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Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

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Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#111

Post by chrismealy »

I had watched about a million Dutch cycling videos before I went to the Netherlands, but it's even better than the videos make it out. Cycling in the Netherlands is safe, easy, and fun. I rode around with a four-year-old and an almost-two-year-old in a cargo bike and not for a second felt any stress or fear (and my kids absolutely loved it as well, fresh air and no carseats). I can't go half a mile in Seattle without worrying about getting run over. I basically gave up on cycling in America because I can't handle the adrenaline hangover anymore.

One more thing, as great as cycling is in Amsterdam, from what I can tell, it might be the least best place to cycle in the Netherlands, so if you only cycle in Amsterdam you're not even getting the best experience.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#112

Post by DavideNL »

jmcphers wrote: post #8

One thing the article doesn't mention is how long the bicycle trips are. Surely the relative compactness of their cities are a major contributing factor! I live in America and commute on my bicycle almost every day. For me the biggest obstacle isn't the hills (which there are plenty of) or even sharing the road with cars (which is admittedly extremely unpleasant) but the fact that in the quasi-suburban area in which…

> everything's so damned spread out that bicycling is very impractical.

The solution: e-bike.

Where i live in the Netherlands many people use them (not just elderly.) Just this week i saw a 15 year old kid drive back home from school on an e-bike. If you have to drive a long distance, an e-bike eases makes it much easier/faster...

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#113

Post by stingraycharles »

mercer wrote: post #98
ramy_d wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get it - that competition is of bike thefts for unguarded and _unlocked_ bikes. Surely it means nothing. Do people not buy bike locks in those regions? Is it typical for a 13mm+ Ulock in Amsterdam to get broken?

I've had three bikes stolen in about three months time. Each time, I used what was considered a high-end lock. I was usually more bummed out at losing the lock because they cost me more than the bike. The best strategy, I find, is to avoid leaving the bike in theft 'hot spots', especially in the weekend. If that can't be avoided, make sure to put the bike behind another bike, preferable a fancy one or one with a shit…

Yes. Another point is that even when you lock your bike, thiefs often carry the bike in its entirety or just screw off one of the wheels. Just don't buy a new bike when you're frequently in a hot spot.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#114

Post by dghughes »

TulliusCicero wrote: post #41
Fricken wrote: post #15

Bicycles are an amazing transportation tool. Why are they so unpopular everywhere else?

Bike infrastructure in most countries is generally very bad compared to car infrastructure, or even walking infrastructure. This leads to not many people cycling, which gives you a chicken and egg problem: few cyclists mean little political support for biking. For cars in the US it's the opposite: even when major cities get big enough to where cars clearly aren't scaling well anymore, cities are often reluctant to re…

>Bike infrastructure in most countries is generally very bad compared to car infrastructure...

My city just created a law that motorists who don't leave a 1m gap between their vehicle and bike will be fined.

The problem is the "bike lane" is just a picture of a bike on what used to be the paved shoulder, the 30cm wide paved shoulder. And the biked lane can narrow down to nothing in some places. And it often includes vehicle parking in the same bike lane.

The roads here are very narrow here too so much that you have to drive into the other lane to get that 1m gap. If there is traffic coming the other way you as a driver of a vehicle have no choice but to crawl along behind a bike, even worse if it's two bikes side-by-side.

I am a bike rider and a vehicle owner but I can't agree with the law there is just no room. It absolves the bicyclist of everything and blames vehicle drivers for everything.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#115

Post by in_hindsight »

accountyaccount wrote: post #79
pbh101 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it needs to be mild, flat, and dense . And then AFAIK the government made a concerted effort to exploit those traits by building good cycling infrastructure.

We have mild, flat, and dense. Boston and NYC, for example. I think the only missing piece in many cities is funding and prioritization.

NYC is really bike-friendly.

I think the contributing factor is delivery people who use their bikes a lot, now another problem is that they are completely ignorant of any traffic rules, but can't have it all I guess

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#116

Post by watwut »

giobox wrote: post #58
TulliusCicero wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing you don't live in a bike friendly country.

None of these costs have anything to do with location. It was the same when I lived in Copenhagen - arguably doesn't get bike friendlier than that!

No one in Netherlands use helmet and they bike in ordinary cloth - exactly the same they use in office.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#117

Post by jlg23 »

ramy_d wrote: post #81
avar wrote: post #47

> If anything, having a tatty, battered old > bike affords more status as it attests to > a long and lasting love. As an Amsterdam resident: What a romantic characterization of our high crime rates! Yes, the reason I still ride a shitty old beater of a bike is definitely my long lasting love for that piece of shit, it's not because I know that if I buy anything fancy I'm going to have to never take my eyes off of it,…

I don't get it - that competition is of bike thefts for unguarded and _unlocked_ bikes. Surely it means nothing. Do people not buy bike locks in those regions? Is it typical for a 13mm+ Ulock in Amsterdam to get broken?

> Is it typical for a 13mm+ Ulock in Amsterdam to get broken?

Yes. One thing that still works is to get two different high-end locks and to always use both. Most thieves specialize in one lock only. But I'd still not leave a decent bike outside over night.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#118

Post by runamok »

Fricken wrote: post #15

Bicycles are an amazing transportation tool. Why are they so unpopular everywhere else?

I live in the bay area and I mostly hesitate to use my bike more due to theft and/or some areas where there are many cars and stoplights. I have a big thick U lock which will probably keep it fairly safe at least in the suburbs. It takes some of the enjoyment out of it to carry the 5+ lb. thing though.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#119

Post by jjawssd »

Because cars are so extremely expensive here in the Netherlands.

The fact that the bicycle paths here are amazing in most of the country is secondary.

Bicycles are at extreme risk of theft in major cities. There is nothing to romanticize about crappy bicycles. People do not ride garbage old bikes by choice, but out of necessity. People ride garbage on rusty wheels because they have been burned by theft multiple times.

Criminals with trucks in Germany and the Netherlands routinely roll up to train stations and steal dozens of bicycles at a time, take them to get resprayed in Poland, then resell them.

If you chained your bicycle to something in a way that isn't aesthetically pleasing, the government will steal your bicycle and you will have to retrieve it at a cost plus your expensive lock will be destroyed. This assuming you can find your bike.

Don't be fooled into thinking that this is bicycle utopia. You are only less likely to get killed by a car. This is a huge plus. But the rest of the story is bleak.

And now for your amusement... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ay3r5Kpio

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#120

Post by mercer »

cdnsteve wrote: post #84

Just came back from a week in Netherlands and stayed in Amsterdam. What a cool place to hang out and take in the sights. Cycling there is huge indeed. The big difference I noticed from Canada was the dedicated infrastructure they have in place. Dedicated cycling lanes everywhere, it's a proper form of transportation. As a tourist, this was weird, I nearly got mowed down a few times but because I was in the wrong and…

Happy to hear you had a nice experience!

I'm generally not too 'patriotic', but I can't help but feel a certain pride when I see the insane amount of bikes, especially around rush hour, and especially when I see the variety of cyclists: pregnant women, the elderly, people in suits, a father/mother with a mind-boggling three kids strapped to the bike and a little kid wobbling alongside, and then of course the occasional 'weird' bikes (The tall bikes in Amsterdam are my favorites[1]).

There's plenty to criticize about our society, but I love the bikes.

[1]: https://hansfoto.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/bikewar2.jpg

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