the list too. The best urban cycleway that I've rode so far, especially in Battery Park. But definitely want to check the Cultural Trail some day too
Respect for bikes :) They're so much more fun, healthy, and environmentally friendly. It's time the US catches up.
Pelpina HAHAHAHAHHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAH the D-d-day that hahaha the U.- U . S. Catches u-up hahahahah is the day I'll stop being mad at the Spanish
Biggus Dickus I'm Dutch and have. Grutch againts a people that oppressed us and forced us to go to war
Je bent een zakkenwasser Moonlight Drown.
Biggus Dickus there`s nothing wrong with Spanish people, I am also a Dutchman.
Moonlight Drown why don’t you piss off. Where here to talk about bikes not some stupid history that you’re apparently butt hurt about. Go cry a river somewhere else sad pig.
Yes Davis is a college town so naturally practically every student has a bike but I also see a lot of adults riding with their kids and tons of children riding home by themselves afterschool so the city of Davis itself is very bike oriented
"...It is surprising that that explanation for motor traffic is also needed."
Differences in regulations frequently need clarification.
In many places a left turn is legal outside of the green arrow in certain circumstances. The arrow only shows when the intersection is protected for left turns. Other times when the straight lanes are green the turning car might be permitted but has to yield to through traffic.
The sign would then be required for those intersections where the maneuver is deemed unsafe.
In 1983 was visiting relatives in Malmö, Sweden and I borrowed my uncle's bicycle a few times.
I rode on the side of the divided highway and people were yelling and honking at me.
I didn't know what they were saying because I didn't understand the language but I knew I was doing something wrong.
Then I discovered on the return trip that Malmo Sweden has a freeway system exclusively for bicycles.
This was 35 years ago.
I haven't seen any CZcams videos describing it but it is really amazing.
I appreciated this video substantially! It is refreshing to hear the perspective of a native Dutch person on cycling in the US, and especially one that takes a reasonable approach. Too often, it seems critiques outnumber either talk of solutions or current improvements, so hearing both is a nice change. As a bonus, the video was well-produced!
Those bike lanes next to parked cars are actually WORSE than nothing - as they make motorists expect cyclists to risk their lives with an opening door. If you want to see a different cycling culture try Canberra, Australia. We have inter-center cycle paths totally separated from the road thoroughfares in many places, and where they are together there are wide lanes. It is legal to ride on footpaths in most places unless a cycle path is provided as well. We still go a hell of a lot faster than the dutch, but that is because we have hills, so we can :P (i am half dutch myself - they couldnt believe how fast i was used to going when i was in rotterdam or my strength on the static bike in fitness test when i was young, but i was used to riding 40-70kph)
Australia is the worst place on earth for cycling. Four hundred AUD fine for not wearing a plastic hat while cycling? Have fun with that.
70 km/h. Yeah right.
@@RDJ2 IF you get going down a hill with a good wind at your back that speed is entirely possible.
This narrator was a pretty relaxed informational type of guy. In reality The United States of America has no real daily cycling culture. People wear a load of safety gear because they fear being run down and killed. This is the right attitude for the moment in a country that has no cycle culture compared to an amazing land like Scandinavia or the Orient. In America you are a big deal with a car. It will be a while before that changes.
We do not belong to Scandinavia which is in fact made up by 6 different countries. The Netherlands belong to the Benelux.
It's not that you're a "big deal" with a car, it's because the car is much more part of society than in a lot of other countries. It's part of the American "culture" (I've denied for years that they have one, but they do).
David de Ruiter where do you got your facts from?, Scandinavia is a geographical region, the peninsula containing only 2 countrys, Norway and Sweden. the Benelux is no region its a Union, the precursor of the EU, today its called "Benelux Economic Union", the geographical region we are part of are the lowlands, containing largely the kingdom of the Netherlands, parts of Belgium and Germany, here we got the language term "high German and low German" from (accents). anyway i think he ment cycling is pretty big in other parts of the world to, like i know it is in Danmark/Kopenhagen.
It's not that we don't have a cycle culture because we do. Even in remote little towns that have no bicycle lanes or trails you will still see people riding their bicycles to commute or recreate. What it is is that our car culture is consistently being reinforced by industry and government. When roads need renovation the only consideration given is the automobile. Lobby groups for motorists have a lot more pull than community groups that don't have the funding of the other.
Berend van der Valk You are talking about the geographical and i am talking about the cultural. But you are right in questioning me cause the right term is Nordic countries. Still al these countries are also called Scandinavia while the peninsula only consists of Sweden Norway and Sapmi.
