Utrecht: Planning for People & Bikes, Not for Cars
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- Опубликовано: 25 июн 2019
- Though already a very good city for bicycling, in recent years Utrecht has decided to go a step further and reduce the number of cars in the city's center. How? Eliminating roadways, reaching nearly 33K bike parking spots downtown, making transition to get to the train easier and safer for people bicycling in their new bike parking facility and hosts of other ways. See it all here. I guarantee you if you live in a city that doesn't have good bike planning or infrastructure this film will equally inspire and depress you!
To people asking how the Dutch do groceries. My grandfather is 98 and still does shopping every day on his bicycle!
note they key word: every day.. Most Dutch have a supermarket within 250m so it's not a big hassle to go often and take a small number of items. It's a daily social event for many elderly people and they use 'bike-bags' to take home their purchases. You can easily stuff enough in those bags for 1-3 days. My grandmother is 93 and until last year she would also cycle a lot.
even for a dutchie like me that's badass! I ope he stays in good health and enjoys his life.
My grandfather is 110 and still does shopping every day on his bicycle!
@@pedrohernandez-dq4pw My son is 130 and does all his shopping by bicycle twice a day!
@@donder91 I am actually dead, and I do groceries shopping all day long!
If you’re watching this and saying this won’t happen where you live, just remember cars dominated Dutch cities in the 60/70’s. The cities only became great for biking and walking because the Dutch people demanded change. If you want your city or town to be like this get involved with your local biking/pedestrian groups and get involved with your local government.
We have to be the change we want to see
Amen to that. And you can see even elderly people who are from that period of history, have nothing but good to say about the current bicycle infrastructure. It's lovely to see that we got what the people demanded - and then some! But also remember: it took us 50 years to get here (and we're nowhere near done yet 😉). You don't redesign a city overnight. It takes decades to do it properly.
This is the most inspiring thing I’ve read in a long time. Thank you for that.
As a famous singer once said "I'm starting with the man in the mirror".
are there some good videos comparing road plans?
Easier said than done when your city is a mountainous 3rd world shithole that can't even paint bike gutters efficiently.
important to remember that in the 60's and 70's their cities were also car-dominated. It took a democratic movement to change, and we could do that in the US, if we wanted
"If we wanted" - very important addition. Here in the UK it's pretty much the same. The gaz guzzling behemoths rule the streets, but there has been some efforts to change and with Boris the PM being a cyclist I guess we all thought he'd make it happen. There has been marked improvement and lockdown taught many that fresh air could return very quickly when the traffic was only bikes and electric vehicles. I've found if you point to muscle cars and laugh - he's got a tiny dick, the message can grow. Male phallic extensions called cars are getting more costly so that only drug dealers and bankers can afford them.
democratic??? well it would be more like we need a shrinkage of overreach of government. they should not be the masters of how the city should look or run. We all see the issues of there bs is doing today. dont get me wrong the RINO's in the republicans are no different thus why i say less government over reach.
@@darkisato democracy means giving more people a say in what government does, not shrinking government so that it can't do anything. The people who want you to believe shrinking government is the answer to everything are the same ones lobbying and buying politicians so they can control the government.
@@menschkeit1 ok federlist papers 9
"The definition of a CONFEDERATE REPUBLIC seems simply to be "an assemblage of societies,'' or an association of two or more states into one state. The extent, modifications, and objects of the federal authority are mere matters of discretion. So long as the separate organization of the members be not abolished; so long as it exists, by a constitutional necessity, for local purposes; though it should be in perfect subordination to the general authority of the union, it would still be, in fact and in theory, an association of states, or a confederacy. The proposed Constitution, so far from implying an abolition of the State governments, makes them constituent parts of the national sovereignty, by allowing them a direct representation in the Senate, and leaves in their possession certain exclusive and very important portions of sovereign power. This fully corresponds, in every rational import of the terms, with the idea of a federal government.
In the Lycian confederacy, which consisted of twenty-three CITIES or republics, the largest were entitled to THREE votes in the COMMON COUNCIL, those of the middle class to TWO, and the smallest to ONE. The COMMON COUNCIL had the appointment of all the judges and magistrates of the respective CITIES. This was certainly the most, delicate species of interference in their internal administration; for if there be any thing that seems exclusively appropriated to the local jurisdictions, it is the appointment of their own officers. Yet Montesquieu, speaking of this association, says: "Were I to give a model of an excellent Confederate Republic, it would be that of Lycia.'' Thus we perceive that the distinctions insisted upon were not within the contemplation of this enlightened civilian; and we shall be led to conclude, that they are the novel refinements of an erroneous theory."
the founders made us a republic. where the local or city has the most say and the federal has the least. why? because we just kicked out a central government called England and now they don't wanna make a new one. But that's not us today! well then don't complain about America if the idiots who we vote in can't get the thing to work right.
@@menschkeit1 why do i point out the federist papers? look up small towns and see how the federal government made tons of laws to shape of America today. Now how would America look with out the federal government central planning? i can't say. because i can't phantom how it would be, i mean each state having a unique look and feel and the cities and town all grown organically.
The Dutch are decades ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to making cycling the priority means of transport through towns. The rest of the world needs to sit up and take notice. This is the future.
What about people who cannot cycle, should they be ignored?
@@GJFK1 why do you ask such a stupid question? Does society abandon people who cannot walk, or hear, or see?
@@magnetiktrax Yes it does with designs that isolated and endanger them. All the time and in all countries. If you had any sort of empathy you would understand it is not a stupid question. Equality for Persons With disabilities is not the norm, it is the exception and your question shows you do not understand the issue in the slighest
@@GJFK1 people who cannot cycle have plenty of transport options in The Netherlands. Encouraging cycling does not prevent non-cyclists from being able to get around. The fact that you would even think so shows you do not understand the situation in the slightest.
@@magnetiktrax Strange but my blind friends in Holland tell me differently about the safety on the footpath for them and their options. I listen to them as they are the experts on the issues as they are there and blind. It was simply explained to me as they are only a small lobby group and get ignored.
the citizens look very healthy,and very mellow.something the whole world needs to take notice.
You should move there
something the *USA should notice ;) in Europe and Asia and other places its not a problem
@@JK-vc7ie No, stay there and vote for Trump 2020 ;)
@@aorta538 i'm guessing this is a joke, because trump is the antithesis of everything in this video lol
@@hhbased uk has a lot of problems with obesity as well, it's not limited to the usa
I've watched schoolchildren cycling in groups in The Netherlands. I'm sure this daily journey to school keeps them fitter and more in touch with their locality than the kids that are ferried by the parents in a car.
