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> Replacement of cars is realistic until it rains, snows, wind blows too much or you need to haul something, have multiple passengers and such. Don’t all those
by PierceJoy 5y ago
> Replacement of cars is realistic until it rains, snows, wind blows too much or you need to haul something, have multiple passengers and such.
Don’t all those things apply to a city like Amsterdam? Granted, there were still a decent number of cars on the road, but I was amazed how many people were doing their daily travels on bikes.
I’ve only been there once on vacation, and I didn’t pay attention enough to know whether the city design you mentioned is used.
- stevesimmons 5y agoI do all those things in Amsterdam. I can get everywhere in Amsterdam much quicker by bike than driving or public transport. Cycling in the rain and snow [2] is no problem, you just need the right gear. What non-Amsterdammers don't realise is the city never used to be a cyclist's paradise. In the 1960s, Amsterdam's car-obsessed urban planners had grand visions to drive motorways through the inner city, razing the historical buildings, and constructing Manhattan-like skyscraper clusters. Here's a 3 minute video "Highways Almost Destroyed Amsterdam" [1] about those plans, the fightback in the 1970s, and the resulting bike culture that Amsterdam has today. Enjoy! [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI5pbDFDZyI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI5pbDFDZyI [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1tgkOM6Bw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB1tgkOM6Bw
- analog31 5y agoAmsterdam has extremely mild weather compared to most of the US. Also, much shorter distances and no hills. With that said, we have much to learn from cities like Amsterdam, but will have to figure out some things for ourselves like distance and weather. Electric bikes can help overcome both of those issues. Disclosure: Daily human powered bike commuter in the US.