The secret to Holland’s cycling success

Matthew Wright wrote recently in the Guardian that separate lanes for bicycles are:

“just one (important) part of bicycle policies in the Netherlands, complemented with integral spatial planning, traffic calming, bike facilities and effective traffic laws.”

While he is definitely correct that there are a range of factors that make Holland one of the most pleasant places to be a cyclist, I believe that a strong cycling culture can never truly flourish without proper infrastructure.

When I was younger I lived in Den Haag, a suburb not far from Amsterdam and as a young kid from Sydney I took the excellent infrastructure for granted. I would cycle to my friends house, to school and even into town when we were going out.
Almost every major road has a separate lane for cycling. Less major roads usually don’t but because cycling is so ingrained in the Dutch psyche there was never a problem with cars honking their horns and trying to squeeze past you when it’s not safe.

I would argue though, that this culture could never have flourished if the Dutch didn’t decide to invest properly in their cycling infrastructure in the beginning. As Frank De Jong in the aforementioned Guardian article put it:

“When I bike in Holland, I get the sense that the road was designed with bikes and cars in mind from the outset”

There is no obligation to wear a helmet in Holland. In fact, the only kids I knew that wore them were the British kids at my school (they also wore bright fluro vests and got laughed at by the locals). Cycling reflects the laid back attitude and liberalism of the Dutch. However, the ability to throw away your helmet is only made possible by the meticulous planning and world renowned manipulation of space that make the Dutch famous.

So, what will it take for Australia to change its mindset? My answer? Do as the Dutch do. Continue to build separate cycle ways and the attitudes towards cycling will change for the better.