Expat daughter and I had done our homework and googled Netherlands' population of 17 million people. We knew that they were the world's No.1 bikers but what we didn't know is that all together the Dutch own 22.5 million bicycles. This means that on average they own 1.3 bicycles per capita. More than any other country in the world.
One of the more spectacular products of the bike-train system is this sea of bicycles you see at any train station in the Netherlands
Almost a quarter of the Dutch population cycles every day.
Less than 0.5 percent of Dutch cyclists wear helmets...
... it’s just not present in their culture, because they’ve ultimately decided that it’s far more important to build this culture of everyday cycling, and to build safe streets, instead of requiring people to protect themselves.
For decades, the Dutch have had a country-wide network of bicycle trails. You can get from one city to another on a bike, no matter the distance.
The bike is an integral part of everyday life rather than a specialist's accessory or a symbol of a minority lifestyle, so Dutch people don't concern themselves with having the very latest model of bike or hi-tech gadgets.
Cycling is so common that when you ask people whether they are cyclists or not, their response is: "We aren't cyclists, we're just Dutch."!
The Dutch regard their bikes as trusty companions in life's adventures. In that kind of relationship it is longevity that counts - so the older, the better.
The fact that everyone cycles, or knows someone who does, means that drivers are more sympathetic to cyclists when they have to share space on the roads.
Utrecht built the Netherlands’ first bike lane in 1885.
The average speed of the Dutch on a pedal bicycle is 12.4 km/h...
... and the average speed on an e-bike is 13 km/h.
Come give it a try!
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