It’s lovely to see this video 9 years on. The bike infrastructure in most American cities is getting better year after year. I’m in Rochester, MN and there is a concerted effort by the city to get more protected lanes away from parked cars. Where car is king, it takes a long time to change.
Biking is very very dangerous in US. It was not built for biking. It’s a country constructed for drivers in big cars with big engines. So it makes it extremely dangerous and most people are on phones while driving.
They've added bicycle infra where I live, but it's not very good..... 😢
Thank you. Anything that makes the U.S. slow down and THINK is a great thing!
Vitality Massage you wanna think? Okay you U.S. are ignorant for not allowing other humans the same rights as some others. You are lame for allowing trump to have won. You are complete morons. Your stupid for thinking your the master race. Your idiots for exterminating all those innocent Americans . Should I go on?
Moonlight Drown What are you yaliking about? Many people were sad about Trump winning, about half of the country. And his personality isnt great but his plans are good. Hillarys plans werent that much better and neither is her personality. They have equal rights in America people just talk and spew lies about it wich makes it seem like they don’t.
Moo his plans are not good he is wasting money and resources with that dumb wall of his, also, you have nothing to debunk the other point? Wow
I agree trump has nothing good to bring for the country and it's a disgrace that he was even considered for the position. Don't forget that the majority voted against him. Also, almost everyone in the US agrees that racism is a big problem, and that the genocide genocide committed against Native Americans was an atrocity.
However, you are the idiot here.
Vitality Massage reacted positively to this video and expressed his opinion. You responded by generalizing him to a minor part of the US population and then insulting him, providing no factual basis for your arguments. This is a logical fallacy and is common among people who lack basic argumentative skills. (yourlogicalfallacyis.com/ad-hominem). Also, it's "you're" when contracting "you are", not "your".
25% of the adult population went to a polling booth and voted for Trump. Half of those voting for Trump said they were not so much voting for Trump, but against Hillary. So less than 13% went down and voted for Trump because they thought Trump would make a good President. Get out of here with that half the country BS. The group to blame for this mess is much smaller.
Use red asphalt (use a red pigment like iron oxide) to mark cycling lanes. It lasts way longer than paint and you can do it if you're going to pave it over older asphalt.
Yet its ironic that most buses in the US have bicycle racks in the front, something I never seen in the Netherlands
In the netherlands, there's no need to take a bike on a bus. You can just bike to where you want to go. If you have to take the bus to another city, you can use the public transportation bikes, or do what a lot of students do, store a bike in every city where you regularly come.
For example in switzerland 80% of bus riders don't go farther than 5 km, that's only 15 minutes of bicycling. Also new buses probably don't allow this kind of bike rack, you can see them on older ones. Also buses are on strict schedule they cannot wait for people to put and remove their bikes. In Switzerland the rare bike/bus user can take his bike on the bus (on the urban ones at least).
BNT yes because why would you take your bike on the bus when you can just you know cycle.
In the Netherlands we take our bike In the bus not on front
It is because the US is too large. Sometimes, you only want to bike to the bus stop because biking home takes 2 hours ;)
I lived in Davis for four years before visiting the Netherlands and was so surprised by the effective biking infrastructure. cool video
I'm American and I wish we implemented the Dutch bicycle way of life. Honestly I'd rather be from Netherlands than USA.
***** Every other country is inferior to the United States. Why would you want to be from the Netherlands?
***** Just speaking the truth.
***** Can you name a country that is superior to the United States?
***** I don't think modern day Germany beats us in any statistics. It is insulting to even try to compare a country as low as Germany to the United States.
***** Our GDP is better than any other country. Germany is usually ranked 4th behind China and Japan. U.S. is the greatest.
please for all the Americans don't say to the dutch cyclers to wear helmets. do your homework first and think why me may not need them at all ...
Zzzannie Even without dangerous drivers, helmets are still necessary for personal protection, like if you hit something and flip.
i dont know how you cycle but we dont '''flip'' here.
Zzzannie If you're going down a very steep incline and hit an obstacle this can happen.
we dont have that in the netherlands
Just hurt wounded myself at the head by riding over a little stone (I ride a sth like racing bike) wile driving round a corner with the tight tires i just sliped off the stone and fell. And i know its very unlucky and it doesnt happen very often but since then i always wear a helmet. And there are situation even in the netherlands somebody died because he hadnt weared a helmet so why not
btw im living in Germany which also has a good cycling infra.
