WHY ARE THERE SO MANY BIKES? | 🇳🇱 Netherlands: Bicycle Country!
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- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2021
- WHY ARE THERE SO MANY BIKES? | Netherlands: Bicycle Country!
There is no other country in the world where there are more bicycles than residents, and that made us wonder: WHY are there so many bikes in The Netherlands? 🇳🇱
To answer this question we had to go back in time. We tell you everything about the history that explains why The Netherlands became a bicycle country. After we covered the history, we take you back to the current days. It’s amazing to see how huge cities like Amsterdam and The Hague are so bike friendly. The infrastructure for bicycles in The Netherlands is just great. You can even park your bike underneath a railway station! Curious about all the benefits this brought us? In the end, we tell you all about it!
Want to know more about the history of bikes? Check the full video: • How the Dutch got thei...
#bicyclesinthenetherlands #bikesnetherlands #fietseninnederland
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Please let foreigners wear a helmet because then we Dutchies recognize them as tourists and we are warned if they do strange things on the bike.
Haha Bert, the most German tourists already wear helmets 🙂
As a dane and soon biketurist in nl i never would ride any bike without a helmet 😇
@@larstueschjth2658 If that's what you like, then you should do it. And, as I wrote, it makes it easy for us Dutch to recognize tourists :-) Then we often know right away that we have to talk to them in English or German.
What strange things?
You forgot one benefit that's really important to a lot of us Dutchies: it's so much cheaper than driving a car or even local public transport.
Yes that's true.
especially with fuel prices in the NL
And its good for our wellbeing.
Why we don’t wear helmets? It’s because we mostly ride “upright” low speed bikes which makes head injuries less likely. Every car driver is also a cyclist, so they understand and respect each other. Cyclist are very much protected by law. When a collision between a motorized vehical and a bicycle occurs, the vehicle is guilty unless proven otherwise. If helmets were mandatory, cycling would be discouraged, because where would you keep them if you go shopping? But most of all because of the infrastructure which seperate bicycles from cars on larger roads. So if you are not living in the Netherlands: don’t try this at home!
Thanks for the information Carolina! 🤗
CAPITALS DUE TO LOSING SIGHT AND REDUCED COGNITIVE ABILITIES. I HAD A CYCLING ACCIDENT 50 YEARS AGO. IT WAS AN UPRIGHT TYPE, NO VEHICLE INVOLVED. AS A RESULT I HAVE EPILEPSY AND NOW I’M LOSING MY SIGHT. YOUR DEFENCE ON NOT WEARING A HELMET ARE EMPTY. THANKFULLY COMPETITION CYCLING ENFORCE HELMET USE. ALSO AS A RESULT OF DEVELOPING EPILEPSY I WAS UNABLE TO COMPETE IN TIME TRIALS.
@@michaelnichol3089 while helmets indeed help prevent certain types of injury they are also associated with an increase in neck trauma. i am curious in what country and what circumstances your accident happened ,chances are it is more a "bad road design" accident.
@@mrzebe3624 Helmets decrease injuries. You really can't deny that. We're just too lazy to put on a helmet every time we go somewhere.
@@mrzebe3624 THE CYCLING ACCIDENT WAS ON STANDARD ROADS HERE IN THE UK. IT WAS 53 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS 13. I MADE A CORNER TURN TOO SHARPLY AND FELL OVER. THERE WAS NO VEHICLE INVOLVED. I’M NOT ABLE TO RECALL THIS AS I WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND WOKE IN HOSPITAL THE FOLLOWING DAY. YOUR ARGUMENT FOR REFUSING TO WEAR A HELMET IS THE SAME VALUE AS REFUSING A COVID VACCINE. BASICALLY YOU WONT ACCEPT ADVICE OR GUIDANCE FROM OTHERS. I HOPE YOU DON’T FALL OFF YOUR BICYCLE, BUT REMEMBER IT IS NOT JUST YOUR LIFE YOU ARE RISKING EVERY TIME YOU RIDE. THOSE CLOSE TO YOU WILL BE AFFECTED IF YOU SUSTAIN A BRAIN INJURY. THANKS MICHAEL
I think the main reason we Dutchies don't wear helmets on the bicycle is because realistically we don't need to, here in the NL. Like you said, everyone rides bicycles, meaning that everyone understands bicycles and every car driver knows to look out for bicycles. Also, the infrastructure is very, extremely bicycle friendly here in the NL, meaning that cyclists share the road with cars a lot less, and there's a lot more space, making it safer too.
