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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?

#101

Post by mercer »

raidoxim wrote: post #92

I'm Dutch, but think we tend to underestimate the impact of the flatness of our country, and the size of other countries especially the States. I've cycled on my normal 7-gear bicycle (and that might be considered fancy) from Newcastle to Carlisle. Which is quite flat. I had to walk so much up hill as it was utterly impossible to climb 40 meters. In the Netherlands quite a lot of people do live in a 50 km radius of t…

Furthermore, there's always a supermarket/atm/mall/kindergarten/school within walking/biking distance (I think this might even be government-mandated for at least new construction projects).

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#102

Post by rhinoceraptor »

giobox wrote: post #50
htaunay wrote: post #9

Why wouldn't it be? It's faster than the tram; a bike is cheap and cycling is free; its way easier to park than a car; its healthy; there are cycle paths everywhere (inside and between cities); and everyone else does it, so you usually have company.

While cycling is obviously much, much cheaper than a car, I'd argue its a myth to say it's 'free'. Start commuting a _reasonable_ distance regularly by bike and you are going to incur running costs, as well as often not insignificant investment in essential accessories you might need depending on where you live - clothing, panniers, lights, helmets, locks... There's a fair amount of things on a bike that, like many o…

That may be true for finicky road bikes with skinny chains and tires, but a single speed/internally geared bike with a coaster brake and wide tires is pretty much maintenance free.

People in the US obsess about how many gears they have, but a bike with a straight chainline is just so much simpler and more reliable.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#103

Post by jimbokun »

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?

It's clearly meant to be humorous.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#104

Post by [deleted] »

lucb1e wrote: post #91
giobox wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While cycling is obviously much, much cheaper than a car, I'd argue its a myth to say it's 'free'. Start commuting a _reasonable_ distance regularly by bike and you are going to incur running costs, as well as often not insignificant investment in essential accessories you might need depending on where you live - clothing, panniers, lights, helmets, locks... There's a fair amount of things on a bike that, like many o…

> essential accessories - clothing, panniers, lights, helmets, locks, new tires and tubes, CO2 cartridges, chains, cassettes, lubricant, wheels (eventually), brake pads/disks. Mine came with a lock and lights. Tires last 10 years and aren't that expensive. Pumping tires has to happen a few times a year, come on. Never replaced a chain before the rest of the bike was due for replacement anyway. Never heard of anyone r…

[deleted]

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#105

Post by mercer »

dtech wrote: post #77
wila wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dunno, I used to ride the bycicle to the school in the city which is 25km away from where I lived. So 50km (31 miles) a day at least. In the village where I grew up that was pretty common.

In my experience, every school kid who lived ~10km or more away bought a moped (scooter) the instant they turned 16, when they were allowed to drive one.

Interesting. In my experience this wasn't common, but I was part of geekier VWO. Scooters were slightly more common at HAVO and very popular with VMBO. And while there might be a connection with education level, scooters were also stereotypically owned by Turkish/Moroccan kids.

I always felt a bit sad that it wasn't more normal for 'my crowd' to have scooters. I would've loved a scooter.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#106

Post by mercer »

ocschwar wrote: post #75
sporkenfang wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm hoping for a possible future in which there is massive rezoning in the U.S. so that mixed neighborhoods (residential, business, etc) within reason, like bodegas and offices and apartments and row houses together, not cement plants next to kindergartens, are universal. I just bloody hate driving and the less I have to do it the happier I am. Would rather be outside getting exercise.

The Japanese have the perfect answer. They don't zone by use. They zone by nuisance level. You can build whatever you want in the cement-plant-district. But you have to deal with having that kind of nuisance nearby. You can also build whatever you want in the no-nuisance district. But you can't impose any kind of nuisnace.

How do they deal with the tension of having bars/clubs in residential areas? Or do these areas just not exist in Japan?

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#107

Post by InitialLastName »

chrisper wrote: post #24
Theodores wrote: post #7

From having completed the London to Brighton bike ride at the weekend I have a good idea of what really makes the difference and that is having roads closed to motor vehicles. The London to Brighton route is closed to traffic and some of the rural stretches are as wide as a Dutch bike path. Up until now I have believed sharing the roads is how to go but now I know that cycling infrastructure is needed. It is the expe…

How are you going to get to places in heavy rain or snow?

If it's raining or snowing too hard to be able to ride a bicycle (with appropriate clothing, i.e. the appropriate clothing to be outside in that weather anyway), it's probably also worth reconsidering operating the 3000lb wheelchair.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#108

Post by LeonM »

vondur wrote: post #20

Aren't cars really expensive to purchase in the Netherlands? Also, pushing biking at the expense of cars certainly helps. People in the US would go nuts if the Government starting reducing car lanes to install dedicated bike lanes.

Depends on your definition of "really" expensive, but as a Dutch citizen I can tell you that:

- On average new cars are about twice as expensive compared to the USA, mostly due to tax. (A Mustang GT starts at 119.500 EUR, about 133k USD).

- Insurance is mandatory

- For each car you own you pay a monthly road tax (between 30-100 euro per month, depending on the car)

- fuel prices are also quite high (~6,5USD per US gallon)

- parking can also be very expensive in some regions (I pay 115 euro/month for my parking space)

Despite all that, most Dutch people still own a car, for practical and status purpose. However, due to the cost involved (fuel and parking) many Dutchies will prefer a bike if the trip is not that far.

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#109

Post by [deleted] »

s0rce wrote: post #48
chrisper wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How are you going to get to places in heavy rain or snow?

Rain is no problem, I commute everyday in the rain (SF Bay Area). I could see it being a bigger issue when I lived in the midwest and had much heavier thunder storms and might not want to be biking but I would usually walk or take the bus. Snow is definitely more of a challenge but much of the danger is due to poor infrastructure, the snowplows pile the snow on the side of the road which removes what was left of the…

[deleted]

Re: Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

#110

Post by rhinoceraptor »

lucb1e wrote: post #91
giobox wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While cycling is obviously much, much cheaper than a car, I'd argue its a myth to say it's 'free'. Start commuting a _reasonable_ distance regularly by bike and you are going to incur running costs, as well as often not insignificant investment in essential accessories you might need depending on where you live - clothing, panniers, lights, helmets, locks... There's a fair amount of things on a bike that, like many o…

> essential accessories - clothing, panniers, lights, helmets, locks, new tires and tubes, CO2 cartridges, chains, cassettes, lubricant, wheels (eventually), brake pads/disks. Mine came with a lock and lights. Tires last 10 years and aren't that expensive. Pumping tires has to happen a few times a year, come on. Never replaced a chain before the rest of the bike was due for replacement anyway. Never heard of anyone r…

If you ride a racing bike (which is more common in the US), all of that stuff actually is necessary. Also, in the US, a bike is seen either as a kids' toy or as sports equipment, not as an appliance.
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