Amsterdam is 20 times safer than US for cyclists
- Thread starter Timpo
- Start date
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
Very informative video. Thanks for posting! Over time, it will be interesting to see how ebikes impact the Dutch bicycle scene and what laws will govern them.
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to replicate this success throughout much of the US. Climate, elevation change, existing infrastructure and sheer distance are all obstacles working against mass acceptance of bicycles in many US cities.
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to replicate this success throughout much of the US. Climate, elevation change, existing infrastructure and sheer distance are all obstacles working against mass acceptance of bicycles in many US cities.
ebikemom
Well-Known Member
The good news about Amsterdam is also that it wasn't always this way. I saw another video about the history of cycle commuting there, and it went from being a cycling oriented culture (before WWII), to a car-centric culture during a highway and road building boom through the 1960's and 70's, to the people of Amsterdam hating what happened to their city where cars were prioritized over people, a wave of activism emerging, and then came the tearing up of too-wide auto-centric roads, and making city centers and suburb-to-city cycle commuting routes a priority. I especially appreciate their noticing that bike safety is about separation of cycles from traffic, as is true of pedestrian safety, not a matter of scolding cyclists and drivers on how to behave, since most bike/car accidents are caused by dangerous mixing of these different transportation modes. So, the historical process there gives some hope for our own cities here, and we-who-cycle are an important part of that process.
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
Is this the video you are thinking of?
The important point is that this is a solved problem. We know how to do this and save thousands of lives (not just the lives of people on bicycles) every year. It all comes down to whether we care enough and what kind of society we want to live in.
The important point is that this is a solved problem. We know how to do this and save thousands of lives (not just the lives of people on bicycles) every year. It all comes down to whether we care enough and what kind of society we want to live in.
ebikemom
Well-Known Member
Thank you, Mr Coffee! Great stuff!
Yes, we do know how to do this. It involves re-thinking how streets are laid out, and re-designing them, and likely it is best done starting with streets that need work, but if we can get policies that look like this in place, over time we will see many fewer cars and many more bikes and ebikes.
Yes, we do know how to do this. It involves re-thinking how streets are laid out, and re-designing them, and likely it is best done starting with streets that need work, but if we can get policies that look like this in place, over time we will see many fewer cars and many more bikes and ebikes.
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Highland58
New Member
I spent last night watching YouTube Dutch cycling videos. Thanks for the post.
Now I'm planning next years Amsterdam Vacation.
Now I'm planning next years Amsterdam Vacation.
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