Yep, makes sense! 😄
And of course the speeds bicycles travel at is low
@@Bramfly Eh, you can easily break your neck / crack your skull stumbling while walking, so that's not that much of a reason.
If like in most of Ireland where I live, I'm riding predominantly on open roads and streets mostly among all traffic with only occasional and poorly planned cycling infrastructure in between so in my opinion it's just too dangerous not to wear a helmet.
That bike path is literally my daily commute. Or will be again, once COVID restrictions are lifted. Glad to see you like cycling in my country!
3:14 "It's like in the middle of a forest I guess" haha
Thanks for the really great video.
Thank you so much for your amazing videos about NL, we're moving there in a week and we're so inspired to buy our bikes and explore as much as possible!
Thats exciting! I hope the weather is a bit better (and warmer) by then, cycling isn't fun at the moment haha. ❄⛄
@@LetsMeetAbroad Definately =) looking forward to the spring!
@@expatfamilylive9041 If you come on time then you can try another habit skating. Long time we are speaking about corona, but now we only speaking about "de Elf Steden tocht" so skating is even more poulair the biking in Netherland.
@@fvantpadje Haha true Fred!
@@fvantpadje It's amazing you have this opportunity!
I'm watching your videos recovering from COVID and hope to move abroad in the New Year, the Netherlands looks so amazing!
About the helmets.. technically.. what is the diffrence in height from the street, walking and cycling? almost the same. For Dutch people cycling is as natural as walking, they learn it at a very young age. Nobody on the world wears a helmet while walking. The diffrence in speed then, walking ( 5km/h) and normal cycling (15km/h) is app 10km/h. When you would need a helmet for that speed, every runner would need a helmet. A bike helmet only protects you from hitting the street with your head, not when a car hits you.
Mandatory wearing a helmet cycling would bring the number of cyclists so much down, extra long term health problems would occur, leading to higher numbers of deaths by health issues then by cycling accidents without helmets now.
Just my opinion.
Hi Dick! Interesting yes :) I think you are true about the walking and cycling being the same!
Your name 😂😅
When you use a helmet with biking there is 1 thing nobody is talking about, the wind. You hear nothing anymore even with a little wind. All the noises around you are swept away. Traffic noises from the left and the right and more dangerous from behind are filtered away.
First time viewer here. Very nice video. Didn't even know the history myself so thanks for that. I was born around the time of the oil crisis but as long as I can remember cycling was always the primary mode of transportation.
Hi Bram, thanks! 😄 yeah it was interesting researching the history!
I was born at the beginning of the 1950s, just north of Amsterdam, when the bicycle was already the most important means of transportation. However, on my street there was only one neighbor, a salesman who had a car from work. There were no other cars on the street.
So when you compare our answers, you see the problem. In just 20 years the small country was flooded by cars, especialley the cities were damaged by facilitating cars. It was good people remembered the Dutch bicycle culture and restored and improved it to todays standards.
For how the old Dutch bicycle culture was I have proof by the photoalbums of my parents. My mum (born 1919) and dad (born 1918) met as teenagers while cycling when they biked to their every weekend camp sites from Amsterdam and Zaandam to North of Alkmaar. I also have pictures of my mum and her (girl)friends 18-19 years old riding by bicycle from Amsterdam to Vianden in Luxembourg. Also a weeks long trip around the IJsselmeer by my parents and a group of friends, while WW2 was approaching (soldiers on all the pictures). For 38 years my dad went to work by bicycle from home to Amsterdam, every day app 45km. He died at the age of 93 just tired of living after his last girlfriend in the elderly home died. But physically he was quite good due to his allways cycling.
So I cycle some 3500-4000 km a year hoping to stay fit.
This video was so good. Full of climate positivity. Thanks for bringing this up in the most beautiful manners. Shots were awesome
Glad you enjoyed it!
watching your vlogs since a long time, definitely buying one bike...Netherlands is always in my bucket list...coming soon to bike in the streets of Amsterdam...keep posting more videos mate
Thanks so much. Yeah definitely. Can't wait for spring tho, to ride these bad boys. Haha
Uhm... Amsterdam is a bad place to start biking in the Netherlands. Especially around the city center. It can be very busy and if you don’t have much experience there it can be overwhelming and more dangerous. Also because there are many tourists who don’t know the proper use of the cyclepaths yet: they are walking on them and step on them without looking properly.
