A Not Just Bikes Tour of "Hidden" Amsterdam

[@Richard-xu7kz]

Hey North America, you could have this too. It isn't build over a few years, this takes time but spread the word!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yep. That's why I started Active Towns Channel... I want to show everyone in North America and in car-dependent places around the world not only what is possible but how to make these transformations happen. Thanks so much for watching. I really appreciate it. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@NotJustBikes]

I miss the warm weather. It's been cloudy and waterkoud the past few days. Bring me back to the way it was for this ride! 😂 Also, this music makes me want to play Transport Tycoon Deluxe.

[@littlemissmello]

It makes me hopeful of snow though!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, we really lucked out on this ride. Also, I was excited that I was able to salvage the audio, given our pretty gusty winds. Thanks again, Jason, for this truly delightful ride along the "path less traveled" in AMS. Much appreciated, my friend. Cheers! John

[@pbilk]

@@littlemissmello We got fluffy snow in Ontario.

[@freudsigmund72]

the watercold weather is very unpleasant, to use an understatement

[@vanderquast]

so true about the weather here last weeks 😢

[@IAMsterdam1071]

So weird to see people rave about my daily commute :-) It’s nice to get an outside perspective though, I’ll probably look at it differently tomorrow morning. I really hope it inspires places outside of the Netherlands.

[@ActiveTowns]

That is precisely my hope as well. Thanks for watching. Enjoy the commute. Cheers! John

[@JamesTsividis]

Oh it is!

[@jessegee179]

Really hope so too. I have visited your brilliant infrastructure ⭐ Our rubbish at home leaves me slumped at a desk wailing "Why, oh why?! 😭😭😭"

[@nathanielbyrne1132]

That's so funny, like a massive international movement on your commute

[@marcelmoulin3335]

Albeit a Dutchman, I grew up in Palo Alto which introduced cycling infrastructure in the early 70s. How fortunate we were! The Dutch, unlike the Americans, have created a stellar cycling infrastructure over the last 50 years. The world can learn so much from the Dutch. I am ecstatic that Active Towns and Not Just Bikes have created a brilliant platform for disseminating Dutch cycling infrastructure know-how. By the way, I live in delightful, historic Middelburg where I do not have a car!

[@ActiveTowns]

Ah, thank you so much! I really appreciate it, and I definitely want to visit Middelburg on my next Active Towns Study Tour in The Netherlands. Cheers! John

[@Dive1962]

The ease with which Jason is riding his 'omafiets' shows he's gone native

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes, indeed. Looks like he's making progress with his command of Dutch as well. Cheers! John

[@user-cr3fz8lz2i]

Great video! I also subscribe to Not Just Bikes! Such good points!!!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yay! Thanks so much for joining us this little ride. Cheers! John

[@underground868]

I'm an American living in a crap Texas suburb and plan to visit Amsterdam later this year and I can't wait to walk the streets!

[@ActiveTowns]

I'm based out of Austin. If you have a chance to visit, be sure to check out our Dutch-inspired cycle network that is steadily emerging. Here's my playlist of vids profiling some of the progress: bit.ly/AustinDutchBikePlaylist

[@ageoflove1980]

Even better, rent a bike and cycle the streets!

[@underground868]

@@ageoflove1980 I'd love to but I'll be traveling with a group and they're not too keen on cycling. Plus we don't know the rules or nuances and rather not embarrass ourselves as ignorant tourists.

[@alcidesforever]

@@underground868 Don't worry, we get those a lot and are used to it. Just don't walk or suddenly, without warning, stop on the bike lane and you'll be fine.

[@jayandreas1131]

@@underground868 very clever not to bike when you’re uncertain. But to be fair it is the best way to see a lot of Amsterdam.

[@Alkvaarder]

That plastic crate on your bikerack to transport groceries is SO Dutch!! Jason becomes more Dutch than he admits. 😄

[@ActiveTowns]

So true! 😀

[@lbergen001]

@@ActiveTowns I wonder, does Jason already speak Dutch, let's say A2 level? Must respect for both channels btw.👍👍

[@ActiveTowns]

@@lbergen001 He does say in this video that his Dutch is getting better and that his phone and the apps are in Dutch. Not about the A2 level, though. Thank you so much! I really appreciate you tuning in. Cheers! John

[@Hurricane2k8]

@@lbergen001 In a Strong Towns podcast from last year Jason said he was taking his B1 or B2 level exams, so I assume his dutch is really solid nowadays.

[@knarf_on_a_bike]

I can see why no one in Amsterdam wears a helmet. If cycling were that calm and safe here in Toronto, I might ride bareheaded as well. Or maybe wear a cool cycling cap. 😉

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, I no longer even bring my helmet now when I travel to Europe. Bonus: More room in my luggage for camera gear! Thanks so much for watching this video... there are many more like on the Channel, and many more yet to come. Cheers! John

[@dascandy]

Helmets are to protect you from cars. Proper roads protect you from cars much more than helmets ever could.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@dascandy Thanks so much for watching the video. Much appreciated. The second part of your statement is spot on. The helmet companies are actually quite clear (if you read the fine print) in stating that they are not intended to protect against collisions with cars, and in fact, their most common evaluation is a simple drop test from about shoulder height. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@bmw803]

And looking at how the city is built, that area where they are isn't that much different than in North America, Wide roads, spread out buildings. It's just that the Dutch accommodate all modes of transportation. Most North American cities could EASILY accommodate protected bike lanes.

[@rogerk6180]

​@@bmw803that is suburbia that was raised from farmland in the 1960 and that was built for cars just like most of the usa. Since then it has been redesigned to be much more friendly to people in general instead of just cars. Most of europe was built after ww2 in the age of the car. Just the relativly small city centers are really old. The statements that europe is all very old and stuff is just not true.

[@ageoflove1980]

Great to see a less visited part of my city getting some attention. Its actually here where the bike infrastructure really shines because these part are specifically designed for it. In the older parts there is usually not enough space to really go all out on the frictionless transportation options.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes, well said, Sander. These sections, as Jason points out, are also much more analogous to the North American contexts, and thus, there are no excuses. It can and must be done. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John

[@bartvschuylenburg]

Jason should team up with the Fietsersbond to use his voice for an English version of the app that doesn’t just give route instructions, but also narrates some parts of the infrastructure you’re riding on. (“This once unpleasant street was transformed into this damn nice fietsstraat in 2016” etc)

[@ActiveTowns]

A brilliant idea! Or at least I think so. Hehe 🤣

[@Alkvaarder]

And full with typical cranky NJB comments like "this is shit to Dutch standards but great to American." 😄

[@ActiveTowns]

@@Alkvaarder 🤣

[@nathanielbyrne1132]

Why don't you PM him?