They also become more responsible and you can give them power to do things on their and that's why they become more adventurous. Plus if they go to school with friends they bond more
I always used to look forward to cycling home with my friends, it was always lots of fun and allowed me to have a break from everything related to school and clear my head, before having to go back to doing homework.
definetly true we used to had only one guy in high school that was literally every day picked up by his father from school. nobody really new him and nobody knows what he does now.
I hated it. I lived in rural Drenthe in a tiny village and I had a 40 km roundtrip commute to school. It was just too much.
@@urbandiscount Did you have to do that on a bicycle? In that case it was too much, I was talking more about the children cycling to school within a town.
THIS is why I keep telling people that going green is NOT about individual choices. We must make COLLECTIVE choices! If you want people to bike, you cannot just shame them into doing it. You have to make it attractive. When I lived in this city I was biking every day, and I loved it. Back in Oslo, Norway I pretty much NEVER bike!
And it is extremely frustrating to discuss this with fellow Norwegians. They don't really comprehend how bad Oslo is for biking. It is simply extremely unsafe to bike around many parts of Oslo, compared to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands bike lanes are often separated from car road with parked cars, trees and other things. Motorists are very aware of bikers and everything is very clearly marked. Also the whole bike lane system in the Netherlands is properly interlinked.
In Oslo it is extremely patchy. You bike on a nice lane that suddenly stops and boom you are force into a steep spiraling road with high speed car traffic. Not Fun!! I gave up biking in Oslo.
What the Dutch grasp that we still have not figured out in Norway is that you need to plan and build roads with bikes in mind from scratch. Here you always see they build the roads and pavements first. Then bike lanes may pop up the next year. It is ALWAYS and afterthought. In the Netherlands bike lanes are the FIRST priority instead. You see as soon as they put down a road, the bike lanes are put in place.
I don't think Norwegians are alone in sucking at this. I think all over the world city planners have a very car centric mindset they cannot get out of. It is ironic because our politicians speak very warmly about promoting biking. They just don't seem to comprehend that they need to actually build infrastructure for it.
AMEN - u said it so well; i've said the same myself & have tried to tell ppl
The next step for the Netherlands would be to not cycle next to the car lanes, but to have completely separate networks. I look forward to the day I don't have to breath in exhaust fumes anymore when going anywhere by bike. There are some separated routes, but it's still kinda patchy. Back home, in a rural area, there are recreational cycling routes, and segments of these were part of my daily commute to school.
I also live in Oslo. I have a very nice route to work where I most of the time don't meet cars. Oslo is not Amsterdam or Utrect, but things are going in the right direction, here.
@@stefangrobbink7760 they are already there, and the numbers growing.
@@stefangrobbink7760 Electric cars will already fix this soon regardless of infrastructure.
In 2020, I had decided it was time to move out of my homecountry.
I wasn't sure what the destination would be, and moving to the Netherlands was not yet on the table.
So, one day, late at night, I stumbled upon this video almost randomly.
Long story short, I live in Utrecht with my family for over 2 years now and couldn't be happier about it. We found our place on earth.
So, THANK YOU, people who made this video. It changed my life. :)
Diego. I am so happy to hear this. This is exactly why I make films to educate people but also to show them how cool other cities are.
You aren't the first one to thank me or say this film inspired them to move Utrecht/The Netherlands - but CONGRATULATIONS. I plan to share this comment and life-changing move. Best: Clarence, Streetfilms. clarence@streetfilms.org
@@StreetfilmsCommunity feel free to do so and let me know if there's something I can be helpful with.
@@dprista It'd be cool for you to shoot some video and testimonials why you moved there and what your life is like! If you want to do it, let me know I could even edit it!
I was born in Utrecht but I now live in Amersfoort which is kind of a smaller version of Utrecht. I can totally understand how you found Utrecht as your new home. I have to visit regularly and walk along the oude gracht to feel the vibe. The place is loaded with history.
@@hunchbackaudio Amersfoort is also very cool!!
Indeed a walk along Oudegracht is revigorating!!!
As a German I'm really excited about our upcoming "Cycling-Autobahn" that's supposed to link the Ruhr-Valley with Netherlands, over Mönchengladbach and Krefeld.
Ghh
Velobahn! there's no speed limit🤣
I'm happy for you German folks, since we are your neighbors we can't wait to see how its working out for you..
Good for you fellow neighbor! Greetings from the Netherlands
Hurtig heinz - something like this would just never happen in the UK. Too many NIMBIES (Not in my Backyard, thank you), too many idiot Tory MPs up in arms about the proposals, and the Local Authorities either side of the route would no doubt block the plans, or water them down so much that they become meaningless, and the whole project collapses.
This may sound gloomy and negative, but this is what attitudes to cycling and cyclists are like (for the most part) in the UK. The car is still very much King. We're not as open minded and proactive as you Germans. The people in power, and the influencers prefer to keep us being a 'reactionary', and regressive country with an irrational dislike for cyclists. You Germans, like the Dutch, are leading the way. We Brits are trailing at the back, dragging our heals.
The oil industry’s nightmare
Carlos Pacheco yet many have their headquarters there!
Nah, this is such a small country and cities such as Utrecht and Amsterdam are not going to make a big difference in terms of consumption of crude oil. This is more like 'Don't shit where you sleep', other countries are not going to stop consuming and the companies like Royal Dutch Shell will continue to flourish.
@fireson23 Cycling in rain
ruclips.net/video/Sb7V1qtx8VE/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/xCy38tqEuNM/видео.html
Cycling in snow
: ruclips.net/video/5JQr8cm-6X4/видео.html
Who else benefits from Dutch cycling infrastructure (disabled people on mobility scooters or wheelchairs can use the cycling infrastructure too)
: ruclips.net/video/xSGx3HSjKDo/видео.html
hmm idk about that we need oil for other things besides fuel like roads, different kinds of plastic, construction, rubber even if we got rid of all cars in the world we would still find a great need for oil.
@Semper verum just imagine the rare metals that are needed for such inventions and the pollution that goes with getting those metals from the ground, im not even convinced in terms of the environmental impact that what we are heading to is even better, assuming we can control the temp of the planet if we stopped the use of oil is just mind-blowingly ridiculous.
the arrogance of humans is impressive to even think we could control the behaviour of a planet xD
As a Dutch person, I can confirm that this video is accurate. I haven't driven a car in years. I bike/train everywhere. You can even bring your bike on the train haha
It's great, except when it snows ;p
@Aryan Ramanand Huh? Je mag je fiets gewoon meenemen in de trein hoor. 6 euro voor een dagkaart. Niks illegaals aan.
what happens when it snows?
@@nattiemagic2104 Trains don't go anymore when track switches freeze over.
Biking on clumped snow is really hard, so everyone takes public transport, but public transport isn't designed for that many people, so everyone gets completely stuck and nobody gets to where they need to go.