You'd better start cycling in more rural surroundings, villages and small cities. Moreover, you'll then get to know the real Netherlands!
Cycling in the centre of Amsterdam is a pain but cycling further out of the centre, or anywhere else in the Netherlands, is a pleasure.
After living in Germany for several years, one learns to love biking everywhere. It was so hard to come back to California after living in Europe for time that I did. Great video and all the best.
Very informative, thanks aditya for uploading these videos.
Thanks buddy, hope you're doing good :)
Scenic, greenery...artistic video, lovely presentation 👌🎉
Thank you 🙏😊
I would like to say thanks for this information. I'm Dutch, but i did not know much about why there are so many bikes in A'dam. Good job man👍
Thanks Henk! 😁
I was always keen to know about it. Thanks
Thanks Shreya. Gald you enjoyed the video
thank You for Sharing
Thanks for watching 😃
The Netherlands has the highest use of hair gel per capita in the world. A helmet would mess that styling up.
That's facts 😂😂😜
The reason for the NO helmet culture has several aspects: 1. Using a helmet is extra fuzz, so no helmet means easier come & go without having to carry a helmet around, like when shopping. 2. It's actually safer! Not personally, but since no one wears a bike helmet everyone collectively has to pay more attention. And this collective awareness makes it safer. Just check yourself, with a helmet you might make mistakes easier, both as a cyclist and or as a car driver and you might decide to not bike because you'd have to bring the helmet. For more information, I highly recommend the channel made by another expat: Not Just Bicycles.
Yes, you are right. I had to carry my helmet everywhere back in Australia, it was so annoying.
And in terms for safety I had so many close calls with cars back in Melbourne (literally no one looks in the side view mirror before turning left there).
Yes, I know that channel. Love the content of 'Not Just Bicycles'.
@KootFloris Not exactly true. Veldrijders wear bikes.
@@xFD2x hahaha.
Hey Floris, I agree highly on Not Just Bikes !
ruclips.net/user/NotJustBikesfeatured
thanks!
We don’t wear helmet because we learn to bike from about four years old so we’re very good at riding a bicycle.
Without a helmet, you’re more vulnerable. If everyone doesn’t wear a helmet, people will be more careful for each other.
There are at least 22 million bicycles in the Netherlands
I am finding Netherlands very beautiful and peaceful. Only thing I was thinking throughout this vlog was just get out Start riding bike bro. Then I realized I dont have a bike.😃😃
Oh yeah it is! 😍 Haha yep that is kinda essential if you want to go cycling 😂
Nice video, merci!
Thank you! 🤗
If possible , can you please make a video of the breathtaking views of Dutch tulip gardens ? A kind request 😌
When they are there we will definitely make a lot of photos and videos from them! 🌷🌷 But they are just here a few weeks a year, so first get through the winter!
I am here because of ur lecture in Skillshare that I just started to watch today, i am not yet finished but u made me hooked and brought me to ur channel, ur video is amazing and ur class is awesome.. bye, i need to go back to your class after this break 😅😍
Haha that's so nice!! 😄 I am so glad to hear that my Skillshare class is helping you! Good luck with the class 😁 let me know what you think of it!
@@LetsMeetAbroad it’s really worth of my time, we too have the same experienced actually, but I stopped posting videos. But after watching ur class, i am motivated again to start working my channel
Than k you for biking in my beautifull city The Hague. I bike everyday to work from Den Haag to Zoetermeer and love it. It'ss a great route also Wonder why i never catch a cold and stay fit......
Love it. My kind of place.
Thanks Steve
Quality video , now i am goint to get my own bike
Thanks, good luck 😉
Nice VDO. 😃
"Are we even allowed to cycle on this track?"
"I think it's allowed..."
"Yeah............ I don't trust her!"
😂
Wow! We should learn something out of it!
Thank you 😊
I love it! So jealous. Also what brand is that yellow jacket? Love that too. :)
Thanks Bill. The brand is Kathmandu. It's a brand from New Zealand. Sad that I can't find them here in The Netherlands :/
Another positive thing about bicycle is that it is more efficiënt to get around in and around the center of cities. A bicycle is the fastest transport from A to B in and around the center of Amsterdam. Cars have to deal with far more one-way streets, are many times stick in traffic and it is hard to find a parking spot.
It also beats public transport because you have to walk to bus/tram/train stop, wait for the next one and and you stop on a regular basis. But many times public transport beats the car.
Thats very true :)
wow! just wow!