Now do "Driving in the Netherlands from an American Perspective"
Driving in Dutch cities is a pleasure. No cyclists getting in the way of car drivers, no drivers in the way of cyclists.
The Dutch have very high car ownership levels, it's just that they tend to use bikes for shorter journeys, because they are quicker & more convenient in cities.
It's just an angelic choir playing over the American not getting run down at every intersection.
I Almost entirely bike within 2-3 miles of my home, I've almost been run over by people ignoring stop signs several times.
Netherlands has waaay better road than the US lmao
There you go ;) czcams.com/video/hGvTr67YLkg/video.html
Very nice tour, have a blessed week my friend! 💚✨
Thank you for enlightening motorists and cyclists on the subject of safety and how to ask for safer paths on city streets. Beautifully done, sir.
I find American road signs to be very amusing. Half of them seem to be just text explaining stuff that should be obvious, like the "left turn signal" sign in this video. The funniest one is probably the equivalent to the falling rocks sign, which is just text saying "ROCKS"
xd
Bike lanes amplify congestion while providing little safety or convenience by taking up a lot of lane space for traffic. Cars still park, stop & turn in them, blocking the bike lanes as well...
I have ridden over 20 years after stopping myself from driving in the 90's due to not only climate change but the risk I put everyone else at for my own laziness...
This is why I refer to cars as 3 ton wheelchairs.. with this being said it is clear I do not desire to side with cars in ridding the streets of bike lanes, however experience as a rider has taught me that we should actually indeed do that. We should be designating curb lanes as "shared lanes" because bicycles are entitled a full lane and legally cars are bound to change lanes when passing.. When a vehicle has to stop, since it is a shared lane then they are able to pull over without "blocking" a bike lane. As long as they signal and use caution it would be much more effective than them currently cutting cyclists off as they talk on their phone pulling into the bike lane to stop....
When a car signals and turns right they should not have cyclists approaching from behind and passing on their right as they are behind a car turning ahead of them which means the car has the right of way.. cyclists should be empowered to go around the car on the left with the space that is left in the "shared" curb lane, without nearly being run over by other vehicles behind the turning vehicle
I have people yelling at me while I leave a bike lane to make a left turn.... as though I am supposed to turn left from the right hand side of the road.... at the last second...
Thank you for validating my anxiety and tears from the moments bicycling on American streets euth my dad. Horrible times
I bicycle commuted in L.A. for almost a decade. Never hit by a car but certainly some close calls. I tried to ride through neighborhoods whenever possible, but I rode on Sepulveda, La Cienega, PCH, La Brea and other nightmare inducing streets during work traffic.
The criticism of helmets misses one big thing - riding a bike on somewhere other than pavement. Maybe it's because I live in the boondocks, but riding a bike off-road is arguably much more common and, rather than being associated with racing or leisure, is associated with the likes of other outdoor exercises like jogging, hiking, rock climbing, etc.
One thing also, you wouldn't want to ride a bike for something like commuting in these cases due to raw distance. Even driving in a car your commute would likely be at least 30 minutes at 35-50 mph even with little to no stoplights.
Also the summer weather around here (Great Lakes region) is possibly too inconsistant to rely on a bike as your primary transportation when combined with the extended distances required for travel - you don't exactly want to get stranded in the middle of nowhere when a severe thunderstorm randomly generates and spawns in their typical unpredictable fashion. And then this thing called winter and lake effect snow that likes to last as long as 6 months at times.
It's true, Dutch (and Europeans in general) generally live closer to work then Americans. When I told my granny, some 13 years ago, I would go to college an hour and a half away from home, and only come back for the weekends, she hugged me as if I was going overseas.
Since, I've chosen to live close to work, so I can easily bike there, with no need to buy a car. Yes, my appartment is a bit more expensive than somewhere in the suburbs, but with no car, I can afford it easily...
And yes, if I'd go mountain biking, I's wear a helmet, too. Just not for the 2 miles from home to work and back, with cycle paths on most of the way.
You can now easily find ebikes that go 28 mph for a range of 40 miles or more, which solves the distance problem. Biking in the rain can be solved by wearing a rain jacket and rain pants and keeping a change of clothes at work in case of surprises. And biking during the winter can be solved by putting on studded snow tires in December and taking them off in March, and possibly also by using a fat bike.
Tony K Keep in mind that Dutch-style upright e-bikes are usually pegged at 15 mph and provide just enough power to get over bridges and slight incline of no more than 5-6%.
@@tonyk8368 Yeah... that's a lot of work, I'll just take my car then
@@shannontrainer5857 Yeah, my solution here is country-dependent, so laws would need to change in some countries for it to work.