Whenever it snows, I make sure to leave home at least an hour before I would normally need to leave, and if I have to go somewhere by train, I first check whether any trains are still going at all, because I might just have to give up and stay at home entirely.
@@ryn2844 ahh thanks! I live in a country to me where it doesn't snow so I was really curious
Out of curiosity, what happens when an ambulance needs to get through the bike path? Does it have to go slowly since it is on "equal" footing with the cyclists, or do cyclists give it right of way?
I want to study urbanism, planning and public admnistration. I want to become the Mayor of my city and make it more like this
Work hard! Keep up the spirit!
Best I can do is city skylines
I believe in you :)
Play cities skyline!
Wat a wonderful comment. You have my vote ;-)
This would be considered subversive material in my country, where young children are driven to school in 2 tonne SUVs. .
@Brutus Tan No, the land of Oz, where we love our cars almost as much as the Americans do.
@@pervertt Germany?
Germany?
Australia?
So what if they are driven to school in cars? Freedom is subversive? Would you prefer people telling you what you can and can't do in every aspect of life?
My favorite anecdote from visiting the Netherlands. (We spent 3 weeks cycling around the country in 2005): Standing outside the apartment where we were staying and I saw an elderly couple coming down the street on bikes side by side. The man was riding normally. The woman was steering with one hand and her other hand was resting on top of his hand on his handlebar. My first thought was that it seemed a sweetly romantic gesture. Then I realized he was blind and she was guiding him. A Dutch person would not let a little thing like blindness keep him off his bike. I also think of all the people in California who say they have to have a big SUV because they have children to cart around - and all the bikes I saw over there with 2 and 3 child seats on them.
95% of Americans are too lazy to ride a bicycle plus they think a bicycle is a toy thanks to the car industry
Blind? Haha, sorry, but that is nonsense. If you are blind you can't ride a bike. Impossible. It was a gesture of kindness.
@@henkoosterink8744 How does, being blind make it impossible to ride a bike? (besides the obvious)
@@Kaneanite Try to ride a bike with your eyes closed. I tried it it, and it is impossible.
@@henkoosterink8744 How many times did you try? Just the one time or one hundred times? Did you try to ride a bike while blind after 6 months of being "blind?" Or maybe you were born blind and had to learn to take care of yourself? All i'm really saying is what seems impossible to you, is very possible to somebody who is forced to make the impossible possible.
Should be mandatory in all cities. What a great way to keep everyone fit and healthy.
Manufacturer: "So, how many bikes do you want?"
Utrecht: "Yes."
Can I ask you where this 'yes' hype came from again, i forgot where this came from, i'm so stupid. ty for your answer.
@@AndreasP07 Where does language come from? It is a natural evolution of collective thought.
@@AndreasP07 Just hanging out here in case someone decides to actually answer your question :-)
@@AndreasP07 That's what I could find: english.stackexchange.com/questions/504260/origin-of-yes-joke-to-a-question
Not completely satisfying, but better than nottin'... ¯\_(°-°)_/¯
@@AndreasP07 chad meme. That’s it
i wish this could happen in the U.S. also ... what an awesome undertaking! Respect to Utrecht!
it only works in highly dense populated country
@Brutus Tan Why do you feel that bikes are more immature than cars/trucks? In what way?
@@shukracharya_ No, it works everywhere. But it needs some courage.
@@henkoosterink8744 many people in us live in far outside of city
mostly in suburb
it will be hard to travel that much with bicycle
@@shukracharya_ Yes i know. Vote for better people to create better cities. Many things went wrong in the US.
Just IMAGINE how much better HEALTH is??? Of course BOTH mind and BODY!!!
Mind body light sound
100% This is so awesome, why people haven't realized this before?
mmm... wasn't there a study or something, that said that the 0.5 billion (half a billion) that the Dutch are investing every year on cycling infrastructure, yielded 19 billion (nineteen billion) in health benefits?
@@thierrylei62 True
Meanwhile in New York...
It blows me away how much better quality of life they have than we do in the USA. It is like a dream that seems impossible.
"WE'RE NUMBER ONE!"
"DON'T LIKE IT? THEN LEAVE!!!!!"
This is how Americans address problems in society. So, so sad.
@@dudeonbike800 Too true. I am NOT an American (I am Australian), but I have been thinking about some Americans' silly and blind patriotism and have been realising how strange it is. 🤣
Dear world, please DON’T look up to USA! Look up to Netherlands! Thanks.
I think by now people have stopped looking up to the US. I just hope more cities start taking this urban planning path over car-centric stuff like a lot of places have done
Paris is doing it too! Toronto as well! We’re getting there ❤️❤️
Don’t worry, so many cities and countries are following much better step other than the crappy american ones
upvote
I am sure, there as things, the US does good - but building livable cities for sure is none of that, not even closely.
I live in Portland Oregon and even though it is one of the most bike populated cities in USA there is still a huge amount of hatred towards bikes on the road. I believe if anyone can have space and ability to implement bikes to a city it would be here.
Slava Satonin I hope you can make it happen, would be a great example for other u.s. cities
Slava Satonin ....yes, there should be more cycling, especially with your more mild climate.
Minneapolis, MN is embracing this.
*Minneapolis is The Most Bikeable City in the U.S.*
www.ourstreetsmpls.org/minneapolis_is_the_most_bikeable_city_in_the_us
It is a complete joy.
because the people who drive bikes don’t oblige to the laws.
@@agoogleuser169 ,
*Why protected bike lanes are more valuable than parking spaces*
ruclips.net/video/E85HMNJix_o/видео.html
I just became a bike guy, i bike everywhere now, and my legs feel stronger, i love it
I have been bicycle commuting for over 20years now. I went car-free over a decade ago. I hope I never have to own a car again. The cost of car ownership is mind-boggling.
*Minneapolis is The Most Bikeable City in the U.S.*
www.ourstreetsmpls.org/minneapolis_is_the_most_bikeable_city_in_the_us
It is a complete joy.
Great! That's the best example you can give to your kids, your city-council and whom not!
That is simply wonderful.
I live in Manchester UK. I started biking three years ago after a lifetime of car driving and motorbike riding and I wish I had started 50 years ago. It is so pleasurable riding a bike.
On the minus side I have scars on my knees and I am still recovering from injuries to my ankle from where a car driver hit me. I had right of way on a junction and he simply ran into me. At the hospital I was told that kind of accident is very common.
In England we never look past the end of our noses. Well done the Dutch, an example to us all.
One of the things we started doing aside the mode separation of traffic are the continuous sidewalks and bike lanes which are another psychological and physical barrier. A car driver simply can not take a left or right turn without "encroaching" into the pedestrian and bicyclist domain.
