Article in NYT about Cycles in Netherlands
Artemisia
"In the Netherlands, Life Runs on 2 Wheels (Sometimes 3) "
A pleasant illustrated discussion of what is considered by many as
Cyclists' Eden.
EFR
Ile de France
Jim Higson
In the Netherlands, bikes are available to borrow in national parks for
free. They just leave them stood up (with a kick stand) in marked areas,
and when you're done you put it back. From time to time mechanics visit and
check the bikes.
Really cool.
Check out this picture from Japan:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:BicycleParkingLot.jpg
In some German cities cycling is so popular I've seen multi-story bike
parking.
--
Jim
Alex
David Martin
Jim Higson wrote:
> In the Netherlands, bikes are available to borrow in national parks for
> free. They just leave them stood up (with a kick stand) in marked areas,
> and when you're done you put it back. From time to time mechanics visit and
> check the bikes.
Fortunately the streets aren't also paved with gold, because it's
really slippery when wet..
..d
Roos Eisma
Note the phrase "in national parks" - a single one as far as I know.
Projects like this in cities never lasted very long.
And for slippery-when-wet we have "kinderhoofdjes":
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Kasseien.jpg
Roos
Marcus Red
Quote
“Whenever it’s not raining, which it does all the time, I’m on my bike,”
he said.
Hmmm.
Artoi
Artemisia <nos...@free.fr> wrote:
Living in a flat country helps...
--
Steve
Well, there's no way I'm going to register for nyt just to read this
article. However, in all the 8 years I lived in the Netherlands, I rode no
more than 500km. This was solely due to the supreme arrogance and
offensiveness of your average Dutch cyclist. Touch me and you're dogmeat.
And when you've had to stop in the road on the way to work for the
millionth time because there's only about a metre of free road as the rest
is full of schoolkids coming towards you, then you may change your mind as
well.
Steve
Dan Gregory
http://www.pousadasjuventude.pt/edicoes1/pousadas/artigos.asp?rev=2&art=532&origem=pesq
A great ride along a lovely coastline...
All the best
Dan Gregory
Edward Dolan
"Steve" <Thi...@Aint.Valid> wrote in message
news:pan.2006.09.14....@Aint.Valid...
That is a very interesting observation Steve, the sort of observation we
seldom get from the Europeans.
Well, I guess I would fit right in there as I could be just as big a bastard
as any Dutchman. And we all know that the English are the greatest slobs in
the world. Yea, I would just love to cycle around Europe and show them how
we Americans react to uncouthness and vulgarity.
The main thing is to learn how to swear and cuss in at least half a dozen
languages since those European nations are like our counties here in the
U.S. In order to be at home in Europe, you have to think small, talk small
and be small. Yea, that is the secret!
Regards,
Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota
R Brickston
Not anything close to the experience I had on many trips to that
country. Long distance routes all over the place. A'dam was a learning
curve, but quickly mastered. Detected no arrogance or offensiveness in
any Dutch cyclist. Quite the opposite in fact. Children know how to
brake and steer.
Grolch
"R Brickston" <rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@> wrote in message
news:7tjig29n6s1bhr54g...@4ax.com...
That was my experience also. On two tours through Belgium, Netherlands,
Germany and South England, by far the most bike friendly and "people"
friendly places were in the Netherlands. There is a big difference between
the south and the north. I enjoyed Noord Brabant, Limburg and the north
(flemish) parts of belgium most. The people were more "down to earth" and
knew how to party it up and include strangers like myself. Scheveningen
(near the Hague) is great beach area and ferry point (Hoek from Holland) to
the UK. My experience is that the Dutch are among the most pragmatic,
practical and tolerant people I have met. That is not to say that they wont
argue etc. But they seem to expect lively debate over a beer, or "space
cake". Great great country to ride in.
That is all..... Grolsch (notice the handle.... Dutch beer.
Oh did I mention that the best beer country (IMHO) is Belgium. Ahhhh,
cycling and Beer, but not at the same time.
M-gineering
> "David Martin" <martin...@blueyonder.co.uk> writes:
>
>> Jim Higson wrote:
>>> In the Netherlands, bikes are available to borrow in national parks for
>>> free. They just leave them stood up (with a kick stand) in marked areas,
>>> and when you're done you put it back. From time to time mechanics visit and
>>> check the bikes.
>
> Note the phrase "in national parks" - a single one as far as I know.
Correct, and with an 8 feet high fence around it and guards manning the
checkpoints!
--
---
Marten Gerritsen
INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl
M-gineering
>
> Well, there's no way I'm going to register for nyt just to read this
> article. However, in all the 8 years I lived in the Netherlands, I rode no
> more than 500km. This was solely due to the supreme arrogance and
> offensiveness of your average Dutch cyclist. Touch me and you're dogmeat.
>
Yep, this attitude even works with cars and vans ;)
Julesh
> Note the phrase "in national parks" - a single one as far as I know.
> Projects like this in cities never lasted very long.
Just how do you pronounce Hooge Veluwe?
Julesh
David Martin
Drink ten pints of Grolsch. You will then find that a) the correct
pronounciation comes quite easily and b) you don't really care any
more.
..d
R Brickston
Belgium does have the best beer. My in-laws lived in NL for 7 years
and got their supply of very fresh Heineken, along with the milk and
other dairy products, from the milkman.
M-gineering
Ho'-guh Vay'-loo-wuh or therabouts ;)
--
---
Marten
Tony Raven
>
> Well, there's no way I'm going to register for nyt just to read this
> article.
With Thunderbird and the BugMeNot extension I got straight in without
registering.
--
Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci
