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> I realized, though, that unlike many American cities, Amsterdam came of age way before the automobile. The US has a fetish with cars. No, Amsterdam also love

by welder 8y ago

> I realized, though, that unlike many American cities, Amsterdam came of age way before the automobile. The US has a fetish with cars. No, Amsterdam also loved cars. It was activism that turned it into a bicycle heaven. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bic...

syndacks 8y ago
Fair enough, but Amsterdam originally loved bikes. From your link: >At the start of the 20th century, bikes far outnumbered cars in Dutch cities and the bicycle was considered a respectable mode of transport for men and women. I don't believe this was ever the case in a major US city. Nonetheless, the activism bit is news for me so thanks for sharing. I'd still argue, though, that the activism is largely due to the fact that that there was a history of bikes before cars.
- loeg 8y ago
  > I don't believe this was ever the case in a major US city. This is completely inaccurate. Americans loved bikes at the start of the 20th century too. Cars didn't exist, or were unreliable, or incredibly expensive. E.g., https://www.vox.com/2015/6/30/8861327/bike-lanes-history https://www.vox.com/2015/6/30/8861327/bike-lanes-history
icebraining 8y ago
See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY6PQAI4TZE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY6PQAI4TZE, about the Amsterdam neighbourhood De Pijp fight for a play street without cars in 1972.
- Udik 8y ago
  Thank you for this link. I moved to Amsterdam less than three years ago, and the difference between what is shown in the video and how the whole city is now is just unbelievable. It's a testament and a lesson on how it's possible to really vastly transform things for better, with time and will. Hemonystraat, one of the streets cited in the video, now: https://www.google.it/maps/@52.3567496,4.9026422,3a,58.5y,137.85h,87.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ses9alBsdaQ6J6U_BonNvHQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.it/maps/@52.3567496,4.9026422,3a,58.5y,13...

by welder 8y ago

syndacks 8y ago

Fair enough, but Amsterdam originally loved bikes. From your link: >At the start of the 20th century, bikes far outnumbered cars in Dutch cities and the bicycle was considered a respectable mode of transport for men and women. I don't believe this was ever the case in a major US city. Nonetheless, the activism bit is news for me so thanks for sharing. I'd still argue, though, that the activism is largely due to the fact that that there was a history of bikes before cars.

loeg 8y ago
> I don't believe this was ever the case in a major US city. This is completely inaccurate. Americans loved bikes at the start of the 20th century too. Cars didn't exist, or were unreliable, or incredibly expensive. E.g., https://www.vox.com/2015/6/30/8861327/bike-lanes-history https://www.vox.com/2015/6/30/8861327/bike-lanes-history

icebraining 8y ago

See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY6PQAI4TZE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY6PQAI4TZE, about the Amsterdam neighbourhood De Pijp fight for a play street without cars in 1972.

Udik 8y ago
Thank you for this link. I moved to Amsterdam less than three years ago, and the difference between what is shown in the video and how the whole city is now is just unbelievable. It's a testament and a lesson on how it's possible to really vastly transform things for better, with time and will. Hemonystraat, one of the streets cited in the video, now: https://www.google.it/maps/@52.3567496,4.9026422,3a,58.5y,137.85h,87.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ses9alBsdaQ6J6U_BonNvHQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.it/maps/@52.3567496,4.9026422,3a,58.5y,13...