In the U.K., unless your bike is worth less than £30 if you lock it up somewhere it’s getting stolen. I’ve even had my front spindle stolen. My front wheel fell off!
@@DMC888 I think we dont even go to the police anymore when our bikes get stolen. You can buy a good used one for 50 euro;s (one that was probably stolen at least once or twice in its existence)
I lived in NL for 4 years and it was by far the most impressive country I have ever lived in. This country is run by really smart people
America is run by those that are dumb as a brick
@@staycasual7203 The bad choices aren't because of stupidity, but rather corruption. I think there's plenty of what you would call intelligent people, just that they're either unable to actually make a noticeable difference due to not being high enough in the chain, or they're being bought out by those with the biggest pockets.
@@Cobalt985 💯💯💯👍🏻
Inspirational. I have sent the video to the city council where I live. I can always dream of a better world
You want someone else to do the work and also pay for it though. Your effort is limited to watching a video and forwarding it. Right? That is the output from all of the inspiration?
@@JK-vc7ie hi J K, I am a little surprised by your response and comments to a video I found inspirational. I am a tax payer and a cyclist. I try to influence how the taxes I pay is used and I try to encourage people around me to cycle more too. Having said that, with all the will and money in the world the place I live will probably never be like the cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands
I may move there one day and this little film may become my daily commute who knows but one thing is certain I'll remain positive and hope for a better world.
Maybe you should do the same mate.
@@alainpic1
I'm just keeping it real, mate. Not positive or negative. Just real.
@@JK-vc7ie keeping it real by being judgemental? That's a great way to motivate.
@@JK-vc7ie so what do you think he should do?
I'm Dutch, 54 years old, and like back then, i couldn't live without my bike for a day.
From Copenhagen .. Me too ..
Ik vind het wel wonderlijk dat ze zeiden dat maar 50% 3 of meer fietsen heeft. Iedereen die ik ken (ik woon in Utrecht) heeft een fiets. Maar ja
I had only barely heard of Utrecht before the first time I visited the Netherlands, and I randomly ended there. And sweet baby jesus, it blew my mind completely. It is a ridiculously gorgeous city and as urban environment it just feels efficient, safe, clean, and inviting to a degree that I had never in my 28 year old life thought was possible (and I've had the luck of visiting many cities in North and South America and Europe). It has made me see how backwards and inefficient cities all around the world are, even many of the so-called "developed" ones. And these backward car-centric designs really pay no favours to otherwise beautiful historical cities, e.g. in Italy. I hope we see more of this around the world soon enough.
Hilarious and so accurate! Thanks!
Everyone who rides a car in the Netherlands also rides a bike. That brings a lot of understanding from car drivers toward cyclists!
This deserves to be the most viewed video on RUclips.
hassan check this one out i've watched it about 10 times by BicycleDutch
respect and law and order something we have a little here but getting better Cycling on Vredenburg, Utrecht (Netherlands)
@Always ShiftN they do exist?
Thank you! Well it won't make it that high but it will certainly cross 100K plays within the next few weeks.
@@StreetfilmsCommunity Is ZIJN Tijd VOORUIT !!
En Nú, DE "Utrechtse Fiets". Puur - EKO, Recyclebaar, Duurzaam, En Past, Bij De StadsArchitectuur !!
GROETJES !!
no its not, plain Anti-Car Fascists at work nothing great to see here
Not 1 obese person, that I could see. I wish cycle infrastructure was implemented properly in my country, completely separate motorised transport from cycles.
Although movement can aid in weight loss, it has less to do with "being forced" to ride a bike in a city than the individuals lifestyles in general. And good health is not only being skinny. It is also good lifestyle and moving the body each day. I agree that there should be more cycling friendly cities. Denmark is a whole country where cyclists are prioritized. since I was a kid I was wishing for the same in Norway.
Thomas Andersen Agreed, decent conditions for cycling makes a big difference. Here in UK there is almost no provision for safe cycling, the ‘cycle lanes’ (where they exist at all) are just white lines painted on the road, and are completely ignored by car drivers and council maintenance teams. However, Denmark and the Netherlands are much flatter than Norway! But in-town bicycle-biased traffic control has got to come here and across the world for sure. Les
Enough fatties in Utrecht and in NL. Don't worry. This is nothing but a propagandavideo from lefties that has nothing to do with reality.
And I'm a fanatic mtber myself!
2:05
Not 1 obese person? What do you call this 6:25...
I've visited Utrecht recently, it's not a fantasy utopia, it's a real life urban environment that feels exceptionally good to be and move around in. Some say it can't relate to other countries, but it looks very similar to other cities around Europe, with ancient areas, industry, shopping and recreation. There are still some cars, so if you really need one you can, or you can share use of one. But the train, bus, and cycling infrastructure is so excellent and safe, you can get anywhere you'd like to go. I'd recommend anyone to visit, sit in a cafe and watch this wonderful city at work. Leave your lycra and Garmin at home, you won't need it.
On point! I think it is hard for people to understand what urbanity like we find it in the Netherlands really is, and what it feels like, without experiencing it for themselves...
*If you go to the bike park garage early, you might still have a chance to find a parking spot.* I laughed. What a pipe dream for the rest of the world. I love you, Netherlands.
Oh Netherlands..! How could I not love you!? This needs to spread and become the standard.
agreed
As a dutch person I think people who dont ride their bikes are missing an important part of their youth. The freedom it gives you as a kid, you can go wherever you want and everything is so safe that the parents dont have to worry. I love seeing those schools when all the kids on their little bike arrive. The parents that come with their car kind of get the evil eye and are made almost impossible to park or arrive.
@@Markuden As a Danish person, while we don't have nearly as good infrastructure as the Netherlands, we still have adequate cycling paths etc. Its true that the Independence of not having to have your parents drive you everywhere is VERY important in the development of the youth. Studies have shown that being driven everywhere by parents can have a really adverse effect on the development and independence of youths. Also just all the health benefits alone of having your children bike to football practice etc. is worth it. I mean no wonder the United States fx struggles with obesity in their kids. They cant go anywhere before they turn 16 and get a drivers license simply because it is too dangerous to either walk or cycle anywhere.
This is great. However it would be even better to shoot this in the winter just to prove to the naysayers that bike culture is so well entrenched here. No blizzard or rain can keep the bikes away.
There are plenty of videos of people biking in the snow on RUclips.
Family of 4, we have 10 bikes...4 recreational/sports, 4 functional, 2 scrap heap type bikes we use for commute to train station. The lock is probably worth more than the bike. I cannot imagine life without bikes in my shed. That is how ingrained that mode of transport is in Dutch everyday life.
its not just Utrecht, most Dutch places are completely accesible with bikes
Cycling kills obesity!
