Will going Dutch get the Scots on their bikes?

[classic33]

On Yer Bike
"IT could only be described as a bone-shaker, though the logo on the frame proclaimed it to be an “Amazonian”.

I certainly didn’t feel very Amazonian when I got on my first bicycle in 20 years at the weekend.

I wobbled precariously down the very flat Dutch street as seasoned cyclists looked puzzled, if not amused. But it is true that once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget.

After five minutes getting reacquainted with two-wheeled transport, we were off on a 20km round-trip from my daughter’s house in Delft to see the giant windmills in neighbouring Schiedam.

It was a cycle path nearly all the way. When we did share with other traffic, the two-way cycle lane was physically segregated by a barrier."

And what would it require to get it working elsewhere?

 

[procel]

Nice cheery article. I don't know the answer to the question, but I was on this cycle route in the summer http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/15m-strathyre-cycle-track-opens-3911646 with my five-year-old daughter. It's a great track and having roadies zooming past was highly preferable to taking her on the A84 (not gonna happen). A network of routes like that in rural areas is probably not going to help modal share much, but I can see it helping the tourist industry.

 

[Pete Owens]

Inded so. It is intended (and you were using it) as a leisure facility, ie a destination rather than transport. To understand the transport implications of that path think about how many miles you drove in order to enjoy the 3 mile ride. Was Kingshouse even your intended destination or were you just following the path to wherever it happened to go? Think of the total population of Strathyre and Kingshouse and how many trips between the villages they make and what proportion are ever likely to do so by bike (and in terms of serious transport infrastructure that really is the total popultation that would benefit from the £1 500 000).
Also, the alternative (at least for you and your daughter wasn't really tha A84 - the old route of NCN 7 follows a rather fine back road via Balquhidder - yes it is further, but if you are riding for leisure that is not really an issue.

I'm not being judgemental here - I have visited the Trossachs on occasion and taken my bike to ride on the tracks and roads there - I'm not saying they are a bad thing - just that promoting tourism in remote parts of the country you are encouraging long distance motor travel, and this has nothing whatsoever to do with sustainable transport.

 

[slowmotion]

The Netherlands is a bit different. They were edging towards bicycles about fifty years ago and they put the infrastructure in place before the widespread use of private cars. They also have the good fortune of largely straight roads and flat terrain. I love riding my bike there and leave my silly yellow jacket and helmet in the UK before I get on the ferry.

I don't think that their transport model, wonderful as it is, can be mapped straight onto this country.

 

[mjr]

And yet, in the part of England called Holland, there are also flat lands and fairly straight roads but very little infrastructure and nowhere near as much cycling. It's not the landscape or roads that are the problem: it's the politicians. Build for cycling now. Safe roads, cycleways, whatever. Just build it.

 

[classic33]

And yet, in the part of England called Holland, there are also flat lands and fairly straight roads but very little infrastructure and nowhere near as much cycling. It's not the landscape or roads that are the problem: it's the politicians. Build for cycling now. Safe roads, cycleways, whatever. Just build it.

And the education side that goes alongside building anything?

 

[srw]

The Netherlands is a bit different. They were edging towards bicycles about fifty years ago and they put the infrastructure in place before the widespread use of private cars.

I think you might need to revise your history. There's plenty of evidence on this site and elsewhere that the Dutch changes happened about 40 years ago, and happened because of the already widespread use of private cars. And that infrastructure is only a very small part of the Dutch story, and probably not the most important or successful part.

 

[byegad]

Get the Scots onto bikes?

Easy, fit a large basket to the handlebars, fill it with a selection of Fish Supper, Deep Fried Mars Bars and Haggis.

You'll have to beat them off with a stick!

 

[mjr]

And the education side that goes alongside building anything?

Indeed, that's important. As far as educating planners goes, if you're in England, please encourage your councillors and officers to go to the Cycling Delivery Plan events described in https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...le/365985/cycle-delivery-engagement-event.pdf (the Manchester event has gone, but there's still Birmingham on 31 Oct, Exeter 4 Nov, Bedford 6 Nov, Durham 7 Nov, York 11 Nov and a web chat 12 Nov)

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The journalist has today written an additional piece, somewhat spoiling the original article.

I'll reproduce it in part here as I can't seem to find it on the DR website.

"Last week I departed from politics to sing the praises of cycling in the Netherlands.
So carried away was I ... that I revealed few people in Holland bother with lycra - or helmets.

I was corrected by reader Mark Ashby who has lived in Holland and is now in Denmark, another cycling nation. Mark's wife is a brain injuries nurse and he points out even in these two countries helmets must always be worn.

Point taken, Mark.
When I do buy my bike, I'll definitely get the safety helmet. Flat hair is preferable to a flattened skull."​

As far as I'm able to ascertain, neither of the countries mentioned has helmet compulsion, if anything they have a very low level of helmet wearing among utility cyclists.
Can @steveindenmark confirm?


GC

 

[Haitch]

in these two countries helmets must always be worn.

Not true at all, in either country.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Not true at all, in either country.

Thanks for confirming.

The newspaper isn't the type to check facts anyway and is as prone to printing anecdotal 'helmet saved my life' stories as the rest. This is also from today's issue of the same rag:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/crash-helmet-saves-life-dumfries-4528561


GC

 

[Platinum]

Get the Scots onto bikes?

Easy, fit a large basket to the handlebars, fill it with a selection of Fish Supper, Deep Fried Mars Bars and Haggis.

You'll have to beat them off with a stick!

Thanks for that bit of casual racism.

And people wonder why we want independence...

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Thanks for that bit of casual racism.

And people wonder why we want independence...

Yeah, I agree..
Get the facts right..the Irn Bru bidon is missing