American Reacts to Why the Dutch Wait Less at Traffic Lights

American Guy Reacts to Why the Dutch Wait Less at Traffic Lights
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[@Steven875]

In the Netherlands, they also have "green streams" for cars. Basically, traffic lights are programmed to ensure you all green lights in a row if you keep to the maximum legal driving speed. I always liked that idea too, to stop people from speeding, since there's no use anymore because they'd come across a red light and have to wait

[@nelerhabarber5602]

We have many of this also in Austria!

[@mrvanahead]

we also have green streams with variable speed indications. So a sign tells you on forhand that if you drive 50kph (instead of the normally legal 70kph) you will catch the green trafficlight. Or that the traffic light will be green when you will get there.

[@Richard1976]

And those rarely work

[@RBRT02]

Also some roads are programmed so that you only get all green lights if you are speeding, combined with a speedcamera this creates a great amount of income for the city! Fuck those cities

[@Joostmhw]

green flow my guy

[@roykliffen9674]

Those cables above support the power wires for the trams. Usually the wires are supported by shorter cables from posts or even posts with outriggers near the rails, but if the room isn't available to place posts, buildings will be used to mount the cables used to suspend the wires. In a bend you'll need more suspension cables to get the wires to follow the bend. At an intersection, with tram rails turning in all directions as well as going straight on, you're gonna need a lot of suspension cables which may clutter up the sky when looking upwards.

[@geoffpriestley7001]

We still have the support poles for electric trolly buses they last run in the 70s now they just support street lights

[@Polderweg]

Two sort of cables, 4 power cables and the others are tension cables

[@LAU-ik6dp]

Usually i only see those when they make a new road or do construction, but we don't have a tram in our city, so makes sense (Eindhoven).

[@wimschoenmakers5463]

Those loops in the ground detect the metal of a bycycle, moped or car riding over it, so the traffic software nows what's moving around. That's why you see some people reversing a bit or moving forward a few inches at the traffic lights, if they think the loop didn't detected their vehicle.

[@tombeijn6982]

Goed uitgelegd!

[@mavadelo]

As it was explained to me by someone putting them in the ground, they detect several things depending on where they are placed. For general roads (bikes and cars together) these are composition and "crossing time" (and I believe weight but I am not sure about that)... these together determine the vehicle type (for example a moped and a bike have the same composition but a moped has a quicker crossing speed) Same idea for cars and busses/trucks. For bikelanes it is just composition... did something cross, how often did something cross (number of bikes/moped). All this info together determines the green time. I have seen people doing the "reverse thing", it is useless... you cross the lines, you are detected. If you don't get a quick green, something else has ggotten piriority, (Heck I have seen people lift their front wheel of the bike and drop it on the lines in hopes to rig the system.... hilarious)

[@theo4281]

Sounds good but isn't true. Those loops detect cars and about 50% of motorbikes. Bicycles aren't detected by them. They have conducted successful tests in Rotterdam with heat detection for cyclists. If there is a group of cyclists in front of the traffic light, it turns green. In the rest of the country you just have a button that you can press so that the traffic light knows that you are there.

[@mavadelo]

@@theo4281 then tell me, why do they have loops in bycicke paths up to 50 meters before the lights if the loops don't detect bycicles.

[@vietnammodeling]

@@theo4281 They do detect bicycles, even the wheels of my, mostly, carbon wheelchair.

[@framegote5152]

the wires over the street at the end are used by the tram (= streetcar).

[@anouk6644]

I really love the channel Not Just Bikes too. It made me appreciate our infrastructure and urban planning. 15:20 Imagine all those people driving cars instead of bikes. Our cities would clog up too and be a nightmare to drive in. 16:38 Those wires above the road are for the trams to supply them with electricity. Same as the intersection he showed in Toronto. Turning right on red feels so awkward to me. A few years ago I spend a month in Hawaii for a training and didn’t understand why people were honking when I was waiting for the light to turn green 😬 After a few days I got the hang of it but still felt like I was doing something dangerous.

[@Patrik6920]

ya i live in sweden and works about the same...we also have roundabouts in Europe..US not many...many things in US r highly ineffective, this is one of them.