Cycling is healthy, non polluting alternative to transportation. Hope that rest of the world follows the Dutch model.
Well not anymore. e-bikes are all the rage here in the Netherlands now..
@@EdgeOfPanic Ebikes still give you excersise.
this actually put tears in my eyes, you people can't possibly imagine what it feels like to be a cyclist in my country. its like a MAD MAX ! and i'm doin it for a last 35 years.
75zoran NYC?
Same here! Post-Covid, the drivers are worse than I could have imagined. That said, this is CA where mutual rage & hatred is spewed at everyone, not just cyclists. In other parts of the country, it's open season on cyclists and they're targeted with the highest malice. Scary shit!
EXCELLENT!! Los Angeles truly needs to get more on board with bicycles and get out of the cess pool of cars.
yeah and cyclists on bike paths there have to avoid the human waste that the homeless leave.
So many urban planners need to visit this place! I visited this most gorgeous location (by canal boat & bike) in 2017. Fantastic, vibrant community built for people.
I live in Australia, which isn't bad; but it's hard to explain just how "right" and "sensible" this planning is. Of course, we have a LOT of space, so cars are still needed, but not as much as we might think.
Were the local people fit?
no country doing this better than The Netherlands. its a good example for the rest to follow or be inspired.
~Well actually Denmark, as well, is - traditionally - quite far ahead in this sort of 'progressive urbanism'.
@@alexysq2660 Nah, just Copenhagen. And according to several bike activists it isn't thát great compared with NL. Remember that the whole country is like this, not just one city.
@@LeafHuntress The Netherlands easily wins when it comes to bike infrastructure, hands down. Copenhagen is actually my favorite city in the world, but it's bike infrastructure needs to be improved in many ways before it's on par with Dutch infrastructure. The Danish towns are even worst off compared to their Dutch counterparts. As for the comment on it being flat, well it's also always very windy. I would rather deal with the occasional incline than having to deal with 14 km of headwind (sometimes twice in a day if the wind changes direction in the afternoon).
Netherlands are flat, low population. Like a lab for emission free transport, but that changes with heights and heat. But it’s great they do it!
@@Jonestime1 The flat part is widely known (and true), but much less so is that it's almost always windy. They also have a very comprehensive transport system. But there are better examples, such as Switzerland (way more topography) and Japan (far more people, yet still very extensive and prompt).
Well done the Netherlands, you are a shining example to the World, Cycling is for every one, and in safety.
Oh, that's just awesome. It's not a nightmare as where I live in NYC. I'm 73 and although I had cars and motorcycles, I rode my bikes most of my life and still do as my only transportation. It's just so much fun riding, at least where there are bike paths. But to get to the bike paths, I have to battle cars and horribly potholed streets. NYC is not bicycle friendly for the most part and many drivers find the need to speed everywhere they go, even in residential areas. How I would enjoy living in a city where bicycles and pedestrians are given priority. That's a blessing. I'm truly happy for those people getting their exercise and staying in shape even as seniors like myself. The U.S. always favors cars having the whole road to themselves because of some 'time is money' crap. I want more connected bike paths that run more than just a few blocks where I live.
❤
Netherlands is a real world leader in cycling. I have been to Haarlem and Amsterdam, absolutely loved those places. Would love to do a huge biking tour of Netherlands. The world can really learn from this.
Though I cycled a lot in grade schools, I was excited for a car when I got my license.
It wasn’t until I got into a car crash that I realized that a car is way more work than previous thought.
Insurance, Maintenance, & Gas add up A LOT. And the crash did not help, almost three years and I’m still paying for the damage (it was totaled).
Good thing I’m studying to be an architect, it so I can influence my community. And every time I’m told by a friend or family that they are working for a car (especially a specialized car), I would tell them that I’m am working for their demise. For now I’m stuck with a car.
I wish you all the best man. I would have considered city planner if I had the right influences when younger.
Helawolf thank you, though still in the university, I’ve already imagine how some homes and businesses should be built for a better environment.
Old Architect here, to tell you... it's NOT we-who-design that creates our built-environment. Rather, it's the Investors. We, simply, provide the Plans! And their motivation isn't, sadly, creating Better Places for the Human Ecology. It's...their ROI!
Want to change the world? Get rich, somehow, & then become the one who DEMANDS their project serve Humanity & Nature, too. Good Intentions do little, without the resources to manifest them!
I...try, still :-) Better Luck to you!!
I love this a lot. I'm a cyclist from India. I hope all other populated countries implement it slowly. If this thing happens in China, India and other south east asian countries, that will result in a more greener planet.
This is a very rich town of 350,000 people. I'm a cyclist from a big "3rd world" metropolis. Things will never be like that here, unfortunately.
@@RodrigoPerez79 i feel ya. which country u from?
I'm a cyclist from Jakarta, Indonesia. Sure we can change it.
I hope it gets implemented quickly
If you stop having children there, that will result in a greener planet.
Much love to dutch people from Croatia,looking forward to returning to Netherlands,Tilburg and enjoy my bike the way I should.
Somehow rarely hear the BIG ADVANTAGE of cycling against public transportation is the freedom to go whenever YOU want, even if it is at 3 in the morning.
and you're in charge of the time
And nobody minds if you've had a few drinks while doing it.
@Nod Melon So? ruclips.net/video/5JQr8cm-6X4/видео.html
and... it's free!
@@TheManInTime naw the pay to park there bikes Tho lol and can get tickets I believe. But I'm all for it. Healthy af and overall less $$
Strasbourg, France is joining you on this biking revolution!! :)
Belgium as well love it!
Good on you both
And Germany meanwhile: allowing cars on bus lanes.
But Berlin closes some small streets for cars. Its now absolutely quiet.
I've been in Berlin last week, there are lots of cycling paths! Germany is way more advanced under this point of view than many of other European countries such as mine (Italy)...
@ekim andersom it's a start...
Urban planning in the Netherlands is absolutely fantastic! Many cities in my country, Finland, are taking the first steps towards becoming as bicycle-friendly as the Dutch cities. The only problem is that we have long winters in Finland.
I want to move to the Netherlands now.
Move ... with a backpack, because you have to tranport everything on a bike. How about renovations, building materials, furniture, delivery in general, gardeners, grossery, ... Nice in theory, it works only in utopia.
@@corneilcorneil
Wel we stil drive our cars.
But its stupid,to go to the city center in your car.
@@RedbadvanRijn-ft3vv
Americans want to drive to the airport and park on the landing strip, until they invent drive-in planes.
@@dutchman7623
Wel back in the 70s,i was just like them.
I hated our anti car policy.
How litle did i know back then.
