tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post2388402710984357983..comments2024-03-27T12:53:39.298+01:00Comments on A view from the cycle path: More Study Tour feedbackDavid Hembrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-41718980343405052702012-07-05T13:54:53.832+02:002012-07-05T13:54:53.832+02:00Re hi-viz tabards: these are obviously tourists in...Re hi-viz tabards: these are obviously tourists in Amsterdam:<br />http://schlijper.nl/120704-14-haarlemmerstraat.photo<br /><br />Bewildered, flabbergasted, you name it.Frits Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-46086867466061452502012-06-25T16:17:24.623+02:002012-06-25T16:17:24.623+02:00Some day I am going to be on one of David's st...Some day I am going to be on one of David's study tours. Regretfully not this year, but I'm saving my pennies.<br /><br />Many, many years ago when I was in high school, I did a Grade 13 exchange. It was family-to-family. It was strange to read David's comments about UK children staying in paid accommodations. How is this affordable?Kevin Lovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13186428862833389619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-41879569633289594942012-06-24T10:53:39.439+02:002012-06-24T10:53:39.439+02:00I think it was a Scandinavian mile :)
http://en.w...I think it was a Scandinavian mile :)<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_mileSeverinhttp://www.walkeaglerock.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-76663338056480108542012-06-23T09:26:20.931+02:002012-06-23T09:26:20.931+02:00Thanks for the translation. It's 30 km, btw, n...Thanks for the translation. It's 30 km, btw, not just 3 miles.David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-238349607166493482012-06-23T08:46:39.103+02:002012-06-23T08:46:39.103+02:00Well, I speak Swedish which is very similar to Nor...Well, I speak Swedish which is very similar to Norwegian. The video just cites facts/figures about how many bike parking spaces there are at train stations, how many kids bike to school, why so many people bike etc.. and that they biked 3 miles from Groningen to Assen.Severinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-61107754595825560962012-06-22T19:44:08.376+02:002012-06-22T19:44:08.376+02:00Matt Nicholas: The Dutch Department of Health etc....Matt Nicholas: The Dutch Department of Health etc. explains the system here, in English:<br />http://www.government.nl/issues/health-issues/health-insurance<br />To give you an idea of the cost: as a single pensioner I pay slightly over 5% to my insurer in premiums, plus an undisclosed part of income tax through the taxman. The premiums are individual, so having a wife doubles the outlay.Frits Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-8496697751101297162012-06-22T18:07:37.816+02:002012-06-22T18:07:37.816+02:00Indeed David don't worry, I realise that a uni...Indeed David don't worry, I realise that a universal care system exists along those lines. Wise to explain it though, in case people do think of the American system. Other people I have visited with in the past have been a bit surprised by the whole 'private insurance' thing, I suppose it's because the American and British systems are the two most commonly presented to them in theMatt Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-40729778275840941382012-06-22T17:16:58.534+02:002012-06-22T17:16:58.534+02:00Matt, you're right. There is no "Dutch NH...Matt, you're right. There is no "Dutch NHS". However, what they have instead actually works very well. Medical insurance is free of charge for children, the unemployed etc. Those in work pay an amount to a (usually) non-profit health insurance company which is not dissimilar to the cost of National Insurance in the UK. The result of this is medical treatment without any charges, to David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-11435119135340339822012-06-22T16:56:12.646+02:002012-06-22T16:56:12.646+02:00Great to see your tours inspiring more people Davi...Great to see your tours inspiring more people David. However I see you have been neglecting certain details; I wonder where Claire got the idea of the Dutch NHS from? ;)<br /><br />Probably another case of taking things you've always known for granted.Matt Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-8039803618945002222012-06-22T13:54:31.076+02:002012-06-22T13:54:31.076+02:00While there are certainly many aspects of living i...While there are certainly many aspects of living in Vienna that my wife and I enjoy (some cultural bits and such) the biking in the Netherlands is something we truly miss.<br /><br />Even though there are times when watching folks riding along in such comfort and safety does give me pangs of envy I would just like to say *thanks* for this, and all your posts. <br />Keep it up.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523653271715366168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-65582431670635994812012-06-22T10:37:43.077+02:002012-06-22T10:37:43.077+02:00Don, I wondered if someone would comment about tha...Don, I wondered if someone would comment about that.<br /><br />No, the same irrational "health and safety" fears do not exist in the Netherlands. No "risk assessments" are done for trips like this. The country is all the better for it.<br /><br />Indeed, we have a strange, and somewhat insulting, situation where Dutch exchange students visit the UK and stay with British David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-27758047521730539002012-06-22T10:15:14.140+02:002012-06-22T10:15:14.140+02:00Interesting to note that a fair few riders (in the...Interesting to note that a fair few riders (in the second video) are wearing hi-viz tabards etc. <br /><br />There is occasional debate in the UK about how hi-viz increases the perception of cycling being dangerous. Like helmet wearing, I imagined hi-viz would be unnecessary and rare in the Netherlands. <br /><br />The comments indicate that this is a school trip. I wonder if there are the same Donnoreply@blogger.com