markenlei
—
April 28, 2010
—
Morning rush hour in the 4th largest city in the Netherlands.
Streets look like this when 33% of ALL trips are made by bicycle!
This is an ordinary Wednesday morning in April 2010 at around 8.30 am. Original time was 8 minutes that were compressed into 2 minutes, so everything is 4 times faster than in reality. The sound is original.
These cyclists cross a one way bus lane (also used by taxis and municipal vehicles), two light rail tracks and then a one way street that can be used by private vehicles.
This is one of the busiest junctions in Utrecht a city with a population of 300,000. No less than 18,000 bicycles and 2,500 buses pass here every day. And yet Google Street View missed it. Because private motorized traffic is restricted here.
Behind the camera is a railway (you can hear the squeaking sounds of the trains passing) and the main railway station is very close too. A number of rental bikes from the station pass and many of the cyclists will have come by train for the first part of their commute.
For those who frown upon the total absence of bike helmets in this video, consider these findings from a US study:
"Cycling in the Netherlands is much safer than in the USA. The Netherlands has the lowest non-fatal injury rate as well as the lowest fatality rate, while the USA has the highest non-fatal injury rate as well as the highest fatality rate. Indeed, the non-fatal injury rate for the USA is about 30 times higher than for the Netherlands.
Injury rate per million km cycled: USA 37.5; NL 1.4
Fatality rate per 100 million km cycled: USA 5.8; NL 1.1"
From: Pucher, John and Buehler, Ralph (2008) 'Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany'.
I want a bike. I miss riding my bike.
I totally love that there is a total absence of bike helmets in this video.
There are only a couple of standards scenario when you fall from a bike, only one of which in many years of cycling have I personally participated in:
You wipe out on your own and almost always your limbs take the brunt of it. I have a very nice scar on my knee to show for it. I have never hit my head while bicycling. Helmets are for toddlers.
Just as a P.S., I'm curious how the rate of obesity in Utrecht compares with an American city of equal population. Something tells me they ain't equal.
Comments