@@RedbadvanRijn-ft3vv, natuurlijk is het niet verstandig vanwege het parkeerprobleem. Maar die linkse theorie van een autovrije binnenstaat is gewoon kortzichtig en onhaalbaar. Voor onwetenden lijkt het nu wel of de ganse stad zich op een fiets verplaatst, net zoals de Chinezen denken dat jullie allemaal met "wooden shoe's" lopen en in een molen wonen. 😂
Love this. I feel like I'm the only local who cycle to work every morning..
Me too, and i live in Milan, people commuting to work are ver few...
then you have great infrastructure, where choice still exists
@@TheOneG36 "where choice still exists".
You've got it all wrong. It was the people of the Netherlands, not the governement that chose, no: *demanded* a change in this direction.
Have you ever wondered why this country, the Netherlands, with all it's bicycle- and pedestrian friendly infrastructure (not to mention it's public transport) manages to end up number 1 in Waze's drivers' satisfaction survey year after year? There's a correlation that you might want to ponder on for a bit....
This is a very beautiful, wonderful system, ever!!!
@jan simonides What about you not being a wimp, you are not made of sugar.
Sending this video to my local council. Thanks!!
The council might also be interested in videos by Not Just Bikes, where the host breaks down the small things that are great individually, but together make for a marvellous infrastructure and a great city to live in.
I wish my city was intelligent enough to go in this direction. It's nice to see someone doing it.
It's spreading. Denmark took a very early look and thought 'we can do that but better' (the arms race still continues) and Germany is now also taking note in the border regions. Same with Belgium and France. Also loads of university cities all over. It just needs to get to critical mass and that will happen as soon as Germany is all-in. After that it will spread really really fast.
This is fantastic. This video deserves to go viral. Credit to those who made it and to the authorities in Utrecht for the fantastic work they are doing. Definitely a template for urban areas around the planet. ARE YOU LISTENING DUBLIN!!!!
Hello from the Automotive Republic of Germany: we have to learn and to do a lot... more...
An amazing place! As a regular biker. Utrecht seems like a model for travel in a smart city. These people have done the remarkable.
As a resident of Utrecht, I totally agree with you. I can cycle everywhere in the city on protected bike paths. Motorists are useally kind to cyclists, because motorists are cyclists too. All the shops, cinemas, theatres and other destinations are within 6 miles/ 10 km tops. I use my car seldom inside Utrecht.
Incredible citizens of Netherlands, you guys are so matured, so sensible and so cooperative. It’s inspiring to see how the whole nation has worked towards making the country pollution free traffic free. You guys are in real sense educated, rational and visionaries. Hope to cycle in Netherlands someday.
They are just poor and stingy. This view is wrong, propaganda.
Tropical VN Rider haha, I can buy almost any car I want cheaper than some WHEELS for my bicycle... my fun RX-8 cost me about the same as a sawtooth ZIPP wheelset, and I can buy methanol drag race cars (lots of car bodies/engines to choose from) with wheelie bars included for less than a high end bicycle (I’m not talking super high end, goodness, they go as high as your bank account allows!).
My used bicycle is nothing fancy at all, and it still cost more than half the cars my family has ever purchased (one of the last ones they bought was a Mercedes Benz 300d on the legendary W123 chassy, man those turbocharged diesel engine cars make the gas ones look worthless in the US! But at least my dad picked a decent one, rock solid and good fuel economy of 40 mpg at 90 mph average, so not amazing by today’s standards but pretty cheap to operate too).
My bicycle though needs some carbon fiber disk wheel covers made for its electric motor in the rear I recently added (I’ve got about $500 in carbon fiber to do it), just need to get around to making the mold, but it will be fun, haha!
@@corneilcorneil Fake news people, fake news, move on. #rideabikeman
@@PvdBMr, ben net terug van een avondritje 👍🏼😛
@@corneilcorneil Goed bezig, beetje warm he
This is fascinating. But as a North American (Ottawa, Canada) I was saddened at the same time. Cars are so ingrained in our culture that there is open hostility to cycling and cyclists here...or anything that challenges the dominance of cars. I’m a car owner, but in our summer months 85% of my trips outside my home are by bike or public transit. I only really drive my car in the winter months when cycling is much more difficult. This car may be the last one I own....I’m half Dutch, so that must be that heritage coming through.....Keep going Netherlands and show the rest of the works how it should be done!
As a German living in Japan i nearly started to cry over those images. While my hometown in recent years is changing in a similar way as Utrecht, here in Japan literally everything is build around the car. Despite the most efficient public transport in the world. Its sheer madness. Here a lots and lots of streets in the city which doesnt even have a dedicated path for pedestrians. While for the last 4 years i was living in the Japanese countryside where you are still able to witness some beautiful nature. Here in Yokohama (same goes for Tokyo) everything is just grey.
I live in Monreal. A lot of initiatives were done over the years to promote and help cyclists get around. In my neighboorhood in verdun, I have everything near. I have a car but I use it only during the week ends when I need to go out of the city. I do the rest by foot, bicycle, bus, metro. I"m happy and feel priviliged to have this lifestyle.
The implementation of the special red tarmac may be one of the best ways to get better bike infrastructure... should be tried in the US.
Fancy tarmac is nice and don't get me wrong, I would love to see it in the States someday. But we need so many more basic things way before it matters what sort of pavement we have for bikes.
I definitely agree with you that there are more things to be done. I feel that somehow separating bikes and cars would make people feel safer and get more people riding. I know so many people that are afraid to ride in the us. The speed limits here even in town are way too high. Other than that maybe having more places to secure your bike.
@@ivandiaz5791
I do not agree with you.
Safe biking makes your health better, less need for medical services.
Less cars makes your cities livable, also better for your health.
Youth can go to sport clubs and school all by themselves without taking them there by car, saves a lot of time, better for them and their parents.
Mobility scooters and wheelchairs use the same infra and are safe.
If you cycle from age three to ninety three, what is the basic thing in life? Good cycle infra.
I cannot imagine any other basic thing in life.
@@ivandiaz5791 makes me wonder how many kilometers of bicycling infrastructure you would get for the same cost as 1 kilometer of highway. I think the bigger challenge is changing the sense of entitlement that a lot of the motoring public seem to have.
It is beginning to pop up in Portland/Seattle, needs to be implemented more widely.
I visited Holland sometime in the late 70s or early 80s as a child, and I remember being impressed with how bicycle-friendly everything was.
Well, you should visit it again, a lot has happened in 40 years.
That bridge just blew my mind! If the US want to be like this in 30 years, they have to start now.
Wow, I am at a loss for words. This is what a city is supposed to be like... Well done to Utrecht, it must be fantastic living there!