[@farkstein1213]

Jason Slaughter is the man

[@Bruintjebeer6]

The difference between the Netherlands and the US is that the Netherlands constant innovates and invest to keep the infrastructure up to date. We don't mind paying tax as it makes our live easer and safer. Wat you see above the road are street lights that spring on when it is dark. Probably there is no room for street lights on poles

[@mtat5261]

spreek voor jezelf lol. i DO mind paying so much tax. i believe we pay the most tax per capita world wide and much of this is wasted money for silly political correct projects and to look great abroad. if it would be spended useful like your example above I wouldn't mind it too much but i strongly believe we should have more influence on this like in the times we could demand a referendum as how Switzerland still has. our government is a mix between the muppet show and a "poppenkast". if it was up to me we should allow max 5 political parties in our government, maybe they could make some good decisions for once instead of discussing for 3 years until the elections start again :S

[@Bruintjebeer6]

@@mtat5261 you get so much tax benefits that the average person pays less tax than in the US. Plus in the US you get less benefits and have to pay more for things like insurance. Ergo, if a person in the US and the Netherlands earn the same the person in the Netherlands has more to spend after paying tax and the bills. The i frastructure in the US is 50 years old. The roads are bad, the internet is bad etc etc . If they get sick they are left with huge bills Medication is 10 to 20 times more expensive and payed out of pocket. Social housing houses are so bad they would be demolished in our country. Etc etc. It is one or the other. You have nothing to complain about. You live in a country with the best safety of almost all countries. Kids in the Netherlands are the happiest in the world Don't moan be happy you live here.

[@mtat5261]

@@Bruintjebeer6 Beste Mieke, i am very grateful to live in The Netherlands but i do see room for improvement and i am not very fond on our political system to be honest. Living in a free country like ours it's also my right to speak out and give my humble opinion on things that bother me about our country. the "accijnzen" ,BTW and general taxes could be lowered if out politicians would make wiser decisions and would stick up for the people ( klootjesvolk ) instead of being generous for the corporate business and multinationals. let them pay more tax. my mother for instance is retired now for more than 10 years and her pension has been lowered 3 times already and never been indexed since she retired and she has been working and paid tax all her life. everything gets more and more expensive and the only ones that benefit are the big players as mentioned above. let them carry the burden and do something for the people that make / made their millions

[@Bruintjebeer6]

@@mtat5261 yes you have that right. You don't hear me say we live in a perfect society. There is always room for improvement and for sure with the current government that is screwing up and lying for years. And i also know that other countries in Europe are doing more for their citizens qua relive on the moment that ours. Like free transportation and puting a cap on the price of gas and electricity. But all in all I know with my background me and my daughter would have never survive if it wasn't for the system we live in. So I thank however is there upstairs in the sky that I'm born here in this beautiful small country

[@lordsleepyhead]

Those wires above the road are the power wires for the trams.

[@Tiger313NL]

The wires above the road are catenary wires, you'll find them anywhere where there are trams/streetcars or trolley buses. The detection loops at the traffic lights are inductive loop traffic detectors: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_loop

[@JacobBax]

The loops in the ground, works with the magnetic field, when a car or bike, or any other metal object (that is big enough) is above it, the magnetic field changes...and that is detected. There for, a pedestrian or a carbon bike has to use the buttons. You have that in the US too. The wires above the road are for the streetcars (trams).

[@groenteman777]

best answer about the loops here, the change in the magnetic field creates a little difference in the voltage that runs trough those loops and that change is detected. and they do have that in america but just one near the traffic light, while we in the netherlands have about 3 or 4 in the road leading up to the traffic light. sometimes they even have signs of green waves. that meaning if you keep driving the max speed you will get multitple green lights and it also shows when you are not going to make te green light so you won't speed up to make it cause it is not going to happen, just wait a cycle and you will have your 'green wave' again

[@qazatqazah]

I'm glad to see you taking the time to watch the Not Just Bikes videos to the very end -- they deserve it.