[@mfbfreak]

7:20 that's the dedicated track from the Elektrische Museumtram Amsterdam. During the summer months, they ride their trams on it all day long. It is the final remaining bit of the rail network that used to exist in the Haarlemmermeer polder. It runs from the old station at the Havenstraat roundabout to a place all the way in Amstelveen. It's always somewhat overgrown, because all track maintenance is done by a limited pool of volunteers. But it's fully functional and that's what counts. Specific trams of them have also been officially approved for use on the City's main tram network, so you can occasionally see a 1920s or 1960s tram rolling around in the city. Currently, because of the gentrification at the Havenstraat terrain, it might very well be that there are no operations at all, because at that terrain the Museum has their tram depot, and everything is gonna be torn up. It took a lot of fighting for them to get back at least part of the area they inhabit - gentrification threathened to just get rid of any and all museum operations. Because the destruction plans have been in place for multiple decades, the entire area went dilapidated - because with the threat of demolition in just a few years (which ended up becoming decades), you're not gonna fix up your buildings anymore. Also, because of the construction works that are gonna happen (or have happened, idk) on the highway overpasses, tram rides will be limited to a small part of the route for a while.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks you for this wonderful background information. Very much appreciated. Happy New Year! John

[@olevandongen96]

That was a lot of bits of cycling through Amsterdam that I',m extremely familiar with. The suburban bits you drove through are also very pleasant to drive in, I remember from my driving lessons, which used to start at Lelylaan. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ActiveTowns]

Cool! Thanks so much for watching. I really appreciate it and hope you enjoy the other content on the Channel. Cheers! John

[@DavidFraser007]

I like cycling in the Netherlands, the infrastructure gives it an almost unreal feel, so quiet and safe. I liked the background music too, I must be showing my age.

[@ActiveTowns]

I quite agree, David. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the other videos on the Channel as well. Cheers! John

[@Sparklingwater1231]

I just put this on in the background and was surprised when I looked up and you're biking through my street and following my daily commute to work through Westerpark!

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh cool! That's pretty fun. Thanks for tuning in. Cheers! John 😀

[@itomg]

Funny to see you guys riding through my old neighborhood! Very different from the center of Amsterdam. Most of this cycling infrastructure was already there 50 to 60 years ago. I used these to get to my high-school.

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh wow! That's cool. Thanks so much for watching and for this information. Much appreciated. I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@regntonne]

I loved this video. You cycled more through the city than the average Amsterdammer.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, Jason did well. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the other videos on the Channel as well. Cheers! John

[@garyharty1902]

Great ride and interesting chat. Sorry to hear that he is too busy to host me and the other million subscribers (fans) of his for a private tour. I'm rarely asked to host a ride in Denver and would be able to find time to ride with him if he ever makes it to Denver. 🙂

[@ActiveTowns]

lol 😅And I can attest to what a cool ride in the Denver area it would be. Glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers! John

[@maxverstappen9007]

I like how the bicycle infrastructure is apparently amazing and we (dutch people) are oblivous to that fact and almost never obay the rules when cycling😂😂

[@maxverstappen9007]

Also something you might like to adress in a vid; in the netherlands we can bike to different towns on seperated bike lanes. I moved a town away from where i lived before in the south of the country and when i visit friends i sometimes bike it all the way. It will be a 30-45 min ride, but its safe, quick, cheap, and i can drink beer👌👌

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, that's our other objective, to let the Dutch know about the amazing things they have. Hehe 🤣

[@ActiveTowns]

@@maxverstappen9007 Yes, that's one of my favorite things to do... and I highlighted my ride from Utrecht to Houten in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hl6boGSLaZKVjJI and we rode from Delft to the Hague in this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epOUfIePrZqHmtk Thanks so much for watching! I really appreciate it. Cheers! John

[@alcidesforever]

@@maxverstappen9007 You are not really allowed to drink (too much) beer / alcohol when you are biking. In fact, you aren't even allowed to walk when you are drunk. People are not allowed to participate in traffic when they are intoxicated. (all forms of traffic). Police won't fine you as fast as they do when you are driving a car, but technically they can.

[@maxverstappen9007]

@@alcidesforever yea true, they look if you pose any danger to yourself or other traffic. If thats the case you may have a problem, but 99% of the time being drunk and/or cycling with alcohol is fine.

[@antoinewesthoff4417]

You were lucky with the weather that November 1st! Thank you for sharing. 👍 You have biked parts of Amsterdam I never have seen in real life 😉

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes, you are so correct. Really I was quite lucky weatherwise during my entire nearly three weeks there. Hehe, That was precisely what Jason wanted to accomplish since he knew I'd been to Amsterdam several times. Glad we show you something new too. Cheers! John

[@hgu123454321]

I know you are interested in urban planning, but the real joy of riding bikes in the Netherlands is crossing the countryside. I hope you also had a chance to do that (and otherwise you'll have to come back some time ;-) ).

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh yes. I love riding the routes in the countryside and through the farmlands. I have nice footage in this video of my ride from Utrecht to Houten and back: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hl6boGSLaZKVjJI Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@JustClaude13]

Rotterdam is also a new city. Having been almost entirely leveled during the Second World War, Rotterdam was built brand new around the new motorcars. And yet they were able to build a fine cycling city.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! Such a great point. I frequently say that Rotterdam is a wonderful example for people from car-dependent cities to visit because the feel and scale are quite similar. Additionally, as you point out, their experience of having built car-centric designs in the immediate aftermath of WWII only to realize that they needed to start transforming into more people-oriented designs in the past two decades. I, unfortunately, was not able to spend any time in Rotterdam during this trip but have visited and met with local officials and advocates in 2018 and 2019. Thanks so much for watching and for this wonderful contribution to the discussion. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@Alkvaarder]

Though pavers 29:19 are not the most pleasant road surface to ride on, they dissipate rainwater in the underground. If the soft ground underneath never absorbs rainwater it shrinks and houses on top sink inches. Asphalt distributes all water to the sewers.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes, an absolutely crucial role, I must admit as well. Cheers! John

[@twowheelsgoodbrum1077]

Really glad you got to ride in this part of Amsterdam. The point about paths away from arterial roads is well made. I’d always ride them for a longer trip, but you need the network to provide a direct route to your destination.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! Precisely. And as we point out, it's not an either-or, but both. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the other vids on the Channel as well. Cheers! John

[@JamesTsividis]

This is some great inspiration!

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so much for watching, James! That's wonderful to hear. I hope you enjoy the rest of the content on the Channel as well. Cheers! John

[@robertcartwright4374]

Beautiful, and even the music in the soundtrack was worth listening to.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks, Robert! Glad you liked it, and I hope you are enjoying Active Towns Channel in general. Cheers! John

[@Georgeth-kb6rg]

Great to see you together !

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks! It was good to finally meet up in person. The online interview format is fine and all, but it is always nice to make a personal connection whenever possible. Thanks for watching. Cheers! John

[@ZeNN-Music]

'Vesterpark' is actually called 'Westerpark'. It could be translated as 'Western Park', (the location - not a Cowboys themed park 😉).

