Bikers in Europe Get Some TLC

The Netherlands looks to enact legislation mandating cyclist-protecting airbags on the outside of cars
Lets Go Dutch: Photo by Sindesign

Portland is arguably the furthest along of any American city as far as far as bicycle-friendly infrastructure goes (Seattle and Davis are close seconds). But none of them even approaches the level of cultural saturation prevalent in the Netherlands; the grand Mecca of cycle commuting. That is not to imply the American cities' efforts are futile, I mention the disparity only to convey the weight behind a statement this week from the Dutch Cycling Federation calling on the government to mandate the installation of air bags on cars. On the outside. They have been shown to protect a cyclist in a head-on collision.

What's most revealing about the Netherlands' attitudes toward bikes is that the statement generated a conversation in the public sphere. Whether auto makers are interested or not is largely beside the point (they are not, incidentally, although the product does exist). The potential mandate has legitimacy and will be considered. Contrast that with the hair-pulling required in the States to get a line painted down the side of a road which most motorists will promptly ignore.

If we want to be serious about reducing our dependency on fossil fuels, it is this level of discourse we need to embrace; it takes a long time for a real change in thinking to percolate out into the culture. The sooner we get brewing, the better.

Via Yahoo

3 Comments

Comments

Tor
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I don't own a car, and cycle everywhere- I'm moving to the Netherlands!

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jwright

from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The system in the Netherlands sounds really interesting. I heard that in certain cities in Europe they have a bike share program where people can swipe a pre-paid card at a bike rack and take a bike. When they're done with it they can put it back into any other rack throughout the city. The bikes have tracking devices on them so they cannot be stolen. It would be great if we could get something like that here.

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lnwolf41
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lnwolf41 A good idea, but a head on collison means someone
was going the wrong way, or not stopping at a light.In the city
cyclelist more likely to weave thru traffic.

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