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Southern Limburg (and before you reveal you are a Hollander, no, thats not just Maastricht) is terrible, but the locals don't see it because they think bikes ar
by brnt 3y ago
Southern Limburg (and before you reveal you are a Hollander, no, thats not just Maastricht) is terrible, but the locals don't see it because they think bikes are a sport and tourists are, well, tourists. Things are not very different in the north (other than fewer hills). There isn't but should be a freelying bike path density index to quantify this, I think it should be helpful.
But really, I have found that the more non-urban it gets, the more likely it is sideskirts where cars pass you at 80kmh at a meter distance are the best you can hope for. Data on how people commute supports this BTW: the Netherlands _also_ is a car loving country, yet those worlds rarely seem to speak. I'm not terribly Dutch, so I seem to be not observing some social and regional walls or something.
- wjnc 3y agoHaha, I hail from that part of the country. So I know Limburg is not just Maastricht. It’s the other way around I guess. Most parts of Limburg are proud not being cocky Maastricht. So yeah I see your distinction. I made it myself too. Solo tour cycling I feel is safe everywhere. Only in the peleton have I met plenty of dangerous situation in the 50 and 80 roads. It’s why most people both cycle and drive, but hate “wielrenners”. Even your point about the space needed for a car to pass a cyclist is on spot. I feel safe when a car passes at a meter. I’m going straight, the car moves a 20 cm to the left from the middle of the lane.. fits perfectly. It’s a meter length to pass with 10 m/s speed difference. Even in Italy or Spain the cyclists don’t like the “Dutch distance” I’ve noticed. Perhaps I’m confirming my own bias here though.