[@ActiveTowns]

Copy that. Thanks! 😀

[@bmw803]

If North American Suburbia was built like this, I would get rid of 2 cars out of the 3 we have currently. This area of Amsterdam isn't much different than in N.A. Wide roads, space between buildings, but built for every mode of transportation.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yep. Precisely. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@halleradam]

Kudos on collaboration. Dank u wel.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so much, Adam. As you may already know, we've connected twice before pandemic-era conversations. I produced two previous long-form interviews with Jason. My July 2021 episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKqnZ6x8greVfsk and my Dec 2021 episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXO1hGeDpsxqitE Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@QnA22]

Got so annoyed by the traffic jams in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar (2 hours for 2 km), and voila, this video pops up in my stream. It's so beautiful, but depressing too. They are looking to increase the number of lanes and build tunnels here. All this by getting huge loans from China. This looks like a much cheaper, but also better solution. Parks here don't have bicycle infrastructure. Before i rant on, loved the vid, but i am super jealous.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so much for clicking through to watch this video. Yeah, it is so sad that many places around the globe are still making the bad decision to double down on unsustainable car infrastructure at the expense of creating a balance of mobility choices like those illustrated here in this ride-along film. Please feel free to "escape" into my many other videos on the Channel, they are meant to demonstrate what is possible and hopefully inspire change all around the world. Hang in there. Cheers! John

[@09conrado]

As a Dutchman I have the same feeling the other way around. I get very depressed watching cycling videos from other countries so I don't do that anymore.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@09conrado Hopefully, some of my other videos can be an exception. Hehe 😂 I'm trying to document the areas that are actually making encouraging progress. My Austin's Dutch-inspired cycle network playlist is an example. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John

[@dougwedel9484]

Snortfiets explained. Thanks so much!!

[@ActiveTowns]

You are so welcome!

[@nathanielbyrne1132]

It would be interesting to learn about all these different types of bikes you have in the Netherlands

[@MrJimheeren]

Well this brings back memories. I used to cycle exactly this path to school every day. All the way from west to het Spinoza. Also very nice to see my part of town in an American video

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh, wow! That's so very cool and precisely why I produce this content. To reinforce how building safe and inviting cycle networks encourage and enable all ages and abilities to ride to meaningful destinations like school. Thanks so much for watching, and I hope you enjoy the other videos on the channel as well. Cheers! John

[@pbilk]

18:00 Exactly. I see this in Canada too often. We really only need turning lanes not 4 lanes of cars and turning lanes. The worst or most pointless type of intersections that I have seen in Canada are slip lanes for roundabouts that already with two lanes, I am calling out Waterloo Region on that. Those roundabouts have two lanes to choose from to enter the roundabout and then a third on that bypasses the roundabout, which defeats the point of slowing drivers down and the lane is unnecessary.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! Precisely. And for that matter, drop the lanes down to just one in each direction and make a low-speed Dutch roundabout with bike and ped priority. 😀

[@dodinas4597]

"Wow look a the condition of this path" and I'm like. Looks like it needs maintenance... Seriously though. You should ride the "Halve Zolen pad" I believe Tilburg to Den Bosch. Former train line from the industrialization days. Now at parts a bike network and at parts nature reserve walking thing. Zutphen recently made a new Roundway road. And it's got a new roundabout where bikes go under. There is a lot of cool biking infrastructure in the netherlands

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh wow! Cool. Yes, a few days from when we filmed this, we got a tour of Den Bosch with Mark from BicycleDutch, but don't believe we rode on the "Halve Zolen pad". Thank you so much for watching and for this contribution to the conversation. I really appreciate it and hope that you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@garykennedymegargy]

Ending the ride at Workcycles, nice touch!!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! Very grateful that Jason helped navigate our way there. It was so wonderful to meet the legendary Henry Cutler. The February 8th Premiere will start from Workcycles and then head back out into Amsterdam once again. I hope all is well, Gary. Are you still in the area? Cheers! John

[@christophedejonge918]

In the nineties they/we used pavers for bike paths. Tree roots and soil sinking can ruin a new surface pretty easily. Pavers are cheaper and easier to repair.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, there are clearly pros and cons either way. Since 2022, I've noticed that many municipalities globally are striving to find a strategic balance between the red asphalt cycle paths and more permeable surfaces, as well as the placement of rain gardens to handle more of the stormwater runoff. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Cheers! John

[@marcovtjev]

@30:00 Pavers are typically next to a tree line with large trees or when there are conduits (energy, cable, telephone,water) below and they need to be regularly opened. At least in my municipality, I assume rules vary.

[@ActiveTowns]

Makes sense... some of the pavers were comfortable to ride on, but others, well not so much. Hehe 🤣 Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@really7187]

It was quite funny to see three guys riding bikes thought the neighborhood I grew up in and have lived in for over 20 years. 😀 As for why they not have asphalt bike line everywhere. It might be a cost thing. Also if you have a path with a lot of trees on the side the roots will sooner or later will pop up and make bumps as you noticed on some parts of the ride. When asphalt is used you would need to remove that and reapply. With brick is just a matter of removing some bricks clearing the roots and put the bricks back in.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yay! That's cool. Yes, the bricks and pavers are much more flexible in that way and do a better job with water filtration too. Just wish the rougher sections were a little less jarring. Hehe 🤣 Thanks so much for tuning in. I really appreciate it, and I hope you are enjoying the channel. Cheers! John

[@nathanielbyrne1132]

That's some helpful feedback from a native! Thanks! I'll try bring the knowledge to my city

[@Alkvaarder]

36:36 Have you noticed how many forms of transport for disabled persons you have passed on the bike paths? Such specialized bikes means great freedom to disabled persons. They are allowed to park next to every entrance of grocery stores and any side walk in the Netherlands. Those small microcars you saw are also allowed.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! This is such a wonderful point and is one of the things I keep saying over and over again... When done well, safe and inviting All Ages and Abilities cycle networks are empowering for everyone, even those who must use mobility devices such as these. Too often, in car-oriented cities around the globe, the status quo resistance to developing cycle networks brings up the excuse, "we can't do that, what about the disabled, they must drive." And while that might be true for certain people in certain contexts, these images of mobility-freedom for these individuals just make me smile. It also reinforces that there is a misperception out there that I am hoping these videos help to change. For the record, my stepfather suffers from debilitating post-polio syndrome and uses a motorized wheelchair to get around his neighborhood. Thank you so much for watching and for bringing up this very important topic. I really appreciate it and sincerely hope you are enjoying the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John PS I did do a video interview with the Universal Design expert and advocate Steve Wright, which you can see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXjFiqJ9qdyNh68

[@duzer]

OLE OLE OLE!!!!! I wanna ride in Amsterdam with you two someday!

[@ActiveTowns]

Absolutely! That would be fun 😀

[@Hrn250]

Nice one 👍🏻 my old neighborhood 😊 much better than in the 80ties

[@ActiveTowns]

Cool 👍 Always fun to hear from folks who either live in the area or who are from there. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy some of the other content on the Channel. Cheers! John

[@gerritvalkering1068]

They often keep paved bike lanes in areas where there are a lot of trees near the path. The tree roots easily break anything, given enough time, and taking away a few stones, smoothen things out and put new stones in is much cheaper and faster than using asphalt. One thing I've suggested somewhere else is to turn the rhetoric around for the parallel bicycle 'highways'. Instead of saying 'it's so the bicycles have a more pleasant place to ride where they don't have to share the space with cars', turn it around and say it's to lure the cyclists away, without going as far as banning them which would be stupid, so people in cars don't have to deal with those cyclists. And I know it feels wrong to phrase it like that. Deal with it. If that's what it takes to get the route built, let go of your pride and ego and pander to the entitlement and self-importance of others. Once you have a substantial amount of bicycle traffic there, you can start from a position of strength because people will have gotten a clear example of the benefits. Right now the people who drive don't see how it's in their benefit to let people ride a bicycle, so they're against.

