This week I have guided two cycle tours in and around Utrecht. One group with policy makers and politicians from Bavaria and one with students from the university of Platteville-Wisconsin. It felt really rewarding to lead these groups to places … Continue reading The Freedom of Cycling
Many people decided to go cycling on the last Sunday in September. The recreational routes were so crowded that I heard one woman exclaim: “it’s busier than on the National Cycling Day!” (an event from the past that became the … Continue reading Cycling as the summer lingers on
Some people think large bridges or other exceptional infrastructure is what draws people to this blog, but no, it’s the babies. No really, the most viewed post is the one where I show how the Dutch ride with their babies … Continue reading Cycling with babies and toddlers
This year in April about 150,000 Dutch school children will take a traffic test called “Traffic Exam”. It is tradition Dutch school children do this test when they are in their last year of primary school. I have shown you … Continue reading New Traffic Test App for Dutch Children
“This would be a perfect area for a trial with a maximum speed of 30km/h” (18mph) explains a traffic expert of the city of Amsterdam to a child in a film that was broadcast on Dutch national TV almost 42 … Continue reading Amsterdam children fighting cars in 1972
Dutch children cycle to school in huge numbers. According to the Cyclists’ Union, of all cycle trips in the Netherlands 18% is to get to a facility for some form of education: to school, a course or university. That is … Continue reading Arriving at school by bicycle
From the 4th November 1973 there were a number of Car Free Sundays in the Netherlands. The Dutch had supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War in October 1973. This was reason for some of the oil producing countries to … Continue reading Car Free Sundays, a 40 year anniversary
When large crowds gather in the centres of the cities of the Netherlands for THE event of the year, you can be sure many of these people arrived by bicycle. For most children in the world, Christmas is the time … Continue reading Sinterklaas is coming to town
See also the newer post about cycling with babies and toddlers! To the Dutch there’s nothing more natural than cycling with their children. Manufacturers of Dutch baby front bike seats tell their customers they can be used from the time … Continue reading Cycling with a baby
It’s not so strange that world famous Miffy would ride a bicycle. True, I haven’t seen any other rabbit on a bike, but Miffy is Dutch! So it goes without saying that she would be able to ride a bike. Even more, she is from Utrecht like I am. Or should I say: her creator is. Dick Bruna is the man behind Miffy, or Nijntje as she is called in Dutch. This is short for Konijntje: little rabbit. I have more in common with the creator of Miffy. We went to the same school in Utrecht, even though we are … Continue reading Miffy on her bicycle
The wide age range of people on bicycles is one of the more striking things for visitors to the Netherlands. Very young children can be seen cycling with their parents on the streets, sometimes even still with stabilisers on their mini-bicycles. Younger children are often passengers. These kids start cycling to school and other destinations unaccompanied at the age of 8 or 9, giving them an independence and freedom which is unparalleled in the world. On the other end of the spectrum the senior citizens keep on cycling to a very high age indeed. Sometimes aided by electric bikes, but … Continue reading Safe cycling for 8 to 80 year olds
Hundreds of thousands of children cycle to school every morning in the Netherlands. The roads and streets are literally full of cycling children for about one hour. The “cycle highway” from Geldermalsen to Culemborg is one such road. Hundreds of children going to school take the same safe route here. They form spontaneous groups and the closer they get to school the larger the groups become. When the school bell rings and all the children are in class, the cycle highway looks as deserted as it was before the kids went to school. Some things in the video may need … Continue reading Cycling to school
BICYCLE DUTCH 