I 'm posting this here, because ultimately this IS about the clever use of technology on a massi...

[G+_George Kozi]

I'm posting this here, because ultimately this IS about the clever use of technology on a massive scale, and smart civil engineering solutions...

 

Originally shared by George Kozi

 

traffic traffic traffic... yeah...

[G+_Paul Turner]

Wow, look at all the parked bikes!

[G+_George Kozi]

Each of them replaces an internal combustion engine. Those bikes run on chocolate and peanut butter jelly sandwiches.

[G+_Neil Sedlak]

I recently traveled to Japan and loved the public transit and bike/walk culture (despite kind of poor roads and paths for this). We even saw a 3 story robotic bike parking garage at a major train station!

[G+_Eric Godbout]

Netherlands is the best case scenario for bikes. Flat, small and dense country. Don't get me wrong, that is great.

[G+_George Kozi]

Geography has something to do with it, no doubt about it, but The Netherlands isn't the only flat place on the planet. What's driving this is the long term willingness to put in the right infrastructure, and the culture. 

[G+_Scot McSweeney-Roberts]

George Kozi I don't think you can claim that each bike replaces an internal combustion engine. There are parts of Utrecht where you might not want to drive (narrow, cobbled streets, some of which are right next to a canal), so at least a few of those bikes are replacing foot power, not horsepower. Also, I don't think the Dutch are all that big into PBJs.

[G+_George Kozi]

Well, I live here, and this is everyday reality. All those bikes parked did bring someone to the city center... someone that did not take the car.

[G+_Scot McSweeney-Roberts]

George Kozi  Even without bikes people can walk, take the tram, train or bus. If bikes were banned tomorrow, I don't believe that each and every one of those bikes would be replaced with a car. 

 

Also, how many of those parked bikes are abandoned? Have they finally sorted out that mess of abandoned bikes in the bike park near the northern end of the train station ? I haven't been back to Utrecht in a while and the last thing I heard about it was that the city wanted to remove them, but they were getting push back from the citizens.

[G+_George Kozi]

Very few. The abandoned bikes are removed on regular bases. And don't get me wrong, people do use the bus and walk also. One mode does not exclude the other. 

 

There are more than 13 million bikes in the country, with a population of 16.5 million. If all the bikes would be banned today, there would be a revolution before 5 pm. 

[G+_Randy Hudson]

16.5 million population in a country the size of a decent city. No wonder so many ride bikes. There's no room for 16.5 million cars there. Unfortunately that doesn't work just everywhere George Kozi. There have been times when my daily drive to work was 75 miles or more each way. That's just not going to happen on a bike.

[G+_George Kozi]

Randy Hudson oh, people have cars. there are about 8 million cars in the country. What's different is the way they are used. People prefer the bicycle because the infrastructure is there, and bike rides cost nothing. Also because the different forms of transportation are integrated, it's easier and more reliable to use the bike - train - bus combination. Short intercity trips are done by bike. The car is left at home by choice.

[G+_Randy Hudson]

I understand that George Kozi, it's exactly as I was stating, it's about many things. Geography, infrastructure and size all play into it.

 

I recently moved from a home where I lived for 9+ years where it was a 20 mile trip to the nearest market. Most of my neighbors (myself included) had bikes. We just weren't  going to choose the bike to ride 20 miles just to get a carton of milk.