Finally discussion on improving the cycling in the USA! The good news is that many cities are finally adopting bike lanes with curb protection, and bike signals!
Thanks for the update! In was wondering how the situation is now since this video is from a few years ago..
Drivers are extremely illiterate and have no road sense or respect for others in US. It’s extremely dangerous to ride bicycle or even motorcycle.
I ride 20 miles everyday here in Singapore. Bike infrastructure is getting better every day. It is a joy to ride from Changi point all the way to marina bay area. If you guys are visiting Singapore, try that route. It is breath takingly beautiful.
@Gee Bee
I cycled when i was pregnant, i cylce with children, i cycled with my grans, i cycled next to a friend in a wheelchair. Why wouldn't i want to cycle in those circumstances?
I am not the only one, here are some links where you can watch some other people do the same;
bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/cycling-with-a-baby/
bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/safe-cycling-for-8-to-80-year-olds/
Who else benefits from the Dutch cycling infrastructure
The thing about cycling & children always cracks me up, because we Dutchies got our great infrastructure as a result of people campaigning for safety for children;
How the Dutch got their cycle paths
It worked, The Netherlands has the lowest deaths in traffic & the happiest children in the world.
How can anyone be against safe streets for kids?
Oh, and the shouting part?
EVERYBODY pays taxes for roadmaintance. USA Cyclists pay, but get bloody few things in return. Bloody indeed with all those deaths.
Other shouty bit? US driverslicences are a joke compaired to what you have to do, are have to be able to do & have to pay around here. It shows in number of idiots on the road & dead people.
Please read up before commenting again.
Przepiękne nagranie,piękna Holandia cudowna,a kultura ludzi wszystko super,pozdrawiam bardzo gorąco właściciela tego filmu.
I saw this video on Upworthy, just to click in to LIKE this video.
Very good short documentary of the cycling situation in another part of the world. It reminds me of Hong Kong, we really hope we can make it a more cycling-friendly city.
i take my longboard for going a>b when its not winter, you can take it in the bus or train with ease. even the one i have that is a meter long or about 40"
There is a good possibility that the Americans can enjoy save cycling roads and not being chased by drivers all the time or see it as a entertainment form. With a touch of Dutch infrastructure, or rather a huge deal of it, it will be come saver for everyone. Even the drivers.
or maybe we could make the country 200 times smaller
Joshua Justice Country size has NOTHING to do with it. Most trips in the U.S. are less than 10 miles from the home. Do you think the Dutch cycle from one end of their country to another? They don't. They bike short distances and drive or take public transportation for long distances. I have a neighbor who drives to the end of the driveway to get his mail! That's so American, it's sickening.
M Jurewicz indeed, do note that the Dutch do NOT drivefrom city to city, that would be insane. It is just a transport system for inside cities and just outside them. Some occasionally do use it to do huge distances, but those are either amature or proffesional cyclists that train for competitions, such as the most famous in the world which plays in France.
It's a excellent way to keep in shape as well, fresh air (in the US perhaps not so fresh with all the cars), getting your body working (instead of sitting in a car being lazy) and you at least can look around, you can actually see something other then the bumper infront of you :)
M Jurewicz Half of all trips made it the U.S. are 3 miles and under.
@@SIG442 It is quite nice to go for a long sunny sunday cycle to another city or town. I can hearthily recommend it.
Riding fast means less time spent on the road with dangerous traffic!
Love cycling videos just what I need to get it going the blood I love it. I always watch these before I go out and get my body moving. I always watch one of these, and then put up my heavy playlist like Delta Parole, Three Days Grace, System and then I just go haaaaard!!!! Tactic hasnt let me down yet.
Wow, thank-you that was a great overview.
Your opinion is important to me because you have a quite well formed opinion of cycling in the Netherlands and can use that as a basis of comparison for cycling in other countries, as you have done.
It is greatly appreciated!
Chicago displays some hope for the U.S. but it seems they are strongly opinionated and predisposed to cars.
Bikes are seen as toys "and" recreational activities. Adults who cycle are seen as juvenile 😳 ...not my kind of country.
Rules of cycling in the US.
1) Assume ALL motorists are actively trying to kill you.
2) Traffic laws are optional. I'd rather break a law than be dead. Traffic laws and infrastructure are just poorly designed for cyclists. Even in great US bike cities. Paint does not keep you safe!
People will complain that bikers don't follow the rules, but it is often times safer to run a red light when traffic is clear rather than wait for a green light and a pile of cars to dominate the intersection.