[@ActiveTowns]

We're having some success in certain parts of North America by framing that having separate and safe spaces for people riding bikes means a better driving experience for those who must or prefer to drive. It's about providing viable choices in mobility. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the other content on the Channel. Cheers! John

[@kytkosaurus]

In my opinion, it|s nice to have the separate, more pleasant paths, whatever the arguments used for them were. The only thing is that there must still be safe alternatives right along the busy streets, even with the separate ways. There will always be people, whose journey starts or ends (or has a necessary stopover) righ on the busy road, in the middle between connection points to the separate network.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@kytkosaurus Yes! Absolutely. To be clear, both are absolutely necessary. It's not an either-or issue when additional routes to the on-street network can be created. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@edwinsuijkerbuijk5106]

at 29:19 you hear a complaint about the pavers. They are often use in places where there is underground infrastructure people might want easy aces to when needed. At 28:09, 28:52 and 29:37 I do see some sewer access hatches making me think this cycling path is directly above a major sewer main. The Netherlands has a lot of soft soil subsidence can cause problems like leaks at the points where there are connections to the main sewer lines. Replacing asphalt in case a repair is needed is a lot more expensive then removing some pavers and putting them back when you are done.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yep. Totally understandable. And such 1st world problems to complain about. I should have just dropped my tire pressure a tad and just shut up. Hehe 🤣Thanks so much for watching. I really appreciate it. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@pbilk]

It looks like it was very windy day and the audio is pretty good. Haha.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, I just mentioned that in my reply to Jason. I was very lucky that I was to get anything usable. I'll take it. 😀

[@ilsefaber683]

I like the ' maak oogcontact!' sign. It warns you to make sure a truckdriver actually sees you, instead assuming he/ she does and have a terrible accident.

[@ActiveTowns]

Understood. Please note, though, that this is a not-so-subtle form of shifting responsibility to the person walking or biking, known as "victim blaming". I'd much prefer to see reminders to the drivers to be on the lookout for others not in metal boxes, keeping the onus squarely on their shoulders. The reason this difference matters plays out daily here in North America, with the media and authorities bending over backward to excuse reckless drivers shifting to blame people walking or riding, claiming that they were not wearing the appropriate clothing (not wearing high viz and/or helmets) or paying attention, so they are to blame for their serious injuries or death and the drivers are the unfortunate victims being inconvenienced. It's completely messed up. To your point, yes... user beware, drivers routinely do stupid shit all the time, so don't knowingly put yourself in harm's way if you can avoid it. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the content here on the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@ilsefaber683]

@@ActiveTowns Believe me, Dutch truck drivers are very aware of cyclists, but there is something like a dead spot or ' dode hoek' in a truck where the truck driver doesn't see you although they take a good look. If you ask me this sign has nothing to do with victim blaming and everything with safety and making the cyclist aware of the 'dode hoek' a truck driver has.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@ilsefaber683 I hope you are correct. Thanks! 😀

[@ilsefaber683]

@@ActiveTowns I know I am😉 Oh, and for the pavement. Asphalt doesn't drain water very well. Cobblestones do, and it rains a lot in the Netherlands. One of the reasons cobblestones are often chosen above asphalt.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@ilsefaber683 Yes. That is a very good point, and I am a huge fan of this. Many of the pavers ride quite smoothly which I appreciated whereas others definitely seemed to need some work - they were a bit punishing. Hehe 🤣

[@IBahamutroy]

The blue logo of the truck on the bikepath at 18:20 which says make eyecontact, is for the huge dead zones on trucks and vans. Even if they are looking they might not see you. I drive a kind of delivery van for work and you can miss an entire car that is driving parallel of you. Offcourse this can be fixed with these extra angle mirrors on the side mirror, but trucks will need cameras to see their dead zones.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yep. Copy that.

[@pbilk]

21:30 Haha, before you arrived to this part of the video I checked out Lalylaan station and saw that roundabout from above but then I went to Google Streetview and saw the improvements that Jason mentions here. According to Google Streetview the roundabout had painted bike lanes back in 2020.

[@ActiveTowns]

Interesting 🤔 So much nicer now, for sure.

[@theooppie9615]

This was a nice ride through our capital 🙂

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks, Theo. Glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoy the other videos here on the Channel as well. On Wednesday, I'll profile Boulder, CO. Cheers! John

[@steffenberr6760]

Looks fun!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, it was a lot of fun.😀

[@mileycyrus4800]

About the rogue cycles scattered around at Zuid train station, and calling people lazy for not parking in the big garages. Jason already alludes to the fact that it's very much a part of Dutch bike "culture" to ride as far up to your destination as possible. It fits into the whole idea of doing your business as quickly and efficiently as you can, whether it's visiting a friend or doing a quick grocery run. Areas that are served by huge parking garages typically have a different function, i.e. one where you park longer, like when taking a train or spending a couple of hours shopping in the city. There are situations where those two ideas clash. For example, when going on a specific errand in the (garage served) city center, or when buying a quick burger at the train station that's within convenient biking distance. On those errands, it's just not practical to park your bike in a garage. You have to go in, check in, walk a lot further than you'd like, buy thing, repeat on your way out. It just feels stupid, that's why there's always gonna be people dumping their bike close to a store regardless of the fancy parking garage that's sitting right next to it. Train stations aren't that big of a deal really, as most of the shops there are a more expensive copy of the regular ones while also having smaller selections. But I really miss biking into the city center of Utrecht. All the places that I visit regularly (barber, coffeeshop, lunch place, bar) are outside the canal area and still reachable by bike. This goes for a lot of my friends as well. I just feel a bit sad I don't get to enjoy the canals as often anymore. So I always have mixed feelings about all the praise that's being heaped onto the bike parking garages that are being built in the inner cities. I feel they help in the process of turning the city centers into places that are more for tourists than for locals, obviously for financial reasons. I don't know if it's true or not but I've read it's a great side(?) benefit for the city council to invest in the real estate for these places. All the checking in and out leaves a huge digital footprint that's not for everyone. And PR wise it's great for the city to climb on the Copenhagize (?) index where the Dutch cities used to lag behind solely due to not having proper bike parking (and not having a wide range of publicly available rent-a-bikes, but that's being addressed as well with all the public money that's being spent on subsidizing "experimental" foreign bike rental programs - mostly benefiting tourists - in our cities overcrowding the few street-side bike parking spaces we still have left). Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to be overly negative, I really like your videos and fresh outsider's view, it makes me appreciate some of the things that I and a lot of people here take for granted. But I think it's good to always address things that still can be better. That one dislike is not from me btw, I liked it :)

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so much for watching and for your thoughtful contribution to the conversation. I really appreciate it. Cheers! John

[@fietsenOveral4650]