[@OHalapiry]

I do want to add. In addition to the good infrastructure and good quality of the roads, we get traffic lessons here early at school, how to participate in traffic as a pedestrian and cyclist. And for your driver's license a car theory exam and practical exam. And all other vehicles too. You must have had x number of hours of practical lessons before you can apply for an exam. Attention is paid to that. For example, a basic rule is, if you come from the right, you have right of way, unless otherwise indicated or you come from an exit. So at the intersection where all cyclists are allowed to ride at the same time, the rule who comes from the right still has priority. And of course you can let the other one go ahead of the left. We do this by making eye contact and giving a nod or gesturing with your hand.

[@Gamesaucer]

Those lines are probably for trams, but you'll also see them for trolley buses, for instance if you visit Arnhem.

[@vincentvanbeelen837]

@15:51 He says "Groningen". It's a very bicycle-friendly city in the north of the Netherlands.

[@aragorndedolor4171]

Those wires above the road in Toronto and Amsterdam are high voltage lines to power the electric trams. It’s basically 2 lines following the tram tracks but that line have to be kept securely and straight above the tracks without sinking to much due to its own weight. That’s why you see so many cables going across (east-west direction in Amsterdam) to hold the power lines up (north-south direction.

[@letheas6175]

I always love you reacting to this Charlie. He was the reason why I started studying Mobility. Though I hate study is starting again next week, I would've liked an extra week of holiday :)

[@MegamanNL]

When I saw the title of this video I thought "We wait less because on foot or bicycle we often ignore red traffic lights!" 😂

[@coverhoeven2904]

I am Dutch and I never feel like the pedestrian button at traffic lights work here either

[@leendersc]

They don't seem to work here in Canada either.

[@roellemaire1979]

Usually they dont work (by design), they just give us humans the feeling we are important and others should wait for us. It's pure psychology.

[@SAMUDRAMAC]

The wires above the street are for electric busses or trams. These here a flexible pole on the roof that connects to the power lines. You can see it on the Canadian streetcar (tram) in the video.

[@dalstein3708]

(6:55) Trams get priority not because they have a long stopping distance - trams need to have good emergency braking - but because they carry a lot of people. Traffic flow is optimized to carry as much people as possible. Buses also get priority: sometimes there are lanes that are reserved for buses, and buses have transponders that make traffic lights turn green when a bus is coming near.

[@kaelon9170]

16:55 that wiring is the electrification system for the tram, they use overhead wires. They're usually much narrower in profile and less clearly visible, but on intersections, especially those where trams make a turn, they need a lot of these wires to maintain the tension on the electrified wires.

[@Arnaud58]

@04:57 No, it is in the bike lane. Consider it as a kind of metal detector. @16:47 When you see those power lines it's for the trams, look at the surface, there are the rails. Mostly they are support cables, you have to keep them hanging in place. @17:49 This is key here. Addition: We also have a "green wave" This means that if you drive at the indicated speed, you may expect the next intersection lights will give you green light in time. Works like a charm.

[@Blackadder75]

Dutch person here. I have 11 traffic lights on my way to work (by car) on days that I have start at 08:15, the smart traffic lights don't help much, it's always busy on the road at that time so I have to wait at almost all lights. But some days I can start my work day at 10:00am and that makes a huge difference.. On those days it;s not uncommon for me to have 9 out 11 lights at green as I arrive and I can basically cruise to work.... For reference: I can also go on bike and if I do that I only have 3 traffic lights.

[@GriotDNB]

Dutch viewer here. In my city we have an app on our phones that detects you cycling and your direction. It gives you green light when you approach, unless scheduled busses or emergency services need to pass, then you just have to yield. Works awesome!

[@tonpeters5213]

The little traffic light at the desk of Not Just Bikes is a so called "under light" (onderlicht). It was mounted on a pole at eye height while the official large main light is at the top. This was put there so you wouldn't have to look up to the main light while waiting for the light. You can imagine that looking up to a light is straining and also you can not look at the ongoing traffic at the same time. With the under light on the same level as your eyes this is not the case. I find myself looking at the traffic and observing the under light from the corners of my eyes. So i am aware of the changing off the light but also know if its safe to cross because sometimes a car (or other vehicle) is running a red light... This particular light is a very old model made by the firm "Groenpol", you can still see them sometimes but mostly they are replaced by newer ones. This model was used as a bike-light noticeable by the bike symbols on the lights.

