“The Dutch make over 1 million cycle trips every hour”. All the latest (2011) figures of the Dutch Cyclist’s Union in one video. These figures show that the scale of cycling in the Netherlands is quite phenomenal.
More in depth information on the blogs ‘A view from the cycle path’ and ‘Amsterdamize’. The original figures from the ‘Fietsersbond’ (in Dutch).
– http://amsterdamize.com/2011/02/13/veni-vidi-bici/
– http://www.fietsersbond.nl/over-fiets/fietsen-cijfers
24 Comments
Vid from 2011. Meanwhile the riding a bike with a helmet lobby is conquering The Netherlands causing – besides some local exeptions- the number of active cyclists dropping rapidly. The Netherlands are becoming car-centric again, and the Max Verstappen hysteria is a part of it.
Every city around the world should encourage bicycle transportation by making more protected bike lanes in cities.
Bicycles are emission free transportation. No noise. Healthy for people and better for the planet.
The Climate Crisis needs to be addressed. Bicycles can help.
Super 🙂
I'm a bicycle commuter in Nairobi and I wish my streets were made safe for us like this
and as a walking nation if every pedestrian had a bicycle is would be paradise
You have counted the same bike twice in most cases.
Holland is the most civilized country in the world I reckon .
This was 8 years ago… now we have electric bicycles and speed pedelecs to commute and our country is expanding the network of bicycle highways that connects cities. A real alternative for the car: faster (no traffic jams), healthier (daily work out) and much cheaper. We sold our second car that wasn't needed anymore. Me 12000 km/year (Stromer ST5) and she 6000 km/year (Flyer T8)… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjbqEdw66o4
I don't see many mopeds (brommers) any more. Every Dutch boy used to sell newspapers for 2 years to be able to afford one.
👍
That is just a cyclitst's hell. Thousands of slow rolling pedestrians on a bicycle. No chance to cycle when everybody rides like a turtle. That is not cyclist friendly. Only commuter friendly.
3:17 lol i hate girls who are like that. big babies
the bicycle is one of the most efficient forms of transportation ever invented
Please do not forget that building this infrastructure took a long time, starting already 50 years ago. Next to that the people and the local and national government consequently rebuild existing infrastructure in a bycicle friendly (and therefore safe) way. Most other countries (like the USA and the UK) probably will never succeed due to their political structures. In the Netherlands we have a multi party political system where a compromise is reached and executed, in the UK and the USA building infrastructure with a long term vision and policy seems to be impossible. Regarding safety and wearing helmets it is relevant to mention that people using the bike to commute in almost 100% of these cases do not wear helmets, but on electric bikes and cyclists on racing bikes it is the other way around. Another important safety factor is the fact that almost all the drivers in cars are (at other times) also cyclists, every driver knows that extra care is necessary regarding bike drivers. Laws are also in place that make car drivers always responsible if an accident occurs involving a bike and their car.
Übercool?
I consider myself very 'Hollandic' and this is what my bike situation looks like. I have five bikes back in the shed, two ladies' bikes, two gents' (with high frame bars), and a vintage folding bike, in fact the only one I had to buy (from Dutch Ebay), after repairs, new tyre and saddle etc. 40 euros. The rest are used bikes I got from relatives or friends because of repairs and part replacements needed, here bikes often move on like that. I've all repaired them on the cheap. I've been hearing figures of annual bike costs of 300 euros on average but for me that would cover all my bikes over a lifetime of usage, locks are probably a big part of that. My go to bike is the biggest (I'm 2 meters tall) a traditional but relativily light gents' bike with lots of aluminium parts, a truelly excellent daily bike. The others are for backup or when friends come over and we want to tour the area together to look at the many (cliché alert!) windmills in our area. And I can always lend one to whoever might need one. All the bikes have 3 or 5 internal hub gears and hand brakes and are very easy to ride. Now I also happen to drive an old Volvo stationcar, the big 940, and that's where the folding bike comes in, I usually have it in the back of the car and can switch any time from driving to riding, at any place where access to a city center is restricted or parking is expensive, or for a fun ride. It always saves time, it gives me a lot of flexibility and it's very cheap. Gps navigation on the phone has made it an even easier option. Several people I know do the same thing, it all makes so much sense, but I guess for us it always was going to be the most logical personal transportation arrangement. And übercool Rutger Hauer will demonstrate here there's nothing more fun than taking your new bride home on a granny bike through the center of Amsterdam!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze_Ncdy_igw
Important is that everybody learns riding a bike (fietsen) at the age of 2 to 3 years, and start playing with friends all sort of things, like: who is first, touch eachother while biking, biking with more kids on one bike, biking without using your hands on the stear, one person biking with two bikes, and, a pity, faling of or with your bike. This is how you learn safe biking on a latter age. What it foremost teach you is anticipating what other bikers intend to do, you look at their posturing or look at their eyes. As someone starts driving a car he or she also is a informed biker at te same time, anticipating bikers behavior.
Hey Mark,
It has been 10 years, maybe you can do an updated version of this with some new higher quality footage and sound and new numbers?
Think Of usa and canada💀
This is absolutely awesome, there is just something so relaxing, pleasing and peaceful about biking. I have noticed that here in America there has been a bicycle explosion !! People are starting to take advantage of the major benefits of riding. And to be honest I am loving it.
NL will be spared should there be a zombie apocalypse. Everyone is so mobile
I wish that the UK was more like this. You wouldn't believe some of the pathetic and lazy excuses people think of here for not cycling, and the amount of anti-cycling abuse we get from brainless mutants in cars.
in America if you don't drive a car your poor me i own a car but i ride a bicycle 99% of the time i guess people think i am poor so what
Thank you very much !
I think the BIG point is "average trip is 15 minutes" and I bet across MOST of the world that is true outside of HIGH PRICED / congested areas and most CAR COMMUTER trips are 15 minutes and THAT is the "key
MAKE MOST trips 15 – 30 MINUTES MAX by NON CAR travel and car based trips will FALL and ownership will follow
Im Lactose Intolerant and I detest bikes as i have broken my arm 3 times on a bike were i now have metal platungs in it…..
I live in the Netherlands now… when I got here from America I realized… I fuked up…