I recently moved to Utrecht and I definitely feel the tension between the garage system and convenient access to the Binnenstad - especially anything along the Oudegracht. I think going to the station itself or much the mall, the main garage is actually pretty convenient, but there's definitely many situations I find myself squeezing my bike where it's not quite allowed

[@ActiveTowns]

@@fietsenOveral4650 Yep. I think it is predictable human behavior. Part of establishing a positive habit is to remove as much friction as possible so that doing the desired activity is as easy, comfortable, and rewarding as possible, whereas strategically applying resistance or friction to activities that are less desired. Since humans will frequently opt for the quick and easy, we do things like take an escalator up a short flight rather than using the stairs to our gym to then use a stair climber machine in a climate-controlled room with dozens of others doing the same. Hehe 🤣Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@johanwittens7712]

4:00 It could also be that those parking garages are just full all the time and that's why people park outside still. Where I live they built a massive parking garage under the train station for bikes over 10y ago. It could handle about 2000-3000 bikes which was nowhere near enough to begin with, especially considering there were 65000 students living in the city at the time (now over 80000) so if even 10% came to the train station by bike it would be full simply with student bikes, not even counting regular commuters. So after about a year they upgraded the bike racks to double decker ones, increasing capacity to over 5500 bikes, and again on day one it was constantly full. To this day 90% of the time you're riding around for 5-10 minutes in the underground parking garage for bikes simply to find an empty spot. So of course many don't bother anymore and just park on the streets and square outside. But even then, there were so many bikes constantly parked everywhere in the train station area before the parking garage was built, because of so many people and students going by bike for their commute to the station, that even now WITH a parking garage that can hold over 5000 bikes, this has barely made a dent in the amount of bikes parked on the street and square. We'd need 5 more like it to actually comfortably accommodate all commuter bikes. And on top of that in 10 years there's almost 20000 more students in the city, a ton of who bike to the station, further increasing the need for bike parking. So now even though millions were invested in an underground parking garage and that parking garage is constantly filled to capacity, it looks as if nothing has changed at all and the streets and square are constantly full of parked bikes, simply because there's so many of them. This is truly a case of infrastructure not being able to keep up with induced demand, because govt doesn't provide enough funding or doesn't move fast enough to keep up. And this might also be the case in Amsterdam. Only positive we have here in my city is that it would cost a fraction of what similar car infrastructure would cost to build 5 more bike parking garages.

[@ActiveTowns]

All great points. I've been following and documenting the parking developments in Utrecht over the years, and I recently discussed this with Geert van der Wilt (aka @defilmendefietser979) in my ride-along video with him: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nH6rdqKoeMuNgLM Thanks so much for watching and for your contribution to the discussion. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@joyl7842]

18:17 I'm from Amsterdam and I never saw that before. It must be there because that particular intersection has had a significant amount of accidents involving drivers/riders running a red light or something of that nature.

[@ActiveTowns]

I get the sense that this is a new'ish treatment. I had seen some upheaval about it on Twitter before my trip, so I was not completely shocked to see it but was amused that Jason had not seen it yet.

[@bordiepenbeek145]

I used to cycle through the Beatrixpark twice a day to/from my highschool years ago. The old schoolbuilding is gone now, but the new one is situated closer to the Beethovenstraat.

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh cool! It's always fun to hear from folks such as yourself who grew up in the areas I profile around the globe and can remember riding these same routes. Thank you so very much for watching this video, I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@bordiepenbeek145]

​​​@@ActiveTowns Actually I lived and still live about 8 miles from the Beatrixpark in a village to the south of Amsterdam and thus cycled about 16 miles each day for 6 years...even in freezing weather conditions like minus 10 degrees celsius. No problemo...

[@ActiveTowns]

@@bordiepenbeek145 Yeah, once riding becomes a habit, you just wear appropriate clothing and go. Sometimes... like on crazy windy days, it can be a wild ride, but with a little common sense, even that can be overcome. Cheers! 😀

[@bordiepenbeek145]

​​​@@ActiveTowns That's exactly what I did on the 25th Januari 1990, when a huge storm hit Northwestern Europe; I choose a more sheltered way home, but still used my bicycle. No problemo...

[@ActiveTowns]

@@bordiepenbeek145 Not surprised. Where there is a will, there is a way.

[@martynfromnl]

Using street tiles, pavers or bricks instead of asphalt often has to do with the underground infrastructure in that area. In the Netherlands, electricity cables, data cables, etc. are underground in cities. To prevent every company from cutting into the asphalt when there is a problem or something needs to be replaced, Dutch municipalities have bicycle paths laid with tiles, pavers or bricks for easier access to the underground infrastructure in those places.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! This is definitely a bonus and one I fully endorse it. Thanks so much for watching! I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@martynfromnl]

@@ActiveTowns I am definitely enjoying your video. Although it always surprises me what is normal for me, the rest of the world finds it so special. And I don't even live in the popular cities for ex-pats and tourists from outside Europe in the Netherlands. I live in the southwest of the Netherlands and my daily commute consists of a walk to the train station, a train ride and a bike ride to work and in reverse back. So also outside the big cities, you can build infrastructure that works for every mode of transport.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@martynfromnl Yeah, on this trip, I stayed in Delft for three weeks and tried to side trips out to different cities... future videos to come from Nijmegen, s-Hertogenbosch, and others. Cheers! John

[@rickb3078]

Nice!

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks, Rick. I hope you liked it and are enjoying the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@joyl7842]

Impressive job filming this ride!

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so much... of course, I see a hundred things I could have done better and/or differently, but such is the life of a content creator. Hehe 😂

[@joyl7842]

@@ActiveTowns Amsterdam is probably the busiest town in The Netherlands! I'm impressed you got through it without any shouting directed at you or from you! I used to study there and I just couldn't handle that kind of environment, so I moved down south.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@joyl7842 Yeah, I prefer to stay in the quiet neighborhoods in Delft... I had an apartment for three weeks and made day trips to various locations around the country

[@JacobBax]

The bridge at 9:00 slides back in the fenced off area, instead of going vertical like most bridges. I didn't know these ecsisted here untill a few weeks ago when I saw a timelaps of a transport over the water from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, and it is funny to see it here again

[@ActiveTowns]

Fun! 😀

[@freudsigmund72]

for those wondering about the music at the end: it's Duke Herrington - In his honor

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes! I've been using a lot of Duke's music lately. Very fortunate to have access to his songs through my Epidemic Sound Subscription. Here's my affiliate link in case anyone is interested in using Epidemic in their own KZbin videos: bit.ly/3rFLErD

[@BoulderHikerBoy]

That is some glorious infrastructure. Loved it! Although the soundtrack was a tad reminiscent of 1980s porn... not that I would have any basis to know. Delightful banter on Papa John's, too.

[@ActiveTowns]

You're killing me. Hehe 🤣 Glad you enjoyed the vid. Cheers! John

[@Georgeth-kb6rg]

Lol

[@anrmlumlwundlistr7620]

Dutch fun fact: When you're on a snorfiets in the Netherlands, and you are involved in a collision, you are expected to say "snorry"

[@ActiveTowns]

lol 😂 Thanks for this funny and for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@pbilk]

39:42, 40:30 Haha. An NJB-con would be funny but great. Maybe a Fiester/Urban Planning Creator-Con or call it OrangePill Revolution-Con so it doesn't fall all on Jason's hands. 😜

[@ActiveTowns]

Great idea!😀

[@naturallyherb]

Very cool!