It's a nice place to live, but people are also rushed and impatient sometimes
As a cyclist from eastern europe, I am simply amazed. What a great thinking, and forseeing the future needs, and building a better city for the citizens. In here we are still at the state ,where they were back in the 70s, and I really do not see any change soon. I really envy you people from Utrecht!
So your in a fantastic position,to build it.
We fuckt Utrecht in the 70s.
i wish i could live in this city :-) hey You in Utrecht.... i'm jealous! :-)
Start riding bike in the city where you live and set an example instead
Minneapolis, MN is embracing this.
*Minneapolis is The Most Bikeable City in the U.S.*
www.ourstreetsmpls.org/minneapolis_is_the_most_bikeable_city_in_the_us
It is a complete joy.
Do you like communism?
@@roar40s why do you ask such question when we talk about bikes?
@@LuisaH2022 I'm from Utrecht. The city council is completely full of Marxists. They are actively destroying the character of our beautiful city and have been doing so for many years. They are ideologues that won't stop until the city looks like any other globalist shithole.
This is the way the world should work. This makes sense
Inspiring. This is the blueprint for a healthier and more human-centered future. With no air or noise pollution, this is truly worthy of emulation throughout the world.Thank you, Ultrecht!
I didn't believe it was real until the 13 minutes. Amazing
That is absolutely great. So proud of the Netherlands.hope the rest of the world has the balls to follow suit .🙂🚲
"2020 the Magic Year" ... Ohhh boy, if you only knew .... :D
lol... corona ftw
😂
Hats off to the people of Utrecht for embracing this lifestyle and for thinking ahead.
What kind of witchcraft is this? Asking for the US
costeeta I want this in my city so bad.
The government one.
It's 0 city's above 1 million people, 40.000 km2 country and no elevation.
@@MTBenVoorMvML Oh man hou je kop dicht, nichefietser & scheefschaatser.
The whole of the Netherlands is densely populated, one of the busiest countries in the world with 17.5M people. With a pretty good democracy, none of that FPTP nonsense, so politicians are chosen because people choose them, not voted for the least bad choice like in the UK/US. Since everybody bikes, almost no-one would support anti-bicycle measures.
For how it came to be so, watch BicycleDutch "How the Dutch got their cyclepaths."
Most cities in the world are on mostly flat terrain near water of rivers or sea, so in those cities the Dutch infrastructure can be installed right now, the CROW manual is available in English, see also the Dutch cycle embassy. But if elevation was a true factor, then the Danes would cycle twice as much as us Dutchies. They don't, Dutch infra is simply better. Also the English would cycle more than the people in Suisse & Austria, they don't & one cannot claim that those countries are flat!
Psst! It's called "human decency". If you have that perk a lot of cool stuff is possible to do.
L.A. City Council and County Council NEED to watch this video and start to implement bicycle this!
S. Strauss
Right. You want to ride you bike from Riverside to downtown LA every day?
J K I haven’t driven in LA, but can you keep up with my 30 mph average?
Plus there is also this thing called ebikes if you are too sickly to pedal or walk well (that is not for my average, which is technically about 28 mph average over 30 mile trip, and obviously if it’s less than 30 miles then I can push a little faster, normal road bicycle, no aerodynamic wheels or fairings of any kind).
Jake Garrett -- Interesting. The average speed on the flats of the Tour de France is 25 MPH. Are you a professional cyclist?
@@wilhard45 No, but I'm also only biking for like 1 hour so I'd probably die trying to do that for 8 hours or whatever they do in the pro races. The averages were during ~30 mile road races (definitely not pro, LOL! Just USAC collegiate racing class D). I'm really surprised they are only averaging 25 mph (Sort of makes sense, power to double speed goes up by a factor of 8x, but I'm definitely no superman! just when I was in shape), I'm guessing they would be way faster if they only needed to do 30 mile stages like I was (it still felt like forever even though it was only an hour, haha!).
Yeah, right, as if people will ride a bike 30-60 miles or more in blazing desert heat and sun every day, through violent gang territory and homeless camps. There is no way in hell this would work in southern California.
I lived in Des Moines, Iowa. U.S for 15 yrs. Many people rode their bikes to work all year round. It was great to see that...
I live in the southeast of the Netherlands where it is absolutely not as flat as in the areas of our big cities and there is just as much cycling.You are raised with it and you become more independent.🥰👍
Is this a movie or something?
Looks like a dream! This city is awesome!
Just go and have a look. It's worth travelling to the NL.
yay! no helmets! feel the fresh air; hear the sounds around you; etc. etc. etc.
This is a big part of the reason why people accept it there. Helmet rules in other countries are specifically tailored and lobbied for by the car/fossil fuel industry to push people away from bicycles.
Not even the kids!
Helmets gives you a false sense of safety.
Joe Black I have to disagree with you there. Although bike helmets can draw people away from cycling, they do come in handy in areas without a bike culture. The Netherlands has endless bike infrastructure and protected intersections, so the chance of getting in an accident is very small. But in the USA, for instance, cyclists usually end up biking right alongside enormous trucks and buses. So I do think helmets are necessary in some areas.
@@smart_friendalways4226 If you think that helmet is going to protect you form the enormous truck... well, I have a bridge to sell to you.
Darker and less talked about side of Dutch cycling culture are the cyclists themselves... and their total and utter disregard to road safety. Sure, you might not have o deal with big SUV - but you will have to deal with dozens of people who play mobile games, read newspapers or just don't look around and don't give a flying fuck while driving on the same thin bicycle way as you.
Got room for one more over there? I love riding my bike. I prefer it. I'd use all the time if I could. I only own a car because in the US its damn near impossible to get around w/o one. Public transportation is so poor, except in places like New York or Chicago, it might as well not even exist.
We need this bicycle infrastructure in the UK. Come on Boris please sort this out. You are the only PM that can and will do this.
Just use the corona crisis as an argument. Its a save form of transportation. You can social distance on your bike while its also improving your health. And creating cycling lanes are sources of work so its a good thing during an economic crisis as well. Win-win.
Went there for my work few years ago and was very impressed. Such an impact on public health, living environment this is brilliant!!! I envy you dutch people.
Congratulations. We need this in Austria too.
Groeten uit Wenen, Scott
Always good to see Mark Wagenbuur in a video. He is doing so much to promote safe everyday bicycle riding. All without the need for safety gear.
I’m from 🇳🇴,but Nederland It is the country of my heart!❤️❤️
welcome :)
Dutch have really perfected the art of urban design. Kudos to all. I hope to see this kind of infrastructure in Australia too.