Wow that is great
Love from Italy
You have to understand, to us Dutch people, a bicycle is not so much a vehicle, it is an extension of our feet. So we cycle like we would walk. And that's how we like our infrastructure: like fast, wheeled versions of pedestrian infrastructure.
That makes sense! 😃
Biking did start much before 1973. When I was 4 or 5 years old I got my first bike just like all the other kids. That was 1960 :)
Oh really, that's so interesting. Thanks for sharing this with us. :)
Nice presentation
Thanks a lot Rithik :)
@@LetsMeetAbroad where you from I need ask lots more about place
Good thinking of Netherland in bike cycle andi green
The bike parking garages showed in video are awesome.
Yes, they are indeed really cool.
@@LetsMeetAbroad Wish we had them here (-US). 😏🚲
Very beautiful place to ride a bike 😀
It really is!
There are three persons in our resident bicycling but others 4 members they don't want to bicycling .., and ultimately i thought that it is also a good exercise ☺☺🙋🙋
Nice video. Are there speed limits for bikes on bike trails and on roads? Are e-bikes (class 3 max 28 mph) allowed on bike trails?
Thanks! Yes e-bikes can go on bike trails. High speed e-bikes (max 45 mph) are not allowed!
A helmet is to avoid serious injuries, but they do not reduce the amount of injuries.
It's actually investigated that helmets cause more accidents. Cyclists take more risks with a helmet on and cars see them as less vulnerable so they pay less attention to them.
Also like said, if you would put on a helmet on a bike, why not when walking or even in a car?
nice vid
Thank you
Parking for the bikes. That's missing here in Paris...
Yes, thats very true.
cool
Nice
Thanks
Riding a bike here is so safe, that adding a helmet would actually make it less safe.
Safety in numbers
Nice couple!
Cycling in Northern Illinois is like a commando raid. It's very exciting with lots of action and you never know if you'll make it out alive.😃
Haha one of the reasons we love the Netherlands! 😅
It's the same where I live too, basically all we got are just strodes and very few bike paths and it's not very cyclist friendly.
Where is the first scene, with the river?
Hey Karen, its in Oostvlietweg Leidschendam
May i know the place in Haag whee you are biking pleae
That's place is not in Den Haag. It's about 5-6kms away. It's called Leidschendam. There is this bike trail/road next to the canal and it goes for really long.
What drone are you using? Mavic Pro? Mavic Air?
Mavic pro 2
@@LetsMeetAbroad Did you check the flight zones though? Because in that area things are more than a bit iffy.
I hope Jakarta will have the same facilities for bike like there 😅.
Aminnn
So amazing to know how Netherland government takes care for their bike riders and there convenience...
Well, cycling has many benefits for society: no noise pollution, no environmental pollution, less diabetes, heart decease and depressions, less car parking space needed, so driving a car in a Dutch city is not handy. And less road rage, when 2 cyclists bump into each other, it is: "sorry" and the move on. Try that with 2 car drivers.
True Mardiff! Happy to life in a country like the Netherlands 😁
@@LetsMeetAbroad Go to Rotterdam and you cycle under water, in the Maastunnel: www.google.nl/maps/place/Maastunnel+Noord+Fiets-+%26+Voetgangersingang/@51.9034511,4.4660916,16.5z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x47c43483f8e169c1:0x863e07950c5cd661!2sMaastunnel!8m2!3d51.900263!4d4.4680019!3m4!1s0x0:0x541895f577c98ac4!8m2!3d51.9026687!4d4.4689491
Omg.. this is cool. We will definitely do it. Thanks for recommending this.
Well, as mentioned in the video, it was quite a fight. It took years. But now, it's soo deep in our culture, it seems like it was always like this.
Its very nice decisons of the government. Its more eco friendly system.and should provide wear helmet. Parking facility is good. Affordable more bikes in a small area..
Yes, you are right
In the UK I wear a helmet. There's too many potholes, speed bumps and hills to worry about even if I don't factor in the skeleton cycle infrastructure in many places and some drivers disreguard of cyclists. I've heard of one person who died after a head injury when she came to a pothole. I am aware that it won't prevent every injury and I'm not going around speeding assuming I'm invincible either.
Yes true. Not many countries are bike friendly. I was in Sydney ones with the bike and there are barely any seperate bike path.
@@LetsMeetAbroad We do have separate paths in some places. It's just that many are short, disjointed and some of that is of questionable quality. They go from nowhere to nowhere. Things are looking up for some areas though so it's a working progress.