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks! It really was cool to catch up with Jason. I hope you are enjoying the content here on the Active Towns channel. Cheers! John

[@randar1969]

When a truck turns right next to you your are in his blindspot that's why the warning and asking people to make eye contact to prevent serious injuries or death. Most truckers here will notice you though but better safe then sorry.

[@ActiveTowns]

Understood. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@m.moolhuysen5456]

@John Simmerman : The web based version of the 'Fietsersbond route planner' does have multiple language options.

[@ActiveTowns]

Ah, that's interesting. Hopefully, the mobile App will catch up soon. Thanks so much for watching and for this helpful information. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@KaiSosceles]

Wow, they made a bike lane in construction and closed down 1 of the directions for cars? What amazing universe is this? Oh...the Netherlands.

[@ActiveTowns]

Hehe, yeah... it's not fair. 🤣 Thanks for watching. I hope you're enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@joyl7842]

19:00 I had to ride my bike for 15 minutes to the edge of town to get my shots as well! Guess it makes sense, cause there's large-capacity buildings like event-places there.

[@ActiveTowns]

Oh, good catch! I totally missed that one.👏

[@justjonatan]

Its so weird to see your own room in these videos haha, amsterdam is a lot smaller than I imagined. And i'm dutch.

[@ActiveTowns]

Hehe,🤣 It's funny how often I hear this. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. I promise I do have videos profiling other cities too. Cheers! John

[@alpacarama21]

To be honest, it would be nice if the framing focused on the environment more than the person you're riding with (especially when they're pointing something out). Other than that, love it! Super chill ride!

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, I was really bummed my second camera was bouncing around so much. I did cut away occasionally, but the video was just not smooth enough. New camera, new set up. Live and learn. Hehe 🤣 Thanks so much for watching. Many of my other "ride-along" videos pretty much focus on the rider's POV. Here's the playlist if you are interested. bit.ly/AT-RideAlongSeriesPlaylist Cheers! John

[@twowheelsgoodbrum1077]

The balance between people and place in these videos is exactly right.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@twowheelsgoodbrum1077 Thanks, but like most video producers, I'm always wishing I had more high-quality second shots and alternate views. 🤣

[@stephensaines7100]

Absolutely loved this. How do you say "Envy" in Dutch? I'm subscribed!

[@ActiveTowns]

Thank you so much, Stephen! And that would be: jaloezie.😉

[@raatroc]

I like the seats on poles at 7:53 you wll only find that in Amsterdam!

[@ActiveTowns]

Cool! Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@raatroc]

There is a big difference between a bromfiets or brommer (moped, litarally a "growling bike") and snorfiets (small moped, literally a "purring bike"). A bromfiets is not allowed on the cyclepath within the city limits due to its speed, a snorfiets is. A bromfiets has a max of 50cc or electricand has a max speed of 45 km/h a snorfiets 25 km/h. Both have to wear helmets (snorfiets only from jan 1, 2023 on). Both must use the cycle path outside the city limits ("bebouwde kom"). A motorcycle ("motor") has to follow the same rules as a car. Scooters are only different by the way you sit on it (nothing between the legs and small platform to put your feet on). They exist in all three categories as bromscooter, snorscooter and heavy scooters (like a motorbike). City limits are clearly indicated with a blue sign with in white the name of the city or village, at the end of the city limits the same sign with a red bar across.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks! 🙏

[@joyl7842]

In many municipalities in The Netherlands officials remove bikes all the time, because it becomes such a mess. There's signs all over the place saying your bike will be removed if parked in the wrong place, especially near locations which get crowded like train- & bus-stations. There used to be extremely messy areas like that, until huge renovations were made. For example, Breda's train-station (with the bus terminal right next to it). A very crowded spot where people would park their bike wherever, impeding pedestrians. At one point there were thousands of bikes that never got moved so the officials removed them. I lost one of my bikes that way, because I was abroad, haha. Since then the station has been fully renovated. It includes a underground parking area for bikes and the bus terminal is connected to the trains very efficiently one floor above. The traffic issues were resolved very efficiently so you can reach the station without any trouble whichever mode of transportation you use. I think it's a fantastic example of a very effective transformation from what it used to be, especially for a busy city like Breda with tons of students going to various universities.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes. I know that some of the garages have a system for monitoring short-term versus longer-term stays (Utrecht centraal, I believe is one.)

[@joyl7842]

@@ActiveTowns Oh I was talking about the situation before those even existed, where people parked their bikes against walls and trees and such.

[@tstcikhthys]

Wow; showing, not just telling. I didn't expect this; this is excellent! BTW, 7:22 & 31:26 _route_ and _routing_ are pronounced identically to "root" and "rooting"; _rout_ and _routing_ (as you're pronouncing it) mean something entirely different. Also, 12:36 _kilometre_ rhymes with _millimetre_ and _centimetre,_ for example, since they're units of measurement; rhyming it with _thermometer_ or _barometer_ is incorrect, since, as you'll notice, that's only used for measuring devices.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so very much! Delighted to have you along for the ride. Cheers! John

[@joyl7842]

26:38 spot the US-made vehicle! 😉 We have like one or two persons in the city I live in (Middelburg) who drive something like that and you can see & hear them coming from a mile away, haha.

[@ActiveTowns]

Good catch! I missed that one.👏

[@chipdale490]

Yeah, these ridiculous, full-sized pickup trucks are becoming more and more common. Almost makes me want to join The Tire Extinguishers. 😉

[@ActiveTowns]

@@chipdale490 🤣indeed. Thanks so much for watching. Hope you are digging the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@Lolwutfordawin]

31:40 OSMand is much better than google maps for bicycle navigation, even in the most car centric parts of the US it usually manages survivable routes by putting you on zig-zaging neighborhood routes rather than dumping you right on a highway like google maps does.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yes, been hearing good things about OSMand. I will definitely check it out. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@Lolwutfordawin]

@@ActiveTowns been loving the channel! It's been giving me hope while stuck in suburbia waiting to go back home to Germany. Seeing places like Austin slowly becoming more livable is amazing!

[@ActiveTowns]

@@Lolwutfordawin Yay! So great to hear. Where in Germany? Leipzig is hosting the Velo-City conference in May, although I doubt that I'll be able to make it this year.

[@Lolwutfordawin]

@@ActiveTowns in Dresden, right around the corner! They just introduced a new "Fahrradstraße", like a fietsstraat! I've found aside of a few missing links, Dresden is more cyclable than Leipzig.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@Lolwutfordawin Oh cool! Good to know. I haven't visited that part of Germany yet, but definitely want to do so. Let's stay in touch. It would be fun to connect someday over there. Feel free to drop me a line at [e-mail]

[@vandenhoorn]

Hey! You guys passed my appartment at 27:17 :O

[@ActiveTowns]

Yay! Very cool. I really liked this neighborhood. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@jooproos6559]

Hee!Thats my old neigborhood!Lelylaan!!Not much changed after 30 years..😊 (20.44) And eeh,its Westerpark,not Vesterpark!!!And it wasnt a firetruck,maybe a ambulance!!Or the police.Firetruck has other sounds..

