The dutch get "motorways" to ride on!

[Spinalot]

We are so far behind the Dutch it is depressing.
They are now getting Cycle "motorways"
F35 High-Speed Cycle Route Twente | BICYCLE DUTCH

 

[GORDONAL]

Really excellent "infrastructure" with numerous benefits ........... could be argued that if something along similar lines here were adopted as a test case £60-70 million would be very well invested .

Probability ........... sadly virtually zero

Alan

 

[AlMel]

Just as impressive, it appears that the route is well maintained!

 

[flecc]

How boring!

It's bad enough driving on motorways, but taking the interest from cycling with flat and straight line motorway conditions is going too far. No potholes, deep puddles, near misses with vans and trucks overtaking into blind bends. You have to feel sorry for the Dutch, no wonder over 40,000 of them live in the UK now!

 

[PyroJet]

We are so far behind the Dutch it is depressing.

I clicked on the link and indeed my heart sank.

So many sections of cycle lane in the UK are a token strip of paint on main roads a few inches from the gutter on one side and heavy goods vehicles to the other. Its not surprising people are discouraged when there are pinch points like the one here: Cycle Motorway - UK Style

 

[Spinalot]

Just as impressive, it appears that the route is well maintained!

If you spend a little time on that site you will see Dutch councils have teams of guys in machines that look after them, including snow plough attachments!
With something like 40%+ modal share in some areas if they do not look after cyclists they do not get votes.
The Dutch are in a completely different mindset to the rest of the world.

 

[smudger1956]

Yes, was a tad depressing, but I have to admit we do have some 'sensible' cycle lanes in my area, I can go for a good few miles without mixing it too much with the traffic.

 

[smudger1956]

If you spend a little time on that site you will see Dutch councils have teams of guys in machines that look after them, including snow plough attachments!
With something like 40%+ modal share in some areas if they do not look after cyclists they do not get votes.
The Dutch are in a completely different mindset to the rest of the world.

You have hit the keyword Spinalot, 'mindset' the mindset in the UK IMHO is Cycling / E-Bikes are recreational pursuits, not a serious alternative form of transport.

 

[Spinalot]

Here is a typical example of the way the Dutch "think" about infrastructure. They have problems we can only dream of having.
Electronic bicycle parking in Utrecht (Netherlands) - YouTube

There's one of his videos that went viral. It eventually featured on Dutch TV and the Dutch audience at first thought it was a foreigner who had filmed rush hour. They though it hilarious that someone would film something so ordinary. Like if we saw films of people walking down the street. To them Cycling is just a normal way of getting from one place to another faster than walking. So if there is no infrastructure they demand it. Or poor infrastructure, they protest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlQYP4WN-5w
Very amusing when the lights change.

 

[Zebb]

I have done lots of cycling in Holland and have to say it was great, every single car/lorry gave way to you with out hesitation when crossing roads and felt so safe out there.
Wish it was the same here.

 

[amigafan2003]

I have done lots of cycling in Holland and have to say it was great, every single car/lorry gave way to you with out hesitation when crossing roads and felt so safe out there.

That because most car drivers over there are also cyclists.

Over here it's the other way round - most cyclists are also car drivers.

 

[103Alex1]

So many sections of cycle lane in the UK are a token strip of paint on main roads a few inches from the gutter on one side and heavy goods vehicles to the other.

Those are the ones on the roads ... the 'pavement' cycle lanes are even worse - like an off-road adventure you'd be better off with full suspension for half the time. Tree roots lifted all the paved surfaces into mini hills and cracked up in between - if you were out to jump about on a BMX they'd probably be perfect, but I hardly ever bother with the "lanes" nowadays...

just take my chances on the main road with the white vans and pantechnicans driving inches from my rear reflector instead . At least that way it doesn't take all day to get anywhere as you'd be hard pushed to sustain 9mph safely on the "cycle paths".

Can't wait to get my bike finished off and get it down somewhere far quieter and more enjoyable to live and ride. Everyone has to share the single track lanes - so they get better looked after than the cracking up tar strips painted brown in between lifting stormwater drainage holes that cyclists are relegated to navigating less they get in the way of 4-wheeled mobile offices / entertainment centres that occupy the rest.