HISTORY LESSON: How the Dutch got their cycle paths

I came across this great video the other day that presents one well accepted view of how the Netherlands became one of the best countries in the world for cyclists and cycling infrastructure.  The video was produced by Mark Wagenbuur who, with blog founder David Hembrow, produce the superb A view from the cycle path... blog which documents Dutch cycling infrastructure for all the world to see.  Besides the blog, if you go to Mark's YouTube channel you will find over 150 videos that will give the curious American a great idea of what a transportation infrastructure built around the bicycle can look like.



One thing that you should take away from this video is that the world class Dutch bicycle infrastructure that many think was always there, was almost lost at one point and that advocacy was a critical part of turning local and national transportation policy around in the Netherlands.  Imagine what New Jersey might look like today if bicycle advocacy had been well organized since the 1970's.  I doubt it would be exactly like the Netherlands but I think we would be much further along then we are today.

Great Dutch video shows "Cycling for Everyone"

Streetsblog SF picked up on this yesterday.

The Dutch Cycling Embassy (actual webpage not yet operational) a new effort by the Dutch government to share their expertise about cycling with the world, released this 7 minute plus video to announce the launching of the embassy.

Just a couple of notes:

• "Cycling for everyone" I believe was first coined by New Jersey's and Rutgers University's own John Pucher in a ground breaking report he and Ralph Buehler wrote a few years ago.
• Our friends at NJ TRANSIT could learn a few things about bike/transit integration starting at time-stamp 2:43 (but they can close there ears when the narrator mentions "small fee").  All the ideas shown in the video are discussed in my report A Review and Critique of NJ TRANSIT Bicycle Access Policies (and facilities).
• Check out the spectacular bike/ped bridge at the end of the video.  If you ever rode over a bridge like this, like I have in Germany, you would never be satisfied with the caged over "cattle chutes" that pass for bike/ped bridges here in NJ.

Enjoy this great video!


Cycling For Everyone from Dutch Cycling Embassy on Vimeo.