Unfortunately in my country Malaysia which is just above Singapore, the land isn't quite flat as in the Netherlands. We have lots of hills and slopes which makes cycling very difficult without sweating it out let alone with an upright bike like your Dutch bike. I fell in love with your cycling lifestyle when my wife and I went to your beautiful country for a vacation and we brought back a Dutch bike. Our city mayor has built bicycle lanes only recently but it's just a start somewhere. I hope someday our city of Kuala Lumpur and many other cities and townships here will also follow your example.
Electric bikes become more and more a standard.
Kuala Lumpur is pretty flat right? I think it has many chances for cycling.
Absolutely wonderful! Recently taught myself how to ride at 35 and would LOVE to live in a city like this, well done Utrecht!
This is so wonderful it makes me weep! Well done, Utrecht!
People in the Netherlands for a long period are crazy for bikes. Dutch change the infrastructure pro bike.
I like that. I love my bike too.
Now, decades later, people in Germany, which ist just behind the border, force majors in Germany, to do the same. To build more bike lanes. But it takes so long...
Und dann schau dir Hamburg, Berlin, Köln an. Überall drekige, laute, stinkgende Blechschüsseln und die reinste Hölle fur Radfahrer. Wer einmal in Holland gefahren ist, wird es Deutschland sehr vermissen. Und ich werde da auch wütend. Alles wird getan, übertrieben gesagt, damit jeder mit seinem SUV alleine 500 m zu Bäcker fahren kann. Aber eine besser Infrastruktur fur Fahrrader kommt nur langsam. Und jetzt wird es auf den schmählich vorhandenen Radwegen noch enger, durch die E-Scooter.
@mauzn Allerdings. Die Leute aus Skandinavien (und NL und anderswo), sind nicht so gereizt wie wir, in den stressigsten Situationen häufig total entspannt und in der Regel sehr nett. Wir können was von denen lernen.
@@carlos_caracas Wir können doch nicht zulassen, dass unsere geliebten Autobauer weniger Blechbüchsen verkaufen. Würde Arbeitsplätze vernichten.
Andere Länder, wo es nicht so viele Autobauer gibt haben nicht automatisch ein Arbeitslosenproblem. Siehe Dänemark. Kaum Fahrzeugbau und nur wenige Arbeitslose.
@@bjornmundt5801 Dafür haben wir den besseren ÖPNV, wenn man mal in die Niederlande schaut wirst du keine einzige Straßenbahn außerhalb der Metropolregion an der Küste finden.
Westdeutschland hat als eines von sehr wenigen autogerechten Ländern nicht so gut wie alles an Straßenbahnen bis auf die allergrößten Städte rausgerissen auch wenn einige Städte leider diesen weg gegangen sind ist die Liste an verbliebenen Straßenbahnen hier länger als in jedem anderem westlichen Land. Im Osten ist sogar noch mehr geblieben das hat aber andere Gründe.
Es scheint so als würden sich die Politiker die Verkehrswende wollen in Deutschland nur noch auf das Fahrrad fixieren um die wirklich teure Infrastruktur nur im absoluten Extremfall und auch dann erst nach vielen Jahren Gelaber bauen zu müssen.
This is both terrific and amazing. Thank you so much for putting this video together. I found it to be incredibly illuminating on what is possible. I hope one day the United States will learn and become similar to this.
That would definitely be an uphill struggle if I ever heard one, everything from our consumerism to the types of development that induce car traffic push against this vision. But I could see communities like this happening, don't give up hope.
Thanks for sharing! That was cool!
I feel so good just by watching these scenes
Meanwhile, Brits think leaving EU and banning "cyclists that don't pay road tax" is the key to happyness and success. All right mate..
Pretty weird indeed! On a densely populated island as GB you would guess a bicycle can have huge benefits!
It's this kind of progress the UK are trying to avoid!
flip inheck perhaps referring to London’s rush hour tax?
@flip inheck Every vehicle in the UK pays Road Tax. it cost me £170 this year.
Britain has something called hills. And rain. And a much larger country, with more spread out suburbs. Cycling in Britain is most certainly not the key to happiness (or even ‘happyness’ if you prefer). As for success, if you can have the time to waste on a slow, outmoded form of transport, you certainly won’t be successful.
And bringing some irrelevant point about Brexit into the subject is nonsensical. Reclaiming sovereignty from an undemocratic superstate is nothing to do with happiness or success. It’s about voters in the country choosing their own laws, own regulations, own trade deals, and own economic policies without interference from unelected bureaucrats in a foreign land. If the EU was about happiness and success, then tens of millions of unemployed people in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy & Greece, the economic meltdowns of Greece & Cyprus, and the insolvent banks in Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Greece & Cyprus would be a strange measure indeed of happiness & success.
Wonderful video of a wonderful city! I had the good fortune to be able to visit Utrecht in May for 10 days. Upon arrival, I had just unpacked & repacked our tandem after a 2-week cycling tour in France. I asked myself, "Gee, should I rebuild the bike just for a long week?"
The answer was OBVIOUSLY A RESOUNDING YES!!!!
What a wonderful experience it was! Although I've cycled in The Netherlands and toured in Europe before, I was still amazed by the cycling infrastructure. Talk about cycling nirvana! It was just so ideal.
And boy do the Dutch commuters have skills. In 10 days of riding among thousands of cyclists in downtown Utrecht, we didn't see a SINGLE crash or even a close call. Everyone's so competent on two wheels. Like riding among 1/2/Pros in a peloton!
Advantages of society embracing cycling:
1) Fight obesity. Look at all these folks in the video. Hard to find many overweight.
2) Overall health, especially your knees. Cycling is a favorite exercise for orthopedic surgeons getting people back from surgery AND injury prevention. I can only assume my 10 years of playing soccer without a SINGLE knee injury is due to a life-long love o cycling. And cycling to soccer practice is about the best warm up you could ask for!
3) Benefits kids about a BILLION ways!
4) Makes better drivers. Any kid growing up on a bike knows so much more about they dynamics of driving than any non-cycling driver. Most drivers have NO CLUE how their brakes stop their cars. The % split between F & R and how it changes the harder you brake. Cornering and braking. Maximizing traction. Minimizing spin-outs. Learn it on a bike when the consequences aren't so great (and when your young and know how to fall and not get injured), so when you get behind the wheel, you're already more knowledgeable.
5) Reduced urban noise & pollution.
6) Reduced health care costs.
7) Reduced serious injury and fatality due to high-speed & mass crashes of automobiles.
8) The list goes on and on.... feel free to add more.
Thanks Netherlands for showing the world the way!!!
I am so jealous of you guys!! I am cycling to the train station every day and I am so scared of running over by the cars. Yet people in Netherlands don’t even wear helmets!
If someone in the Netherlands cycles wearing a helmet, he is obviously a German tourist.
I love it!
Greets from Finland!
Amazing transformation and very inspirational 👍