Rain, wind and bold colours. That is Autumn, well usually anyway. This year there hasn’t been much rain (the Netherlands is experiencing a severe draught) and the otherwise normal temperature drop has been postponed too, apparently. With temperatures of up … Continue reading Autumn Cycling
The nearest swimming pool from my home where I can do some exercise is in Vught, an easy bike ride away. I have shown the ride back in the dark 5 years ago. This week, I’ll show you how to … Continue reading Going for a swim
Even in the Netherlands decision makers and planners must often be reminded that the needs for people cycling should be taken into account when major infrastructure is to be reconstructed. This is something that is also done by the Fietsersbond … Continue reading Attention for cycling in major infrastructure works
Back to a basic type of bicycle infrastructure. After my posts showing exceptional cycle infrastructure in Den Bosch and Naaldwijk, a failed 1990s experiment with a bicycle street, a failed brand new bicycle roundabout and a new cycleway alongside an … Continue reading Bicycle ride in a smaller town
A large group of people cycled through the town of Vught last Friday. Accompanied by the Vught alderman for traffic, a council member and the senior traffic policy maker. Together they were on a tour to visit good and bad … Continue reading Elderly people on a cycle tour in Vught
The Vught chapter of the Cyclists’ Union* organised a 20 kilometre cycle tour through the town of Vught to test and rate the quality of road surfaces of the (cycling) infrastructure. “If people are to cycle more you need good … Continue reading Testing road surfaces in Vught
Sports and I are not a great match, to put it very mildly. And it has been like that all my life. To give but one small example: I was always picked last for any team during the sports hour … Continue reading Going for a swim
“Long Live Amsterdam” The Amsterdam based newspaper ‘Het Parool’ has a small corner for short letters. Limited to 69 words, people are encouraged to share something with the readers. This little gem was published on 22nd October last. I simply have to share it with you here too. Due to the word limit the Dutch version is also a bit ‘telegraphese’. Arrived by car from The Hague Thursday. Parked in Marnixstraat garage. Walked to Herengracht for book promotion. Slightly disorientated, asked young man, waiting at corner with bicycle, for directions. Would be quite a walk, but if I wasn’t afraid … Continue reading Three little things
Bicycle ride from ‘s-Hertogenbosch aka Den Bosch to Vughtse Heide (Heath of Vught). A 15 minute ride shown 5 times as fast. We see all kinds of bike infrastructure but it is all continuous. In Vught the Nazis had a … Continue reading Ride from ’s-Hertogenbosch to Vughtse Heide
One of the many excuses used by people who oppose protected cycling infrastructure is the ‘but we have driveways’ excuse. There are people who believe that cycling infrastructure, especially a separate protected cycle path, does not go together well with driveways. But of course the two can be combined: as long as the design of both the cycle path and the driveways are well done and follow strict rules. When a drive way does not interrupt the sidewalk or the cycle path, when it does not change the level of either of those and when it is clear it has … Continue reading But we have driveways
A tour in the countryside on a Saturday. Recreational cycling is very popular in the Netherlands. There is an elaborate system of “cycle junctions”. The “cycle junctions” are numbered. From each numbered junction you can ride to the next by … Continue reading Recreational cycling in the Netherlands – 2
BICYCLE DUTCH 