Also, I'd rather hop on the sidewalk for a moment at an intersection to avoid getting run over by a right turning vehicle. (FYI to the uninformed, for the most part it IS LEGAL for a bike to be on the sidewalk in the US. Each city is different but most allow it at lower speeds while yeilding to pedestrians. Restrictions are stricter in city centers where shops are right at the sidewalk.
if you bring your bicycle unto the sidewalk, dismount and walk it. don't be an asshole
I'm a commuter in Seattle. Been here two and a half years, and it's good to see that more and better bike infrastructure has been added over time.
I'm still HATED by passive aggressive motorists though... *especially* when I'm behaving entirely legally? What's up with that?
In America bicycles are not taken seriously. Also the most grievous sin you can commit in America is to slow someone down. So impatient American motorists never appreciate being behind a bicycle. Two huge problems are that motorist don't know how the law pertains to bikes and cyclists don't know how to properly ride a bike. I can't tell you how many idiots I see riding a bike at night with no lights of any kind. A reflector is not sufficient! I never ride at night without at least a headlight and taillight. I put 80% of the blame on motorist and 20% on cyclists. Then again I live in a town that's wall to wall suburbs so maybe cyclists in the city actually have a clue. It's so bad cars don't know what to doo with cyclists that fallow the rules. I signal a left turn and I swear cars wonder why the hell I stuck my arm out.
@Phil M That is just another reason for seperate bike infra.
I remember watching this video a long time ago. This was one of the first videos to open my eyes to what was wrong with car dependency.
Great video. I love the things he pointed out. I bike alot and before i had my drivers license I would use my bike to get from point A to B to say ride to walmart/target and I would shop for some little things. He makes a lot of valid points and They really should make sure drivers know what to do when they see a bike because most times they just dont know what to do..
The helmet part got me: When I cycle in the Netherlands with an helmet on, people ask me: why do you wear a helmet? Are you from Germany? Or: Your hair gets messed up.
When I commute 25km/hr or faster than I will wear a helmet.
Ive seen people on speed pedelecs: License plate off the bike and no helmet.......
Yeah i don't get the taboo about wearing a helmet. Especially the people on 25kmh blue lisence plate mopeds riding 50kmh without helmets seem nuts to me. I always wear my helmet on my speed pedelec. But guys pass me at a faster speeds without helmets because of their blue license place. In my opinion it should be mandatory if you ride 25+kmh no matter what you are riding. The hair excuse is just retarded for risking head injuries.
Cycling is really becoming popular in America. I live in Arkansas and its even becoming popular here. Not just mtb but road cycling too. .
Wel thats supee diffrent than the Dutch. We only cycle on seperate lanes, not on the roads
aikidragonpiper71: where in arkansas lad
I'm in western Arkansas south of Fort Smith. Near the border of Oklahoma.
aikidragonpiper71 nice, im up here in bella vista right next to the missouri border and just north of bentonville. Road cycling here is very popular, but just as a sporty thing
You were in Davis when they were still working on the Davis bike project which is part of the Monterey bay, San Francisco Bay, Central Valley and Tahoe bike project. There is a plan to link Monterey to Santa Cruz and have a spur connecting Watsonville to Gilroy and Gilroy to Morgan Hill and a trail around the Bay Area and connecting the towns of the Central Valley and on to Tahoe.
If it does well there is a plan to turn the old railroad grade into a trail to Yosemite
in minneapolis minnesota when rebuilding roads we put curbs for the bikes, and regular painted protected bike baths are becoming the standard minimum
I live in milwaukee and I've seen a lot of buses driving in bike lanes, which is even worse than cars IMO.
3:10 This always happen to me
Hey, I would like to know your opinion about cycling in Bogotá, Colombia!
Great work!
I liked the super wide sidewalks in Korea, which often had biking lanes on them. As a cyclist, you could ride in the road or on sidewalk, whichever was safest/most convenient.
Problem in America though is everything's too spread out, so it's mostly only practical to use bicycles in big cities. Perhaps if there were laws to curb urban sprawl and reclaim our mainstreets of old....
Experience it in India, US will seem like a novice !
😳
same in Italy...
@@alexcostetti9369 I live in Italy and I use my bike to go everywhere, we are not like the Netherlands but I feel pretty safe to cycle from point A to B
Mr. G where about ? I live in Rome and I can tell you that is very dangerous
@@alexcostetti9369 Milan
This is hilarious! The Dutch bike culture is so fascinating :D
I keep coming back to this video. Strangely calming to watch when high
We call that turning box thing, (sans box) a "HOOK TURN" in Melbourne. Cars are required to use one at certain intersections in the CBD to stay out of the way of trams.
