Bicycle Rush Hour Utrecht (Netherlands) I

A sunny June morning at 8 o'clock on a busy bicycle street in the center of Utrecht (Netherlands). The camera captured 20 minutes of people passing; hundreds of them and most are on a bicycle. They are going to work, school, study, or they are taking their children to school or day-care. We see a cross-section of the Utrecht population (300,000). Young, old, of every possible background, just going about their daily routine.

The video is sped up to get a quicker view, sometimes up to 8 times. But there are parts in normal speed too, to have an even better look at examples of just how normal cycling is to the Dutch. Remember: anyone Dutch watching this video sees nothing unusual. To anyone from the Netherlands this is a very ordinary street.

We see chatting school girls trying to keep their balance, people texting and calling on mobile phones, a bike messenger in full gear and with a helmet, men in suits, a guy with no hands on the handlebars while he is adjusting his head phones, a woman smoking, and a guy jumping on the back rack of his girl friend's bike. They just took the bike from the racks. Many other people are parking their bikes. We see a lot of 'public transport bicycles', the bikes with blue and yellow fenders. Rented at the Central Railway Station that is just behind the camera. Trains pass all the time, as can be heard. There are birds singing in the trees and an accordion is played the entire duration of the video in the tunnel under the railway tracks.

The street is a bicycle street. Cars may enter, but it is a cul-de-sac for them, not for the bikes. This is a main artery for cyclists. In the background we see motorized traffic pass on a dual carriage way which is used by a lot of buses too. The light rail trains run every few minutes in the median of the road. Mopeds may use this bicycle street as well and it is striking how loud they are. However, the loudest noise of the video is the municipal street sweeping vehicle that passes as well.

The video shows 20 minutes so you can see the bicycles come in a constant flow. There was no bridge open. This is a normal amount of cyclists that can be found in any Dutch city.

Comments are moderated. No swear words please and no rude remarks about anyone in the video.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• bicycle
• rush
• hour
• Utrecht
• Netherlands
• bike
• cycle
• cycling
• cyclist
• cyclists
• biking
• biker
• bikers
• bicycling
• chic
• riding
• utility
• Dutch
• Holland
• fiets
• fietsen

[brunsbar]

Cycling is boring in the Netherlands because the countryside is so monotous. It's like in a hamster wheel.

[markenlei]

@brunsbar you should try getting out of the car on the freeway... you'd be surprised. Or you could just look at this video: /watch?v=rB1rLYK8wZE

[Hanxies]

You realy mis the point of bycicling with that ugly speed up showing of a easy coing and save and well back home after work, school etc. The Dutch way.

[markenlei]

@Hanxies the video is sped up so people can see how massive cycling really is. It does go to normal speed a lot of times to highlight some of the people passing. There are lots of other video's on my channel that are kept in normal speed. There is something for everyone's taste I think.

[GodsS0N1]

This is wonderful, and I didn't see a single fat person! What a nice place to live

[DIExxENE]

@Bhousm76

their city bikes, not fixed gear bikes.

dont think i need to explain why people have these, if you look at the name of the bike type

[kentcyclist]

In the UK fortunately there are not many cyclists and the dont pay road tax or insurance

[jopio333]

@brunsbar

Some parts are; treu. I havent a car and I love cycing. The coast here, for example is a great place to do this.

[yurrri1978]

На это можно смотреть бесконечно как на воду, огонь и взлетающие/садящиеся самолеты.

[ptuku]

@bonifp how many people do you know who did not survive a head-on collision with another bicycle? xD

[maguirre235]

I used to live in The Netherlands and the thing I enjoyed the most was biking!!!!!

Loved that place!!!!

[ZakPlastic]

@bonifp

due to the short distances most dutch cyclists ride, like to the mall and back home again, helmets will just be a hassle to put off and on every time they go riding. helmets also mess up your hair ;)

[StlyDutch]

@bonifp Probably because you don't really need one. Cyclists often have their own roads and traffic lights, they are seperated from normal traffic... Unless it's a very quiet street with hardly any cars like in a neighbourhood.

[brunsbar]

@brunsbar In the cities it's really great. I loved it. But the countryside never changes.