I've just been sent a link to a further video of Mark's. This one presents a set of stills which document his journey on a day in 2005 when the Dutch railways were on strike and he cycled the 100 km round trip to work. He says: "I found it a very nice route. But it was a one time thing. I rode back the same day and if you are used to under 5km trips only that 100km on one day was a bit much!"
The cycle facilities here support any speed that you like to ride. It's a network which covers the entire country. The paths vary in intent and there is always a choice. The direct route may be in a relatively unpleasant place such as next to a motorway, but you'll never be on the motorway and in any case that is never the only option.
Mark revisited the first half of this route on the 31st of January at just above freezing point. Every metre of the 25 km covered on this video is on a cycle facility of one kind or another. There also wasn't any part of it where he didn't feel happy about holding a camera in his hand while cycling:
Hi Lynn, very low power scooters are permitted on rural bike paths. They are supposed to be limited to some low speed, I think 40 km/h (25 mph), so there would be more of a difference in speed between them and cars on the road than between them and bikes on the bike path.
Great films, showing what can be done if there's the political will.
I did a 120km round trip for work last summer. Not because there was a strike, or I couldn't drive, but because it was such a lovely day. Almost killed me though, as it was across the wilds of County Durham - not exactly flat!
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The next open study tour is in August 2013. Book a place in order to experience for yourself how policy and infrastructure in Assen and Groningen have led to the high cycling modal share in this area.:
The positive stuff Three types of safety - As well as preventing injuries and death, high quality cycling infrastructure addresses both subjective safety and social safety which are of vital importance in encouraging people to cycle. Dutch Safety Figures - Cyclists in the Netherlands are the safest in the world, but it has little if anything to do with "safety in numbers". Sustainable safety - the principles which have lead to Dutch roads, streets and cycle-paths being safe. A million per hour - The scale of cycling in the Netherlands is enormous. Dutch people make more cycle journeys each day than the entire English speaking world put together. Campaigning - a collection of posts about how to campaign for more cycling, including reference to "Stop the child murder", a successful campaign from the 1970s. What Works - examples of policy, infrastructure and campaigning which have made a different in the Netherlands. Superhighways - "Cycling superhighways" are not a new idea in the Netherlands Cycle Paths - Well designed cycle paths benefit all cyclists, regardless of experience or speed Segregation without cycle paths - you don't always need a cycle path to keep cyclists safe from motorists Unravelling of routes is vitally important History - how the Netherlands got to where it is now. See especially "Stop the child murder" Before and After - views of places before and after they have been transformed for cycling Directness - examples of prioritising cycling Traffic Lights - examples of how cyclists can be prioritised and kept safe at traffic light junctions. Note that it's almost always possible to turn right on a red light when cycling in the Netherlands. Roundabouts - roundabouts in the Netherlands have one very important feature to learn from: They keep cyclists away from motor vehicles. This is far more important than the differences in geometry vs. roundabouts in other countries. Exceptional infrastructure is always nice to see, but remember that a dense network of mundane routes is far more important to boost cycling modal share Gritting of cycle paths - dealing with snow and ice. Children - It may seem hackneyed, but children really are the future. If they can't cycle safely then where will future adult cyclists come from ? This is why children should be the primary focus of campaigners. Note also that according to UNICEF, Dutch children are the happiest in the world. School travel - Everyone knows that Dutch children cycle to school, but it's a surprise to many people that school trips are also usually by bike. Cycle Parking - including our favourite design of stand. Cycle Parking at railway stations, see in particular Groningen and Assen as each have multiple posts showing how the cycle parking has grown over time. Health effects of cycling Road Works - It's important that cyclists are thought of when there are road works. If the environment becomes hostile for cyclists then they may stop cycling and never start again. Commuting - Commuting cyclists are interesting, but they're not the only people who should ride bikes. Anatomy of a reliable everyday bicycle - the common features of bikes used by nearly every person every day in the Netherlands. Speed - Some people have the idea that Dutch cyclists are slow. This isn't true. It is just that in the Netherlands, everyone cycles, including the slow people. Fast cyclists are as fast as anywhere. These posts show people who ride faster than average, using the same infrastructure as those who ride slower.
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Experience for yourself how policy and infrastructure in Assen and Groningen have led to the high cycling modal share in this area:
If you like this blog please support us so we can continue. We sell quality bicycle components and organize cycling holidays:
A cyclist in a cycling family living in the capital of the cycling province of the world's greatest cycling country.
I was born in the UK, lived for over 8 years in New Zealand and have lived in the Netherlands since 2007.
I organise cycling infrastructure study tours, run an online bicycle shop, arrange cycling holidays and write a popular blog about cycling.
My email address is avftcp@hembrow.eu
3 comments:
I was surprised to see the motor scooter on the bike path at the fueling station. Are they permitted on bike paths?
Hi Lynn, very low power scooters are permitted on rural bike paths. They are supposed to be limited to some low speed, I think 40 km/h (25 mph), so there would be more of a difference in speed between them and cars on the road than between them and bikes on the bike path.
Great films, showing what can be done if there's the political will.
I did a 120km round trip for work last summer. Not because there was a strike, or I couldn't drive, but because it was such a lovely day. Almost killed me though, as it was across the wilds of County Durham - not exactly flat!
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