Wednesday June 22nd was our first day of biking
To help understand how popular and accepted biking is in Holland, it helps to look at how increasing car ownership post World War II took its toll on bikers. Like the rest of Europe, cars needed roads and these were built gast with little regard for how to accommodate cyclists. In 1971 more than 3,000 people were killed by motor vehicles, 450 of them children. In response a social movement demanding safer cycling conditions for children was formed – called Stop de Kindermoord (Stop the Child Murder). Add the angst caused by the oil shock of 1973 and the Dutch government started properly investing in improved cycling infrastructure.
To help understand how popular and accepted biking is in Holland, it helps to look at how increasing car ownership post World War II took its toll on bikers. Like the rest of Europe, cars needed roads and these were built gast with little regard for how to accommodate cyclists. In 1971 more than 3,000 people were killed by motor vehicles, 450 of them children. In response a social movement demanding safer cycling conditions for children was formed – called Stop de Kindermoord (Stop the Child Murder). Add the angst caused by the oil shock of 1973 and the Dutch government started properly investing in improved cycling infrastructure.
To make cycling safer and more inviting the Dutch have built a vast network of cycle paths. Its just great – you feel safe and secure and no wonder that just about everyone from old fogeys to kids are our on their bikes over here.
The Amsterdamse Bos is a stones throw from CoCo and Its’s house. A massive park which was built by unemployed people back when the economy wasn’t so great. Its just beautiful with a huge number of cycle and walking paths, a rowing lake (de Bosbaan) and . . .wait for it . . . a geiten boerderij (goat farm).
We had a great time biking and stopping off for coffees and snacks. Oh and the goats were pumping too . . .
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