Cycling in the rain of the Netherlands

The Dutch say: 'You are not made of sugar, you won't melt in the rain!'. When you cycle for utility reasons the weather is of lesser importance. If you go to work by bike, you go there when the sun shines but of course also when it rains.

Weather conditions do not really change the number of cyclists in the Netherlands. The Dutch simply put on a rain coat, a "rain suit", or they get out their umbrellas. Riding a bike while holding up an umbrella is perfectly normal in the Netherlands. And a lot of people feel they will simply dry up quickly enough again.

These pictures were taken on a cold and rainy April morning in Utrecht. The intersection is undergoing major reconstructions and building is taking place all around it. That is why it is not up to modern Dutch standards with its bad temporary road surface and ugly temporary concrete divisions. Ugly but safe enough. What makes the intersection really safe are the separate cycle traffic lights with separate green phases for cyclists.

Utrecht is the 4th largest city in the Netherlands with a population 300,000 and 33% of all trips in the city are made on a bicycle.

Category:

Education

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[theleftfalange]

Is it just me or @1:56, is the girl literallly jumping onto the back of the guy's bike?

[ecafredrummailliw]

too bad you can't do any of this in america without driving in a ditch because you're forced to by dick head cars or because the bike lane is about half a foot in some places. it's even better when you're trying to ride your bike and people are parked in the bike lane even though its illegal but no one gives a shit because transportation like this is looked down upon in our country. has nothing to do with being fat. i'm not fat and i'd do this if it wasn't so fucking life threatening.

[kardentyrell]

@sireyellow pff, your nose is not made of glass

[Zoza15]

@soleaguirre100 Are You Kidding me?, we dont need helmets.

[xzaz2]

@ravenvlucht Nog nooit naar het Buiteland geweest?

[xzaz2]

@CuriousAznBoi They are in the cars

[04smallmj]

@legionofwarriors They aren't old and crappy, that's just how their bikes are designed. They probably spend a lot on a good quality bike to last them many years.... and nobody else agrees with you.

[soleaguirre100]

No helmets?...

[zabilos12]

@legionofwarriors haha, yea when you use a bike for 4 or 5 years and every day at leats twwo times, in a country where it rains a lot! your bike gets to lose its glamour ya know. but we don't have a smog problem like major country's like amerika, china or india, and if you know how to ride a bike the (not that a) small place isn't dangarous at al,

[SwampGator94]

@legionofwarriors you don't seem to be a smart fellow =)

i was there last summer and it was amazing, no smog, no cars buzzling around, young people, vibrant city indeed! i'd love to be back there, awesome

[legionofwarriors]

does anybody NOTICE how old and crappy those bicycles are?...so weird...too many bikes , small space , very stupid country and mentality though

[rickwexler]

@theleftfalange She did jump onto the back of the bike. It's very common to see people riding that way, frequently side-saddle.