dutchguylivingintheuk
Über Member
Personally, I'd worry more about what is safer than what feels safer. Evidence based policy, not emotion based policy or opinion based policy.
After all, to listen to pedestrians, you'd think cyclists are a bigger menace than cars:
Totally agree, however on a cycling forum, it's a bit of a moot point to be honest, point of this topic was just to ask if we (the intended group of dutch style roundabouts) actually feel safer. So that we at least know that either where not alone in the concerns voiced or agree or not agree with the general sentiment.
It's a combination of things, because the cycling infrastructure is so good in the Netherlands poeple feel like, if they don't need something heavy or big they would much be quicker and convenient to cycle to the shops then take the car. If more poeple do that the next time they drive in their car they are more likely to understand how to respond to a bicycle nad/or give war/room/etc.Infrastructure can only do so much, how safe you feel is a combination of the attitude of the drivers and the built environment you have around you. I felt almost as safe in Ireland as I did in the Netherlands, but that's because most of the Irish drivers I encountered in Ireland were almost hesitant to a fault.
Yes that is one said thruth the other is we have ebikes now so even if the government would spend billions to convert every road it still wouldn't be the same, the health benefits we could have had aren't there anymore (as they are quickly disappearing in the Netherlands aswell mainly thanks to ebikes.)I think it's unlikely you'll ever feel as safe in the UK while using good infrastructure as you would in NL, that's why attitudes have to change. That takes a long time though. Getting the political will and finance to build good quality cycling infrastructure usually seems very difficult and prolonged, but compared to changing attitudes it's straight forward. We shouldn't wait for attitudes towards vulnerable road users to change before we build the infrastructure. The infrastructure helps change attitudes by convincing more drivers to also cycle, but I suspect it takes a generation or two.
But what i see as one of the biggest problem is that from the con council to the other everyone seems to have a different view leading to very different road infrastructures etc.