Who else benefits from the Dutch cycling infrastructure

BicycleDutch · 87K views · 2012 · 4:01

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Transit, cities & urban planningexplainer

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN cites it to show that cycling infrastructure also serves disabled and mobility-impaired people.

What it is

A short BicycleDutch episode showing how people with disabilities use Dutch cycle tracks on hand-cycles, tricycles and mobility scooters.

Recommended by 3 HN commenters across 4 different months, 2017 to 2026.

What Hacker News said

Strong rec jackvalentine · 2026-02 · on “Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with lower anger and anxiety”

What you've just said is a common refrain, if you haven't already seen it please take a look at these two videos that attempt to address part of what you're saying. I found them very interesting when I came across them years ago and it changed my view of what's possible or even good! [this video] "Who else benefits from the Dutch cycling infrastructure" (old people, disabled people) [LINK] "Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can)" (frozen Finnish winters)

Recommends iknowstuff · 2021-09 · on “Google to Buy New York City Office Building for $2.1B”

"Why We Won't Raise Our Kids in Suburbia (and moved to the Netherlands instead)" [LINK] "Who else benefits from the Dutch cycling infrastructure" [this video] "Why Great Cities Let You (Easily!) Cycle to IKEA" [LINK] "8 to 80, people of all ages cycling in the Netherlands" [LINK] As you can see, you don't need "wide roads". Quite the opposite, in fact. When safe cycling infrastructure is present, traffic shifts to cycling, because it's faster, cheaper and more pleasant. This makes roads less congested for your car trips. Widening roads does not have this effect, as additional lanes simply fill up with more traffic if there is no faster, safe alternative. Also, wide lanes encourage high speeds, an

Recommends iknowstuff · 2023-04 · on “The Electric Vehicles We Need Now Are E-Bikes”

I have for you a video titled "Who else benefits from the Dutch cycling infrastructure": [this video] > There is a large group of people in the Netherlands who also benefit from the well-designed cycling infrastructure: people with disabilities. They can use hand-operated bicycles or tricycles or mobility scooters to get from A to B. The cycle tracks offer them good protection from motorized traffic and thus a freedom to independently move around. Also kids. Look how much freedom this infrastructure provides to Dutch kids. Car dependency is NOT good for the disabled. Not every disabled parson is even capable of safely driving a car.

Recommends k99x55 · 2024-12 · on “Waymo will bring autonomous vehicles to Tokyo”

Cars are the most age discriminatory mode of transport of all: only 18+ and not too old can use it, and most disabled cannot use it. A Bicycles work to all ages, all abilities. In your case an ebike, trike (etrike?) or even mobility scooter might be a much lighter, cheaper, scalable option. Hey why not a self-driving e-scooter? Why does it have to weight 2 tons in the first place? Bike infrastructure is not only for bicycles: its for trikes, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, ebikes. Watch: * Who else benefits from the Dutch cycling infrastructure: [this video] * 8 to 80, people of all ages cycling in the Netherlands: [LINK]

Cites h3st · 2017-07 · on “How People Use Bike-Share Spaces vs. Parking Spots”

> Oslo tried to ban cars, but there has been a huge backlash, without the right sort of support some of the most vulnerable (i.e. people with physical disabilities) just cannot live successfully in cities. The backlash is pretty dishonest, though. The car-free area (a small part of downtown) will have more handicap parking spots than it does now, sidewalks are being improved so they're larger and universally accessible, and the disabled benefit from cycling infra too—I see people riding mobility scooters in bike lanes in Oslo, much as in this video, but not so many specialty bikes: [this video] It's generally the Joe Schmoes who cry "but what about the disabled" and "but what about people who NEE

Cites ryukafalz · 2022-08 · on “Micromobility: The Obligatory Origin Story”

It’s smaller-scale than automobility though, which is what people are used to. I agree it’s not perfect, but I think we need a better designator than “bike lanes” for the type of infrastructure we’re aiming for. It can and should be used by more than just cyclists; cycle tracks can also be great for those using e.g. mobility scooters: [this video] In the Netherlands there are enough cyclists that it works, but here in the US I feel like the term “cyclist” is often used as a pejorative. Making the name more inclusive of varying modes I think might help to counter this.

Cites ryukafalz · 2022-08 · on “Micromobility: The Obligatory Origin Story”

Providing safe infrastructure for smaller powered (or unpowered) mobility devices means disabled people can get around more effectively too, because wheels work better on pavement than on (often uneven) sidewalks. I posted this in another thread but it’s relevant here too: [this video] Or for a longer look, this interview with Maya Levi who has MS was also really inspiring: [LINK]

Cites ryukafalz · 2022-09 · on “Bikes, not self driving cars, are the technological gateway to urban progress”

> when you dont need to transport people who cannot bicycle See 1:12 in [this video] Or if you just mean children, bakfietsen are great for this. > when social status doesnt matter Build more/better bike infrastructure and people of all classes will ride, not just those who are forced to because they have no other options like now. See: any city that’s built a usable network of good bike infra.