[@ActiveTowns]

Yay! Thanks so much for tuning in. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Cheers! John

[@captainchaos3667]

40:18 - "Etc. etc." meaning that Jason is going for one billion subscribers.

[@ActiveTowns]

Hehe, 🤣 I'd love to see the channel get to Mr. Beast's level of subs. These messages need to spread far and wide. Thanks so much for watching. I sincerely appreciate it. Cheers! John

[@aka_zandiie]

Wonderful video! I love the ride along series you have been doing! If i may offer one small critique however is that, while I understand that you like to focus on who is speaking, would it be possible for future videos like this to have the camera facing forward more and have less back and forth? I can find myself getting quite motion sick as you pan back and forth between looking forward and looking at the person speaking. Also often it feels like we miss what they are pointing out since the camera is on them and not on the view ahead. However when you switch camera views completely (like the shot looking at the hardwear store, i think its a second camera?) that does not cause motion sickness. I very well might be a minority here but I just thought I would mention it. I do love your work however!

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks so much! Wasn't sure how the ride-along vids would go over, and yes, when I am riding someone else and interviewing them, the level of complexity goes up. Quite frankly, I blew it with my second backup camera view, the dang 360 cam was bobbing around like crazy, and the content was mostly unusable. In hindsight, I would have set up a third camera pointing forward the entire time and used my wireless lavalier microphones, so I didn't need to point the camera directly at my subject to pick up good audio. As I like to say, I learn something new with each video I produce. Thank you so very much for joining me on this Active Towns journey. Cheers! John

[@pbilk]

Great temporary bike lanes at 0:50.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, not only was it the start of the video, it was literally the start of our ride - a solid demonstration of how to do a temporary protected bike lane during construction... I'll have another example in my video that I'll Premiere on Feb 8th. Thanks for watching. Cheers! John

[@maxnewts]

I have a question for Jason from NJB: what do the different coloured license plates for the scooters mean? I’ve noticed the microcars and Cantas use them too. One in bright yellow and another in slightly darker blue; I presume they’re for speed and power output classification purposes - but I don’t know what colour links to what classification.

[@ActiveTowns]

A quick Google search rendered this answer: Hope it helps Difference between blue and yellow number plates The main difference is in the maximum speed of the moped. A moped with a blue license plate has a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour, and a moped with a yellow license plate can go 45 kilometers per hour. Drivers of mopeds with yellow license plates are required to wear helmets, and since Jan. 1, 2023, so are drivers of blue license plates.

[@iyt6407]

@@ActiveTowns AND important: yellow license plates have to be on the road with cars, while blue license plates can make use of the bicycle infrastructure. But I think Amsterdam is an exception: all mopeds have to be on the road since about a year.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@iyt6407 Copy that. Thanks for watching. Cheers! John

[@eagerbob]

The running track at 7:44 does not belong to a club. It is open and free for everybody to use.

[@ActiveTowns]

That's what Jason mentioned. What a nice activity asset for the community, Cheers! John

[@Anonymous-sb9rr]

If you're running late, 90 seconds spend on parking you bicicle in the garage can mean that you mis your train, so you bind it to a post out front.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yep. I totally get that. And do that time after time with no consequences, and you develop a habit of running late and locking out front each time. Here's the area in front of the Utrecht station I mentioned where things are getting out of control and where, as I understand, they will start prohibiting bikes from being parked: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nH6rdqKoeMuNgLM

[@lexburen5932]

then you have to plan your travel better. Come 5 minute earlier then no problem :)

[@robertbutlin3708]

Interesting to hear the North American perspective that a lovely football (soccer) pitch and running track must be a school. School sport is very uncommon in much (but not all) of Europe - instead the resources go into clubs and as a result vastly more people play sports at an amateur level. The feeling I get in the USA is that sport stops when you leave college.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yeah, I chuckle at this assumption as well. And yes, in many ways, participation in sports does kind of stop in North America at adulthood... there are some exceptions, of course, with tennis (pickleball, now), golf, and some adult recreation leagues in softball, volleyball, and even a little football (soccer). The most likely adult activity tends to shift toward individual pursuits such as swimming, running, recreational cycling, triathlon, golf, or skiing if they have access to snow. Thanks so much for watching. I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy the content here on the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@austinpowersfasjer]

Big nono in the video: youre not allowed to hold your phone in ur hand while cycling. Aside from that - note the shared zoning or lack of zoning. Grocery store, home depot, office buildings and appartment buildings all next to each other.

[@ActiveTowns]

Noted! However, actually, my phone is attached to my handlebars and is controlling my 360 camera. The main footage is shot from a GoPro attached to the top of my wrist so I can still operate the bike with two hands as necessary. Yes, good catch on the "lack of zoning" or a mix of land uses. Makes for shorter trips even in the more suburban context. Thanks for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@austinpowersfasjer]

@@ActiveTownsI noticed the stick in some shots. But also saw the phone in hand in some others. Towards the end in a window reflection. The police will actively fine, just be advised!:)

[@ActiveTowns]

@@austinpowersfasjer Yes. Both Jason and Jordan pulled out their phones from time to time. We were fully aware of the possibility of a fine. Thanks once again for your concern.

[@rainbowcloudss_]

I like to play the game "see if i recognize the street"

[@ActiveTowns]

I can relate to this game. 😀 Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@meredithheath5272]

I am wondering why, if there are designated trails for bikes, that the scooters, motorcycles, and micro cars are allowed to drive on the trails; unless they're not supposed to be traveling on the bike trails....

[@ActiveTowns]

Meredith, The Dutch cycle path network does allow access to a variety of mobility devices that provides freedom of movement for all ages and abilities, this is particularly helpful for the elderly now using e-assist bikes in large numbers and for people with disabilities using micro-cars, etc. The issue of the aggressive motor scooter (mopeds, etc.) riders has come to a head in recent years (requiring national legislation to be written) and, depending on the location, are being booted out onto the main motor vehicle travel lanes. As Jason mentions, outside of the "city center," the snorfiets (the lower-powered scooters) are allowed in the cycle paths so long as they are kept to a low speed, which the riders frequently do not abide by. Thank you so very much for watching and for your question. I hope you are enjoying the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@meredithheath5272]

@@ActiveTowns Thank you for taking quite awhile to answer! ( I sure wish I could go there: I'm fascinated by, what seem to be quite a few of those small, cool bridges called, I think, Bascule Bridges, in certain parts of the Netherlands...)

[@ActiveTowns]

@@meredithheath5272 You are quite welcome. Yes, I am privileged and honored to be able to do this work and help make this content available to those unable to travel there personally. Cheers!

[@lars9518]

@25:43 is that a The Room reference? :)

[@ActiveTowns]

Are you referencing the large dog statue on the overpass and the movie The Room? If so, I have no clue.

