Originally Posted by
JaccoW
Oh I definitely think the times are changing. The idea of working full time from the office is not at all appealing to me and likely won't be common even after this is all done.
Your articles do offer some explanations though,
lower fuel prices before the pandemic being one of them, and the availability of ride-share services and electric scooters. Which I think is a great development. Even people who use their cars a lot only use them 1/3rd of the time at best. Better to only have/use a car when you need one, American cities are 50% parking lot already... which adds to the urban sprawl and requirement for a car. Driving any vehicle in the US is relatively dangerous, in fact,
the US is the deadliest developed country in the world when it comes to
traffic deaths.
The Netherlands didn't start investing in its bicycle infrastructure until we hit a record high of road fatalities, especially cyclists, in the 70's. See it as a chance to finally move people into action.
The US is several decades behind when it comes to investing in bicycle infrastructure so give it some time. A safe cycling network needs a level of critical mass before it starts becoming a viable option for most people. Simply relying on cars for commuting, groceries and travel is not a sustainable option in the long run.
I prefer to be hopeful and realistic so we can monitor what works and what does not and adjust accordingly.
Also, I'm 34 so I plan to spend some more time on this planet and leave it in a better condition than I received it in.
As for taxes on bicycles; the Netherlands did it but it was such a stupid idea
even the nazis got rid of it.
As part of leaving the planet better than you got it....you don't support a tax on bikes? Wouldn't paying more in taxes on bikes allow for more money to be spent on infrastructure? Shouldn't cyclists, as stewards of the planet and wanters of more infrastructure, pitch in more of our dollars to get what we want?
I'm glad you're hopeful...I am too. But reality, no matter how many try to deny it, smacks us all in the face. I'm not like most people who turn the other cheek when they get popped in the mouth. My head snaps around and I assess the situation. Start looking at who is doing the hitting and why. That's where looking at reality comes in...sure be hopeful but you damn well better get your guard up and be ready for the next reality blow cause he punches like Mike Tyson! (What do you think of Covid? That's quite the punch to the face isn't it?)
I loved seeing the cycling infrastructure of EU countries when we lived in the UK. We had an AirBnB almost in the center of Brugge when we visited and the amount of people cycling by in the morning commute at 3mph was a sight to behold.
But your country, Netherlands, wouldn't even fit in the State of Michigan. The comparisons are laughable at best. One of the main reasons why the comparisons fail is that your country if filled with Dutch. The US? Not so much.