When it's raining or snowing some people continue bicycling because they don't have a cheap alternative. But a lot of people switch to public transportation or travel by car when the weather is bad. We can see this in the doubled numbers for congestions on roads on rainy days.
Why are here so many bikes? People use there bicycle to commute, these are high performance bicylcles. But when it rains people prefer to bicycle to the nearest trainstation with an old and worn out bicycle that won't be stolen at the trainstation. So two bicyces per person is quite normal.
Thats very true. We have two bicycles as well. One to go to the train station and lock there and the other one for proper commute :D
@@LetsMeetAbroad so your 'train bike' would be your commute bike then, isn't it? and your other bike for touring/leisure out of town rides.
Within cities people often take a 'not so fancy' bike , which you can park all over town with minimal risk of theft/damage.
The not wearing helmets has to do with behavior. Racers will wear helmets, for they bike like at 50km/h, and actually need it. But nobody would ever even consider putting a helm up for normal biking. Also, wearing a helmet would also induce change in behavior, people going into more risky situations. Also, the infrastructure induces safety, by separate bike lanes, making it 90degree angles to cross other traffic and having rules that if they have an accident the bikers have 50% liability at max. Everything is aimed to keep the cyclists safe, which means that other roadusers must respect bike riders. All those together make helmets not needed.
What you said makes so much sense..
Tanks
As I have heard on other doccies helmets are not compulsory because everyone rides slowly and drivers are considerate.
Haha no people drive for sure not slowly 🙈 when I was a kid I had to cycle to school and cars passed my with 1 meters with 100 km/u, sometimes the wind was so hard they pushed me from the road 😅
Proud to be Dutch!!!😎
Most people learn to ride a bike at the age of 3, small children wear helmets sometimes..
They do not wear helmets because we have separate bike lanes and the chance of an accident is relatively small
Very less trees on both sides of the road's 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Haha yep, often the case!
there are hardly any helmets because biking is not dangerous. Only when racing it's wise
That's true.
Are you allowed to fish in all the canals?
We're not fishers, but I believe you are not! And you need a card fo fish
@@LetsMeetAbroad thanks for your response
@@stiffy1389 you need a licence to fish, they are quite easy to obtain from a local municipality, i think it's linked to having to release your catches.
@@GeertTheDestoyer thank you Geert
Wow amazing
Love from Pakistan
Thanks you Faisal :)
I have heard from some Dutch people that they don't wear helmets whilst cycling for a few reasons: (1) It's safe becuase everybody is taught to respect cyclists, as many motorists are cyclists too (saw this already mentioned); (2) there is a lower risk of injury due to suitable cycling infrastructure and also the design of the bicycles themselves (latter mentioned already in comments); (3) helmets can obstruct your vision when you are cycling and then create an issue themselves; and (4) people are sceptical of them doing much to help you if there were to be an accident.
I often wonder,why a helmet?So the other way around!Really almost no biker hit his head on the road if he fals from his bike!So then,why a thing on your head that doesnt prevent anything?
Hm I have fallen a few times from the bike and always hit my head. Once in Australia, I think it might have saved my life!
The no helmet thing as multiple reasons.
A small one reason is the fact that we learn to ride bicycle from a early age.
In that time we master the art of falling as well. I've fallen countless times when I was just a young kid.
Yet I've never landed on my head, neither did I ever break anything. Just some cuts and bruises.
30 years of biking without a single serious incident. So why would we wear helmets? Seems... unnecessary
Makes sense!
you see more and more helmets specially among the older bikers and in the country side. Specially on electrical bike that go up to 25 km/h it is way safer. On the speed bikes that go up to 45 km/h you have to wear a helmet.
That's good! In the city you don't see them a lot, but I can imagine that people will wear them more in the country side (where they also drive more electrical I guess) 🚲
Yes, helmets are worn by cyclists on: E-bike, Speedpedelecs (you are right Rob, helmets are mandatory on speedpedelecs), road (racing) bikes and mountainbikes. But ordinary Dutch city bikes, like the Omafiets, do NOT wear helmets. Why? The speed of a citybike is low and thanks to the excellent Dutch cycling infrastructure, the accident rate per 1 million cyclists is very low.
@@mardiffv.8775 Thanks guys for the information, interesting!
I wear a helmet quite a bit, and 45k is starting to feel quite slow now. Good cruising speed, but 65k+ is where you really start to feel the wind in your hair, although potholes are not fun - I just dented the rim and cracked the join!