[@lars9518]

@@ActiveTowns :( oh hi doggy is a legendary quote from the movie the room

[@ActiveTowns]

@@lars9518 Oh wow! I had no clue. Hehe 😂

[@nikhilsrl]

Hello John, Is Jordan using a Moulton bike?

[@ActiveTowns]

Jordan is riding a Brompton folding bike.

[@nikhilsrl]

@@ActiveTowns Thanks for your response. I recently learned about the Moulton bikes and it looked similar.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@nikhilsrl You are quite welcome. Yeah, there are definitely some similarities. Thanks so much for watching the video. I really appreciate it. Cheers! John

[@kailahmann1823]

I really wonder, why people think, the urban core would be easier to convert - actually that's the worst. You need space for public transit, for deliveries and other unavoidable car traffic and most importantly for lots and lots of pedestrians. And on the other end you just have space for nothing, because there are barely 5 m between the houses. The easiest to retrofit are the areas build during the car hype of the 60s and 70s, because there the streets are huge and have space for everything. Except for parking, which is now integrated into the developments.

[@ActiveTowns]

Most likely because the further out one gets, the more car-dependent people become due to further distances of the average trip, and thus, the transformations "feel" as if they are a "take-away" that forces behavior changes versus an addition of a viable mobility option. So much of all of this deals with perceptions. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John

[@kailahmann1823]

​@@ActiveTowns and probably even the car nuts understand, why it's a stupid idea to drive in an urban core - co instead of opening the streets to them, they cry for free parking all the time. These 70s developments in Europe also don't have the issue of further distances, because they have their own local "core" with basic infrastructure and also serving as a transit hub.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@kailahmann1823 Precisely!

[@SnijtraM]

9:14 "This is pretty car dominant for the Netherlands". Hmm, not really, once you get out of the city center this many car lanes is quite normal.

[@ActiveTowns]

Hehe 🤣 Fair enough. But certainly compared to the streets he normally sees day in and day out. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John

[@PoisonTheOgres]

This might be silly, but you are the most American-looking American I have ever seen.

[@ActiveTowns]

Hehe 🤣 Straight from central casting. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@tedwalker1370]

How many miles did you ride? I would guess 15-20 miles?

[@ActiveTowns]

No clue! But that sounds like reasonable estimate. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John

[@user-xs5dp4gw8e]

Bicycle on bicycle injuries and deaths VS vehicle on vehicle ... Zero VS Infinity ♾️ Bicycle road kill VS vehicle roadkill ... Zero VS Infinity ♾️ Ad infinitum ...

[@ActiveTowns]

Pretty much. Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@scb2scb2]

In the netherlands we had a death from a bicycle vs bicycle last year, it was 2 highspeed bicycles (45km/h) that on a roundabout hit each other head on. The conclusion seemed to be that this was also a design issue since it was a 2-way bikepath and the speeds of 45km/h ebikes is becoming a issue in bad weather.

[@dabbiedeejee4804]

Road is under construction at least 3 months now.

[@ActiveTowns]

Interesting... is that longer than normal? Jason mentioned they had to replace the sewer and other utilities underground. Thanks so much for watching. I hope are enjoying the content here on the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@Aviertje]

16:40 I can't believe Jason didn't warn you and your companion that just holding your phone while cycling is illegal and that you will very likely receive a ticket for it. Whether you are (video) calling or looking on maps or responding to texts doesn't matter: you hold it and it is illegal. Make sure to get either a dedicated non-calling device for your videoing while cycling (it is the holding of a device with phone functionality that is illegal) or just get a mount and put that on the bike in question... although that'll be less ideal for filming a video, I guess. (Or put a camera person in a bakfiets and they do the filming for you!)

[@ActiveTowns]

Technically I'm not holding a phone, it's attached to my bike controlling my 360 cam and my main camera (GoPro) is strapped to the top of my wrist so I can still brake and steer as needed, but yes, Jordan is holding his camera, which is most definitely a violation, and I'm pretty sure he knew this at the time. Thanks so much for watching! I hope you are enjoying the other videos on the Channel. Cheers! John

[@roykliffen9674]

There are several powered bicycles; there is the moped (bromfiets) which may go up to 40 km/h with mandated crash helmet, then there is the snorfiets which is limited to 25 km/h without crash helmet mandate. Usually these have internal combustion engines (ICE) but can be electric. Often the difference between these types is difficult to see but they can be distinguished by the colour of the license/insurance plate. Of course some of the youth soup up the engine of a snorfiets to pay less insurance and go fast without a helmet yet have the blue insurance plate. It's against the law and in case they get involved in an accident the insurer will have some issues with that but - hey - kids will be kids. Then there are the regular bikes of all types with an electric motor assistance which are considered to be regular bikes. And then there is the speed demon: the Speed Pedelec. These provide pedal support up to 45 km/h and are classified as mopeds. The bicycles classified as mopeds are mandated to stay on the roads within city limits, unless otherwise indicated. Snorfietsen are mostly allowed on bicycle paths even though in the video I saw in a flash a sign indicating a cycle path with an additional sign explicitly prohibiting snorfietsen. I think that's more an ICE issue to reduce noise rather than a safety issue.

[@ActiveTowns]

Thanks for watching and for the detailed breakdown. Much appreciated. I hope you are enjoying the other videos on the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@MartijnVos]

People tend to stick to what they know. Dutch cyclists are used to parking wherever the hell they want, so they tend to keep doing that even when there's nice new underground parking. I'm sure you're well aware that people have protested, ignored or sabotaged far better ideas and defended far worse situations, simply because it's what they're used to and some people just dislike change. Or need some time to adapt, at least. That rail line is not part of the normal Amsterdam public transport network, but only used by the museum tram, as far as I know. That's why it doesn't have the same level of maintenance. Google Maps being crap has long been a frustration of mine. In the past, they completely ignored dedicated bike routes, and would even send you into dedicated car routes like the A10. Nowadays it's a lot better, but it still ignores the dedicated fietsstraat Sarphatistraat in favour of the car-centric Mauristskade. Unfortunately, though OSM is usually more detailed, it still prefers to send me along the Mauritskade instead of the Sarphatistraat. Weird thing is: I was recently by car to the area, and in my car, Google Maps did want to send me along the Sarphatistraat, despite the fact that it's a terrible route for cars.

[@ActiveTowns]

Yep. Pretty normal human behavior, actually. Once a habit has been established, change can be difficult, which is why making the desired behavior convenient and comfortable is essential. And yes, your point on adaptation is spot on... with a little time and some friction, we humans adjust and adapt. Yeah, that was my take on that museum line. Thanks so much for watching. I really appreciate it and hope you enjoy the Channel. Cheers! John

[@jayandreas1131]

33:35 Vesterpark? Is your Dutch that bad that you didn’t get that you were driving in the western part of Amsterdam so the name might be Westerpark? 😢😂

[@ActiveTowns]

Hehe,🤣it was really windy when Jason said Westerpark. I corrected it in the video description, but there is no way to correct the video once it's out there. So alas, it's a "fun" talking point. Hey, thanks so much for watching! I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John

[@jayandreas1131]

@@ActiveTowns it was really vindy indeed 😉😁 Enjoyed the video.

[@ActiveTowns]

@@jayandreas1131 😂 Yay! 😀