Why is cycling so popular in the Netherlands?

[Jazzy]

There are more bicycles than residents in The Netherlands and in cities like Amsterdam and The Hague up to 70% of all journeys are made by bike. The BBC's Hague correspondent, Anna Holligan, who rides an omafiets - or "granny style" - bike complete with wicker basket and pedal-back brakes, examines what made everyone get back in the saddle.

The 70s velo-rution
Before World War II, journeys in the Netherlands were predominantly made by bike, but in the 1950s and 1960s, as car ownership rocketed, this changed. As in many countries in Europe, roads became increasingly congested and cyclists were squeezed to the kerb.

The jump in car numbers caused a huge rise in the number of deaths on the roads. In 1971 more than 3,000 people were killed by motor vehicles, 450 of them children.

In response a social movement demanding safer cycling conditions for children was formed. Called Stop de Kindermoord (Stop the Child Murder), it took its name from the headline of an article written by journalist Vic Langenhoff whose own child had been killed in a road accident.

The Dutch faith in the reliability and sustainability of the motor vehicle was also shaken by the Middle East oil crisis of 1973, when oil-producing countries stopped exports to the US and Western Europe.

These twin pressures helped to persuade the Dutch government to invest in improved cycling infrastructure and Dutch urban planners started to diverge from the car-centric road-building policies being pursued throughout the urbanising West.

Path to glory
To make cycling safer and more inviting the Dutch have built a vast network of cycle paths.

These are clearly marked, have smooth surfaces, separate signs and lights for those on two wheels, and wide enough to allow side-by-side cycling and overtaking.

Even before they can walk, Dutch children are immersed in a world of cycling. As babies and toddlers they travel in special seats on "bakfiets", or cargo bikes. These seats are often equipped with canopies to protect the children from the elements, and some parents have been known to spend a small fortune doing up their machines.

The state also plays a part in teaching too, with cycling proficiency lessons a compulsory part of the Dutch school curriculum. All schools have places to park bikes and at some schools 90% of pupils cycle to class.

Rest of article with pictures

Interesting article.

@Evil Eye: I would assume you cycle everywhere. Is that correct?

 

[DrLeftover]

My take on it is

1. They really don't have anywhere to go.

2. They've got all day to get there.

 

[Mech]

Well I myself am from the Netherlands and so far I will list a few reasons why:

First 3 are from Wikipedia:
- There is a continuous network of cycle paths, clearly signposted, well maintained and well lit, with road/cycle path junctions that often give priority to cyclists. This makes cycling itself convenient, pleasant, and safe.

- The Netherlands is a relatively densely populated and very flat country, which means that journeys tend to be well within the capabilities of the average cyclist. Cycling is very cheap and has low overheads.

- The needs of cyclists are taken into account in all stages of urban planning. Urban areas are frequently organised as woonerfs (living streets), which prioritise cyclists and pedestrians over motorised traffic.

Here are mine:
- Road quality and laws for cycling is very good.
- There is no law for helmets
- Most cities and even towns are made to support bicycle traffic and subvert car traffic. You're more mobile with a bicycle in a city than a car. Otherwise you always can take the subway or tram.
- Drivers in the Netherlands get more training on how to interact with cyclists
- The average Dutch frequently cycles relatively large distances from a young age on so they are very familiar with cycling when they are grow up.

 

[Jazzy]

Well I myself am from the Netherlands and so far I will list a few reasons why:

First 3 are from Wikipedia:
- There is a continuous network of cycle paths, clearly signposted, well maintained and well lit, with road/cycle path junctions that often give priority to cyclists. This makes cycling itself convenient, pleasant, and safe.

- The Netherlands is a relatively densely populated and very flat country, which means that journeys tend to be well within the capabilities of the average cyclist. Cycling is very cheap and has low overheads.

- The needs of cyclists are taken into account in all stages of urban planning. Urban areas are frequently organised as woonerfs (living streets), which prioritise cyclists and pedestrians over motorised traffic.

Here are mine:
- Road quality and laws for cycling is very good.
- There is no law for helmets
- Most cities and even towns are made to support bicycle traffic and subvert car traffic. You're more mobile with a bicycle in a city than a car. Otherwise you always can take the subway or tram.
- Drivers in the Netherlands get more training on how to interact with cyclists
- The average Dutch frequently cycles relatively large distances from a young age on so they are very familiar with cycling when they are grow up.

Very interesting and informative post. May I ask at what age did you start cycling?

 

[Mech]

Well I myself am from the Netherlands and so far I will list a few reasons why:

First 3 are from Wikipedia:
- There is a continuous network of cycle paths, clearly signposted, well maintained and well lit, with road/cycle path junctions that often give priority to cyclists. This makes cycling itself convenient, pleasant, and safe.

- The Netherlands is a relatively densely populated and very flat country, which means that journeys tend to be well within the capabilities of the average cyclist. Cycling is very cheap and has low overheads.

- The needs of cyclists are taken into account in all stages of urban planning. Urban areas are frequently organised as woonerfs (living streets), which prioritise cyclists and pedestrians over motorised traffic.

Here are mine:
- Road quality and laws for cycling is very good.
- There is no law for helmets
- Most cities and even towns are made to support bicycle traffic and subvert car traffic. You're more mobile with a bicycle in a city than a car. Otherwise you always can take the subway or tram.
- Drivers in the Netherlands get more training on how to interact with cyclists
- The average Dutch frequently cycles relatively large distances from a young age on so they are very familiar with cycling when they are grow up.

Very interesting and informative post. May I ask at what age did you start cycling?

I can't remember it very well. If I'm not mistaken I started cycling at the age of 4 or 5 (with side wheel support), after 6 to 12 months with side wheels I could do without.

 

[Jazzy]

@Mech: Thanks for answering my question. I saw pictures where mothers have a special built buggy on the bike. There were very small children in the buggy. I also saw that cyclists have the right-of-way when entering roundabouts. Very nice to learn something new about another country.

 

[Evil Eye]

@Evil Eye: I would assume you cycle everywhere. Is that correct?

Not everywhere. I walk a lot, though if I were to live farther from the city center I'd cycle more. Places that take too long to walk to and aren't too far away by bike, I cycle.

1. They really don't have anywhere to go.

Correction: They don't have anywhere they need to go.
For the most part everything is within cycling distance. Funny thing, our population density is 404.6/sq km, yet quite a lot of land is devoted to farming.

 

[buysell-browse.com]

I presume that the flatter the country, the easier the cycling. There are other countries where bicycles were very popular, but probably for different reasons (Red China comes to mind).

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