Outside the cities people still cycle. It is no uncommon for highschool students in the country to cycle over 10 km to and from school (for some up to 20 or 30

Outside the cities people still cycle. It is no uncommon for highschool students in the country to cycle over 10 km to and from school (for some up to 20 or 30 km), do the same to meet friends after school, to go clubbing, to go to parties, to go to do things and so on. In the Netherlands there is no such thing as a school bus. There is no driving a car without an expensive and difficult licence after you're 18 years. And the flatness has a downside too: strong headwinds, always it seems. Certainly, it is easier than riding over hills or mountains, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but it ain't all roses and sunshine either. Then again, my fitness when I was young was great. Heck, I don't think I've ever seen one of my schoolmates fail the Cooper test during physical education class unless sick or disabled somehow.