[@desmarschoutens7181]

At the end of your clip you seem to be confused about the word Groningen. It's a province up north of the Netherlans. It's capital is also named Groningen. But around here we is calling it "Stad".

[@CasperGamess]

those loops we also have in the highways. not for trafficlights, but for matrixsigns. electronic signal signs that can show (temporary)speed limits, trafficsigns, arrows and a red X (for when there is a lane closed). they can be operated manually where needed, but in the most cases the loops in the ground tell them what to do. that loops messure the speed of the cars and how many go over them. with that information the matrixsigns know what to show. for example: all the cars are driving around 70km/h, the loops detect that so the matrix signs show 70km/h. when there is a traffic jam ahead the matrix signs behind the traffic jam show lower speed limts to warn traffic.

[@johnkitchen4699]

The wires are power lines for trams/streetcars

[@scorchedearth1451]

The loops in the ground are basically a metal detector. Cars are easy detectable, but for bikes you need very sensitive equipment. Many traffic lights still use these cycles you mentioned. When you pass them often, you could learn how they work, and predict when they turn green.

[@CLabij]

In some City centres they also have special pedestrian lights where the top light instead of red is a yellow triangle which mean that you may cross at your own risk but when the bottom light is green you are guaranteed a safe crossing. This light are usually at across a one directional buslane or one directional slow speed carlane (30 km/h ca. 18mph) in very busy cities.

[@lbergen001]

He Charlie, thanks for your good comments.👍👍

[@eskiltester3913]

fun fact! the dutch system has a side-effect. Studies have shown that the average dutch driver stress level is reduced by nearly 90% since we started using these systems. it took about an average of 2 years to get used to it. psychologically it has a huge impact too because the dutch are less stressed in daily life as well because they dont have to worry about travelling issues and agression is near non excisting (compared to before these systems). I know that in the USA they tested this system in a few places and the results were the same as in the netherlands. American drivers are extremely agressive and have no patience but after a year with the dutch infrastructure system they got used to it and accidents were reduced with 60% this is also the case in other european countries where they have addopted our system. Since the 70's we rarely have accidents compared to back then. Americans have excuses like we have bigger roads and all that, just like with gun control. The thing is, the bigger the city or roads, the better this system works. New York already is making changes to their infrastructure and is adopting the dutch system

[@vnincnent]

The cables over the road are power cables for the trams en electric busses

[@Hrn250]

When designing this system, careful consideration is given to how the system is most practical and most secure. There is constant innovation and it is good that this development has not stood still and does not stand still. They are very good at this and I find it admirable that they keep improving so that everything in the busy traffic is even better organized then before.

[@hellen__1]

The wires you see is for the trams

[@chubbymoth5810]

There are cables in the ground in a loop, that will measure not only there is a car passing over, but also at what speed it is passing. So its function is twofold. It counts the amount of traffic at a spot and it can be used to trigger a camera for speeding tickets. The power lines in the air are for the trams to get their power. In the Toronto footage he was talking about street cars rather than trams, but they are the same type of transport. If you look at the yellow street car in Toronto footage, you'll see a metal contraption on the top of it that connects with the power lines. You will also see this in cities with trolley busses. It is one of the downsides of trams and trolley busses, expensive infrastructure. The power lines being overhead is a safety measure so people don't step on them.

[@Gamesaucer]

In my town, I occasionally need to wait for a traffic light on my bicycle when a bus approaches. If the bus is not ahead of schedule, the following happens: the countdown on the signal _pauses_ until the bus is through, and that direction is _always_ the next to get a green light. Only after the bus has gotten through the intersection does the countdown resume. "Public transit gets priority" isn't some abstract concept that only applies sometimes, it is very concrete and can apply anywhere there is any form of public transit, and it's often very visible when it happens.