@@TimpBizkit When you consistenly travel at 65+ km/h on a bicycle, you should not only wear a helmet, but get your head checked out right away. Your not only a danger to yourself, but to the other road users as well, since nobody will anticipate to a bicycle going that fast.
Haagse Bos
There are less head injuries in the Netherlands then in countries with helmets. Maybe people take more risks with a helmet?
That might be true!!
We all ride bikes, some of us occasionally, and bicycles are seem as a serious means of transportation, unlike other countries where cyclist are considered a menace and are treated as such.
The main danger in NL is getting hit by a bike.😱😬👷🚴
Love NL....beautiful country, nice people.
Haha that is absolutely true. 😂😂
Delhi mein bahut pollution hai hamare Desh mein bhi hona chahie cycle ka
Yes, very important :)
4:00 Why no helmets? Because they're pointless in the Netherlands.
-Almost every driver in the Netherlands is also a cyclist. So they tend to be far more courteous to cyclists and more aware of cyclists.
- the whole Dutch infrastructure (car and cycling and public transit) is built to avoid conflicts between modes of transport. Safer infra means less accidents means no need for helmets.
- By law, the driver of a motorised vehicle is assumed to be at fault in an accident with a "weak road user" in the Netherlands. This again encourages drivers to drive safely and cautiously towards cyclists and pedestrians. And this makes sense when you think about it, since drivers are basically operators of VERY heavy machinery in the public space, and should bare responsibility in doing so.
- When riding upright bikes like the Dutch do, the risk of head injury is way, way less. And the average speeds isn't as high at all compared to racing cyclists. You are far more likely to have scrapes and bruises on your limbs when having an accident than having a head injury.
- Forcing people to wear helmets makes it a bit more inconvenient to cycle since you're hauling a big pot around all day. If this discourages even only a tiny percentage of people from cycling, you're putting these people back in a car, which is far, far more dangerous. And research shows it's mostly teens and young adults that hate wearing bike helmets, when this is by far the largest group that cycles the most.
- Forcing people to wear helmets is an excuse used by government to shift the responsibility of safety to the cyclist themselves, even though this has barely an effect on cyclist safety. It's an excuse not to build safe cycling infrastructure, when that is the only real thing that will improve cyclist's safety and will entice people out of their cars and encourage cycling. Helmets are a "show"bv safety measure that does almost nothing but gives government an excuse to shift responsibility.
So forcing people to wear bicycle helmets mostly works counter-productive, especially when you have relatively safe infrastructure. And the Dutch have known this for decades.
All these things combined mean it's so safe to cycle in the Netherlands, you are actually more likely to die or get a bad head injury while slipping in the shower or falling down the stairs than you are when cycling. So as long as helmets aren't worn in the shower, there's no point in wearing them on the bike in the Netherlands.
Helmets, you don't wear helmet when taking a shower do you, or when walking?? You think the sky will fall?
I understand! But in the news I saw that it is a discussion again..
Apart from Limburg Netherlands is the worst country for cave exploring. So we don't wear helmets.
Why no helmets? Because cycling isn't dangerous! Cars are, yes. So we try to make traffic safer. Helmets do NOT prevent collisions. Perhaps in some cases they will reduce head injuries. But it's better to be cycling without worries because the dangers have been excluded, than cycling with a helmet and get the blame when someone injures you if you don't wear one. Blaming the victim is the cheap option. Cheap and doesn't work. Get it better, get it right and no-one has to worry. Not the drivers, nor the cyclists.
That is very true
4 people can't ride a bike
it is possible and looks doable with a bit of practice: ruclips.net/video/ISw6PmO0RfE/видео.html
Here is a good way to look at the helmet issue: Helmets protect mostly against collisions with cars, that is: They protect against a risk created by another party.
A crude comparison is a sports coach with the rule that all his female pupils should be in the pill.... Sure, you are preventing something but are you really bothering the right person in the right way with the right solution???
Considering that as the Western country with by far the most cyclists on the road we also have remarkably few cyclists with head injuries at the ER helmets would now be a solution to a problem that does not exist.
Even then when you are in a situation where you run more risks a helmet is still advised. Think of people that train long distances and so spend a lot of time on the road at high speed.
Interesting Jeroen, thanks!
G E K O L O N I S E E R T
You forgot the main reason for the Dutch to ride a bike. It's cheap.