It's something which can be adapted to almost any intersection and should be taught to all cyclists:- From the OUTSIDE LANE, pull forward and BEGIN the turn in front of the intersecting lane, wait until lights change to complete turn. Something similar can also be done without traffic signals. The main trick is to turn one complex and exposed task into two simpler and safer ones.
A mirror (something I didn't see many of in the video BTW) also comes in very handy for only ever occupying those parts of the road where the cars are not. Ape hanger handlebars and a big, fat, comfortable trike seat enforce a less racing minded posture and attitude.
Finally, a hub motor (even a little 200 Watt jobbie) takes out almost all the sweat, even in the middle of an Aussie summer.
Why do I get the feeling he is implying people shouldn't wear helmets?
*****
***** Cycling IS dangerous, especially in US cities. That's not going to change no matter how many dismayed suggestions a soothing Dutch narrator makes get implemented.
I don't care how big it is, the little difference in safety given by a helmet is better than nothing. As for drivers, I can only speak for myself but I am never more inclined to do a risky maneuver next to a helmeted biker than a non-protected rider, that's absurd. Both are obviously vulnerable and both should be given the appropriate amount of mindfulness by cars they share the road with.
***** My statement was that I am not personally inclined to treat a biker worse if he's wearing a helmet and I'm driving a car. And it's just silly to say the added protection of a helmet to an individual is outweighed by the overall harm it does to the perception of the activity. You're basically saying I shouldn't wear a helmet for the benefit of biking as a whole. Biking can be made safer, but US cities are not going to be inclined to make enough of these changes any time soon, so the reality is that it's still fraught with danger here and it's sensible to wear a helmet. You can't possibly say it's not riskier to ride alongside metropolitan traffic and avoid pedestrians than it is to be a normal pedestrian similarly obeying traffic rules. No one will be much of a martyr for the cause of embracing biking with a preventable brain injury.
I think a lot of the difference between helmet use by the Dutch and Americans revolves around two factors - style of bicycle and speed. High speed increases the risk dramatically if you fall, which makes helmets more important. Dutch style city bikes have a much more relaxed fit. Handlebars are higher than the saddle and weight further rearward and lower to the ground. You are a lot more likely to go over the bars on a racing bicycle than a Dutch city bicycle if you crash at lower speeds. Not only that but you are a lot less likely to crash in the first place on such a bicycle just due to the lower saddle position, slightly wider wheels, more stable braking, etc... If I road a city bike at speeds not much above 10 mph I would probably not wear a helmet too, but I think it is crazy not to wear one on a racing bicycle.
I'll wear a helmet when pedestrians do.
The “only children do this” mentality is damaging
Last year I came from Serbia (South East Europe) to Chicago. If I make a compere with cycling in Belgrade (capitol city of Serbia where I came from) and cycling here, Chicago is a heaven for cycling.
As someone who bikes daily in Davis CA, I can tell you that there is lots of biking infrastructure. It is separated from the streets and you can only access it on a bike. So in Davis people DO bike because of the infrastructure, but it is not dutch quality.
Very good and accurate observations by a fellow European. As a french living in Texas I ride my bike as much as possible the way you talk about, regular clothes and no helmet, to go from A to B on my trusted upright bike. By the way I wish we had more dutch looking bikes. I just have to be very careful of drivers here, they really don't know how to pass a bike safely, either too close or following you because they are not sure how to pass, either way it's stressful. It still is lovely to be able to ride my bike as much as possible, good for me and the environment, more time to see the world around, specially on an upright bike.
Lily Wilson Because you want to see people pushing 50-lb boat anchors up hills?
People are gonna flip out on this, but over here, in the Netherlands, we even have moped's without helmets. they are allowed to go around 25km/h but most of them go around 40 km/h and nobody is really scared to drive them.
Damn i'm glad i live here, we got everything here really
if only we didnt have to pay so much fucking taxes
Guess why the infrastructure for bikes in Holland is so much more advanced than in the US? Exactly, bc of the high taxes ppl pay. It has to come from somewhere, no?
+Marcus NL You do, but you also get so much more value for what taxes you pay. Education, child care, health care... ALL subsidized. When a family has children you receive a civilized amount of time for maternity leave. We get 2 weeks. The extra like 10-20% depending on income you pay.. I would say you get more for your dollar. We pay more, but straight out of pocket.
djkenny The Dutch welfare state is slowly disappearing. Right wing politics, privatizing state subsidies will have its effect on the average income in the Netherlands.
