The Netherlands seems like a more civilised country

[Glow worm]

I'm aching to get myself and bike over the North Sea to enjoy some cycling nirvana in Holand. I realise that posting a thread along the lines of 'Dutch attitudes to cyclsist is so much better than in the UK' could be categorised alongside other, stating the bleedin' obvoius threads like 'bears defacate in woods' and 'Pope announces firm preferences for Catholicism' but take a look at this link. Amsterdam Junction webcam

I just wonder how chaotic it would be if a similar road layout was in the UK - in particular, note how cyclists turning left, cross the line of oncoming traffic, and over a ped crossing - with no hassle at all! There's no beeping, shouting, swearing, or fisty cuffs like you get here- everyone just gets on with it and the drivers seem to be amazingly patient with peds and bikes. Peds seem fine with bikes and vice versa. Seems brilliant. I wonder why are we such a comparatively hot blooded bunch over here?

 

[pedallingpasty]

I stopped watching and looking at stuff like that a while ago, it started to make me feel depressed how bad we are in trying to get two forms of transport to share the same piece of road.
It would be enlightening to have a Dutch cyclist in giving a brutal summary of their experiences on our roads and i would be happy to read it as well.
As to our pent up anger, well that will need a totally seperate thread i think.
But totally agree with you Glow Worm, we can only live in hope.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Don't go over to the Netherlands.......'Great' Britain will not look so 'Great' when you get back after sampling the cycling infrastructure over there.

No messing, they win hands down on that front.

Until our government (and the motoring public in general) accept cycling in all its forms as an acceptable transport mode and give it a recognised infrastructure to enable safe long distance safe travel, then we are stuck with daily near misses and worse.

Why can't they see?

They don't WANT to see.

 

[Moodyman]

I stopped watching and looking at stuff like that a while ago, it started to make me feel depressed how bad we are in trying to get two forms of transport to share the same piece of road.
It would be enlightening to have a Dutch cyclist in giving a brutal summary of their experiences on our roads and i would be happy to read it as well.
As to our pent up anger, well that will need a totally seperate thread i think.
But totally agree with you Glow Worm, we can only live in hope.

'Crazy. Absolutely Crazy you are' was the comment I got from a Dutch lorry driver a few weeks ago.

I finished my homeward commute and was switching the lights off and giving the bike a once over on the pavement. He'd finished his drop-off and was walking back to his lorry. He was attracted by my mtb hybrid which resembles a dutch touring bike (full mudguards and pannier rack, etc).

He said he had 5 bikes for different types of riding, but he would never ride on our roads.

 

[pedallingpasty]

'Crazy. Absolutely Crazy you are' was the comment I got from a Dutch lorry driver a few weeks ago.

I finished my homeward commute and was switching the lights off and giving the bike a once over on the pavement. He'd finished his drop-off and was walking back to his lorry. He was attracted by my mtb hybrid which resembles a dutch touring bike (full mudguards and pannier rack, etc).

He said he had 5 bikes for different types of riding, but he would never ride on our roads.

There you go then, craziness and pent up anger is not a great combination.
But seriously, it is a shame that as this country is an island and we are in a bit of a shoot state at the moment there would be some more radical thoughts from the goverment at the moment for the future. But instead we have got to rely on cash strapped councils instead.

 

[Glow worm]

Don't go over to the Netherlands.......'Great' Britain will not look so 'Great' when you get back after sampling the cycling infrastructure over there.

Damn it - too late!! Just booked Stena Line Harwich to Hook for me and bicycle in April. Then on to Amsterdam by bike. Think I may not be needing that return ticket!

Back to that webcam now to see if anyone's using that urinal yet

 

[snorri]

, note how cyclists turning left, cross the line of oncoming traffic, and over a ped crossing - with no hassle at all! There's no beeping, shouting, swearing, or fisty cuffs like you get here- everyone just gets on with it and the drivers seem to be amazingly patient with peds and bikes. Peds seem fine with bikes and vice versa. Seems brilliant.

Just take care not to stray, or even worse, stop and stand, in the middle of a cycle lane when out walking in central Amsterdam.

 

[HLaB]

Don't go over to the Netherlands.......

Its a cess pit Fox News says so, well some thing along those lies in that thread you posted in the Cafe

 

[Davidc]

I've found a few things that aren't all that civilised there. They generally don't involve bikes though.

That said, what snorri says is true, and not just in Amsterdam.

 

[slowmotion]

Damn it - too late!! Just booked Stena Line Harwich to Hook for me and bicycle in April. Then on to Amsterdam by bike.

The bike racks on the Dutch Stena ferry (the one that does the overnight sailing to the Hook) are pretty odd. Take some cord or straps to tie you bike in place on the rack. Have fun.

 

[al78]

From what I have heard it is not quite the utopia it is made out to be. In some places (e.g. rural A roads) cyclists are banned from the road and have to use the facilities, which means if you want to cycle quickly then you can't since you end up slowed down by the slower cyclists.

 

[slowmotion]

From what I have heard it is not quite the utopia it is made out to be. In some places (e.g. rural A roads) cyclists are banned from the road and have to use the facilities, which means if you want to cycle quickly then you can't since you end up slowed down by the slower cyclists.

 

[Keith Oates]

From what I have heard it is not quite the utopia it is made out to be. In some places (e.g. rural A roads) cyclists are banned from the road and have to use the facilities, which means if you want to cycle quickly then you can't since you end up slowed down by the slower cyclists.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Glow worm]

The bike racks on the Dutch Stena ferry (the one that does the overnight sailing to the Hook) are pretty odd. Take some cord or straps to tie you bike in place on the rack. Have fun.

Thanks for the tip. That's the boat I'm aiming for- was wondering about the bike esp. if the crossing's rough.

 

[Glow worm]

From what I have heard it is not quite the utopia it is made out to be. In some places (e.g. rural A roads) cyclists are banned from the road and have to use the facilities, which means if you want to cycle quickly then you can't since you end up slowed down by the slower cyclists.

I fear that at my sedate pace- I'll be the one slowing the rest up!