Originally posted by davehorne
Ivana,
I bike on average more than 10k. I bike _because_ of the bike paths.
Re Philadelphia - I am not exaggerating, my brother would drive his car and would never stop at a STOP sign ... only slow down; he was typical of the drivers I saw in Philly. The individual who would stop was the exception. Of course, here in the Netherlands, I can count on one hand the number of STOP signs I have seen in the entire country.
Don't be so hard on your fellow countrymen ... they might bike because they like to. I know some Dutch who never bike, they only use their car. I would guess that most Dutch don't think about biking ... the paths exist, parking is a hassle, it makes sense to bike, doesn't it?
The bottom line for me ... I bike here _because_ the paths exist. I lived in the US for 44 years before I moved here and the thought of biking in the US, after I became an adult, never occurred to me; it was only after I moved to a country that was so bike friendly that I decided to take up biking. I got a kick out biking when I moved here eight years ago, and that same kick remains with me today.
I only use my car when absolutely necessary ... it's the bike for me and will remain so.
But how much more do you bike than 10 K.
It remains a truth that bike paths are in 99% of the cases of inferior quality than the roads where cars can ride. And that it is extremely difficult to find your way in this country if you are banned from nearly all major roads and signposting is inadequate.
Behaviour towards cyclists who don't want to ride on brick tiles and bike paths that switch sides of the road too often, is extremely hostile as I experienced again today when going to the hospital for an appointment.
I was riding on a road that was banned for cyclists but first had a parking lot to the right that doubled as bike path, after which sides were switched and cyclists were put on a brick both side bike path.
First I was honked at by a car driver behind me, who then slowed down to a pace that was slower than I was riding and when I continued to pass at the right he intentionally cut me off by going to the right, which could have caused a serious injury, had I not slowed down abruptly.
This type of behaviour I have experienced at least a dozen times and is very very typical of the lecturing position drivers take in this BIKE APARTHEIDS COUNTRY.
I'm not overly scared of cycling along with traffic, as long as they stay sober and show no hatred towards cyclists.. but try to demand a bit more freedom in this country and you risk your life!
Ivana