Here in the US kids ride their bikes at 20mph. (32km/h)
So I'm not sure why you think not wearing a helmet on a scooter at 25mph is some sort of scary thing.
American scooters typically go 40mph and old frail women, their main market, rarely wear helmets on them.
While I do understand the value of good infrastructure, I still think that bikers should wear helmets.
Does anyone know the location shown in 1:07, the forest is so beautiful.
Sadly not much has changed in the U.S. since this was filmed. I moved to Chicago in June of 2013 with the dream of using transit and biking everywhere. In the past year biking has become my main form of transportation IN SPITE of the sharrows and watered down "traffic calming" greenways.
Hi Mark,
I've been following your videos for a while now.
I'm a French native but I live in Santa Cruz, CA and cycling in the US is getting better every year.
In my town more and more people are cycling (commuting).
We still have too many that do not obey rules of the road and that gives us, true, respectful bike commuters a bad rep but it's getting better.
I have to admit I have a rear mirror, it helps tremendously.
I ride with every day clothes and my bike is a hybrid between a town bike and a more mountain bike style but mostly town bike.
I do not understand people who have a road bike... it's going to kill their backs and the fact that they are riding is such a forward position is dangerous...
Upright is the way to go...
Oh and I have a friend here who's half German, she rides a Kettle, it looks like a Dutch bike but is German, I believe.
I'm slowing going more and more toward a bike like that but I do need a cargo bike.
I am planning on getting a Yuba Boda Boda.
Wish me luck, as I can't afford it right now ,))
Thank you for all your inspiring videos.
I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be caught dead on a wussy slow Dutch bike. I want speed, i.e. a road bike.
This makes me want to move to Copenhagen :(. Here, if you are cycling in lycra on a racing bike, you are seen as crazy. If you are in regular clothes on a normal bike, you are seen as poor or someone with a D.U.I. It's really sad.
I hope not that you gonna think that Copenhagen is in Holland.
@@michel7339 Or that Holland = the Netherlands?
@@cyprel doesn't change the fact that Copenhagen isn't in either north or south Holland.
j d Copenhagen is in Denmark.
I see more emphasis and more cycling infrastructure getting constructed in some places in the US. I live in Utah and we are seeing some protected bike lanes popping up and an increasingly larger trail system getting built. We still have a long ways to go and we must focus on creating a well-connected network. Intersection design needs to catch up too. We might have a ways to go but I am hopeful we are on the right track!
I think one of the important things to remember in comparison of the Dutch and American cycle systems is the average population density. In the United States there’s an average of 34 people per km^2 while in the Netherlands it’s 459 people per square km. I hope one day in Canada we will be able to improve it. I live in the Greater Victoria region and it has a score of 0.02 for bike paths while the Netherlands has a score of 8.83.
it is sadly true that most people see cycling as a leisure or child like activity only.
People are animals. Humans are animals.
After a drunk driver cut a corner sharp and drove on the wrong side, impaling me in his windshield, I haven't cycled. It's been almost two years now; I went from 60+ miles a week to only walking. My city is the 6th largest in the US (Phoenix), and yet every road here is dominated by cars that never, ever yield to bicyclists. I don't know what our ranking is, but our infrastructure must be very low-speaking from experience.
If anyone has any advice on what or how to approach trying to bicycle again after an accident, I'd like to know. I had some pretty bad injuries and a surgery to repair my torn arm, but if it wasn't for fear of our drivers I would java been riding by now.
Great video! Very good points!
If you have the money for a holiday i would say come visit the Netherlands. If you can't do that right now i would try to find some park or trailride away from cars, preferably with a friend. Best of luck.
i see ppl run stop signs or lights too many times to count cycling is fun but dangerous .
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
I would be interested to see your opinions on Vancouver Canada. They've put in protected bike lanes here.
America has an ingrained car culture. Not surprising considering the great size of America.
Captain Haddock Doesn't explain why there aren't more cyclists in more densely populated areas however. Can't compare Netherlands to the US as a whole, as the US is as diverse as Europe when it comes to geography and weather. But there are areas and cities in the US that could have a cycling culture with the right infrastructure.
Captain Haddock In the 1950's after the Second World War, many migrated OUTSIDE the city centers. If you go to a city like New York many don't own a car because there's so much public transit, and you have to pay to park it.
RobotShlomo Yup, that's what sucks about cars! Not only do you pay to park it, but you also pay a big price for fuel, repairs etc... Yet a bicycle is an amazing principle of simplicity and mechanical purity.. inexpensive, fun and useful...
