Bicycle Jam - Leaving Groningen at rush hour

http://hembrow.blogspot.com/search/label/groningen

A few days ago I picked up some components at a shop in Groningen before starting my commute home through the rush hour.

Groningen is the true bicycle capital of the world. 57% of all journeys in the city are by bike. Not just "commutes" but all journeys, by all sorts of people.


http://www.dutchbikebits.com
http://www.hembrowcyclingholidays.com

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• groningen
• cycling
• fietspad
• netherlands

[KrunchyJD]

I think velomobiles are great, but it puzzles me. Do people know that it is like a recumbent tricycle, or do some people think it is a motor vehicle?

[DavidHembrow]

@KrunchyJD I sometimes wonder. While there are enough velomobiles here that everyone surely must have seen one before (one per four thousand households, more or less). I'm not at all sure that everyone knows what they are.

[ianenvironmental]

Watching this makes me feel excluded from life! Those who have not lived in the Netherlands will not know the freedom and resulting joy, that the bicycle offers...  Now I am back in the UK, if I cycle, I know that some ignorant person will choose to make my journey uncomfortable - and I'll be expected to always give way to cars.

The people in the UK, mostly, do not know what is possible and are limited by very narrow experiences.

[DavidHembrow]

@ianenvironmental The experience of cycling here was enough to make us emigrate from the UK. Sadly it's true that even most campaigners in the UK don't know what is possible. Take a look at my blog for some examples of how it could be.

[DavidHembrow]

@ianenvironmental The experience of cycling here was enough to make us emigrate from the UK. Sadly it's true that even most campaigners in the UK don't know what is possible. Take a look at my blog for some examples of how it could be.

[DavidHembrow]

@ianenvironmental The experience of cycling here was enough to make us emigrate from the UK. Sadly it's true that even most campaigners in the UK don't know what is possible. Take a look at my blog for some examples of how it could be.

[motorbreath1983]

Why did you have to be in Groningen out of all places. The village sucks and people aren't nice.

[nofgood4live]

this looks like the bike,that hit my frends car,and then quicly drove of,.

its a small wold in gtown,. how is live

[weeardguy]

@trx1961: No. Especially not when it's only 1 single box: there are many bycicle-delivery services that are way quicker than trucks: it's quicker in 2 ways: the goods are earlier at the destination, and 2. it won't block other traffic, which is especially 'funny' at canals like those in Amsterdam, which are one-way streets, just big enough for cars and trucks ;)

[weeardguy]

@DavidHembrow There are models with a small motor, mostly built by the owner itself. But still it's quite awkward for most people to see one (one per four thousand is still a bit much to me)

There are also models with two wheels, with a small stand that flaps out under a certain speed: Sometimes when I go to work, I see someone racing by in one.

[trx1961]

trucks r the only way to deliver goods to stores i bet! other then that, its BIKE LOVERS HEAVEN!

[ianenvironmental]

@DavidHembrow

This is so true. UK "cycling experts" often do not know what "urban utility cycling" is. What I have done, the cargos I have carried, are even to these "cycling experts" - impossible!

Parts of Cardiff are apparently too hilly for cycling, whereas all of the Netherlands is flat and does not suffer as much wind or rain... I guess this means that Nijmegen does not exist - and 21% of journeys in Basel, Switzerland are not made by bicycle...

As for London's "super-highways"...