Captain Haddock Yes, it can be "fun", but in many places also DANGEROUS, and impractical because of the commuting distances. My previous job I had to commute 17 miles each way every day. There was no way to do that on a bicycle since it was all highway miles. That's where we're at now as a nation. Unless you live in a big population center like New York, Boston or Chicago, you need car. There's no way to get around L.A. on a bike, at least easily.
Many cities like the idea of a "freelance graphic designer" in a scarf and skinny jeans riding a penny farthing to an office from his overpriced "market rate apartment", but the reality is that many places in the U.S. are not conducive to commuting by bicycle.
RobotShlomo True. The roads have been designed to suit the car, and rarely the bike!
In murrica a bike is seen as a poor mans thing, someone who can't afford a car.
A car is seen as a status symbol, meaning you have money, like how gas guzzlers like big GM cars are promoted and valued highly as a symbol of wealth.
Ha ha that is stupid. We Dutch don't measure one's wealth by the number of cars. For example I know someone who has 80 cows but owns only one car.
@drie wiel Does he also have a windmill?
It makes me sick. I am proud to say that I have a 92 VW that I never drive anymore. I bike. I own a Bakfiets to get my kid around town as well. I dream of moving to a better place, though. Next year.
Honestly I would be much prouder being able to say I don't have and need a car than saying I have 2 or 3 cars
PuroYO I think a car in the us is a must have If you want to get around. Even in the Netherlands outside the big citys you need a car to get around. We dutch people love cars just like americans, sadly driving a car here costs a fortune. High taxes and high gas prices are one of the reasons people here drive modest cars.
We simply cant afford to drive a big GM here.
You should come to Bucharest to see the traffic here. 12.5 km from home to work feels like I am going thru an obstacle course
Interesting perspective. Bad example of good bike racks though 4.20, no way to mount you bike except lean on the frame, what if you don’t want to bend a derailleur or scratch for frame?
Resharing Boxhawk er comments.
The US is 3,794,101 square miles, the Netherlands 16,000. You could bike around the country in a week. If you want to live in an apartment the size of your college dorm, pay 70% of your income in taxes and not be able to afford a car, then go live there.
Wow, talk about pulling numbers out of your a**. 70% in taxes? Scandinavia doesn't even have such high income taxes. Car ownership in the Netherlands is slightly higher than the UK. Both are more than 500 per 1,000 people. Are you suggesting the Brits are also too "poor" to afford the car. And what does the size of a country have to do with a city's internal infrastructure? So US cities collectively cover 3,794,101 square miles?
But we do own cars. We just have to steal them in Poland. That's all.
Preferably a station wagon so grandparents have a place to live in.
William Russell Too poor huh? I'll let you debate that with any average Brit or Dutch. If the size is too large, then that's where public transit comes in. They have plenty of that all throughout Europe, including the Netherlands. You could also do a combination of the different modes. Nothing says it has to be an all-or-nothing with any single mode of transport. BUt size doesn't mean that there can't be good infrastructure within our cities.
They do not pay 70% Taxes. You would need to be really really well off to pay that.
What does it have to do with anything? A city is a city. Austin is the 11th most populated American city and it somewhat appears to be embracing a higher bike culture. Why all American cities at least lower in population that Austin can't do the same or start trying to embrace it?
the USA is not just New York, Los Angeles and Chicago
Great video! Please come and make one about bicycling in London, it's pretty much as bad as the U.S. : (
Already done: London cycling impressions
@Ginger To survive the cars you have to be aggressive, I guess that selects for a certain personality.
Great video......now I want to live in the Netherlands! In Denver we are starting to see improvement for bicycle commuters,but I would like to see bike lanes on every street one day. Be safe people!
On my only trip to the US ~20 years ago, as a Dutch guy I was surprised by the excellent bike infrastructure I saw in Boulder Colorado!
i'am commuting on roads and yes IT'S A RACE FOR YOUR LIFE, you must stay within the flow.
Some drivers are angry, others look at their phones etc ...
A car passing by you is ALWAYS a risk, so i use a race bike with city gears.
Heavy E-bikes cynically capped at 25km/h are not making it either, i'am telling you.
That's a political choice : no proper bike lanes.
We are selling cars here in France, a cash cow milking a broken model.
We have good cheese, but with plenty of radars and even drones now our speeding tickets are very tasty too.
Since I moved here two years ago I've been finding cycling through Paris an absolute pleasure compared to the death traps that are UK roads.