[@dutchman7623]

12:52 The spiderweb of wires is due to the fact that here six tramlines cross, they run on electricity with pantographs.

[@geoffpriestley7001]

In the uk we have detection loops in the road they can bee seen at most junction

[@rienvanwelzen9200]

Hallo Charlie Dutch, the wires above the street are for the tram (streetcars?)

[@BabzV]

Hey Charlie, came across your video and instantly reminded me of going through a red light this morning, on bicycle, and yes...it's very Dutch

[@andrelglinnenbank2856]

Did we mention that some (many?) busses and trams have GPS so they can make sure they get a green light when they arrive at the intersection?

[@Dafoodmaster]

Not just bikes is a great channel yeah, he's taught me alot about my own country.

[@SwirlingSoul]

The traffic light he has, is one that's usually located lower on the pole. So sitting people or children can also see it at low eye levels, and thus the light is smaller than the main ones.

[@pascalmaas4630]

In the netherlands some traffic lights are working with the app called schwung. The app (special for cyclists) can communicate with the traffic lights and can tell them that you are comming. In some cases it can allready turn the light to green if there is no other traffic comming

[@danielkarlsson258]

This was awesome! Thanks for a great reaction! 👍

[@toaojjc]

the detection is magnetic

[@kelvinmulder]

The cables in the air are mostly for streetcars or to hang lights on. The latter is a design choice mostly. But check out the city of Arnhem, we have a thing called Trolly busses. It is a signature of the city. 😊

[@KazuyaYuza]

Our busses even have buttons that cause the traffic light to turn green earlier, whenever they press it.

[@lorrefl7072]

In my town in Oostende, Belgium there are also some intersections where lights for bicycles and pedestrians work indepentendly, so they will be green while all the cars are red. There's also a lot of intersections who have a lot of different combos with like it only being green for cars that go right or left or straight. And in some intersections options change during busy hours and less busy hours. We also have a lot of round abouts and in the city center there's a few intersections where they removed traffic lights years ago. I've never seen those bike lane counters but when you press the button to cross on bicycle and on foot the lights change pretty quickly. I remember a time when it made absolutely no difference if you pressed that button or not, but nowadays it really does work.

[@basvandiepen2772]

4:25 the "loops" are probably a ditectors (most likely machnetic, but not sure) and on an exclusive bike-lane (red) it will assume it's a bike.

[@decrypt83]

The turn-right-on-red is not allowed anywhere in Europe. The wires above the road is to power the trams

[@Scarletcroft]

Not just bikes is a really good channel. I learned so much about how well designed my home country is and how toughtfull we Dutchies actually are.I mean we Dutchies complain and critisize about so many things (especially the weather and politics) , but we have it pretty good and I think despite everything most of us mean well so things can be improved. And when things are going bad we'll all be talking about it and how it should be solved. We all have our opinions and are not afraid to express it.

[@KrK-EST]

Yeah in my country we also have smart ones, saddly not speeding the time, and not enought bikes in most cities to have seperate timing for bikes, we have both tohether and share the walkways in/next to parks but bikes share slower not so intersection heavy places. NB The wires are electric tram power lines, in windier and colder areas times the farther theconnections are it is needed to have more struts.

[@annehoog]

I have an American friend who would always rush, almost running across the road, even on pedestrian crossings with traffic lights and all. She explained that she didn't want to make the car drivers wait for her which to me sounded ridiculous, but the more I learn about American infrastructure, the more I get it.

[@D0G_CN]

superior road design and intelligent traffic lights, that's it. american road developers should come and take a few lessons from us lol

[@KrK-EST]

The problem in usa why same time several movements in same place is not done often is because of high accident count compared to most countries cos of bad drivers (that happens if people get licence few years earlyer).

[@johnkitchen4699]

Bad sensors, bad road design and the deadly right turn on red. Incidentally traffic circles (that’s a roundabout with lights) are weird. Roundabouts are brilliant but Americans don’t know how to indicate when driving on them (they aren’t taught how to drive on them in Nevada and Americans don’t indicate at the best of times - worst drivers in the western world (check out the death rates on the roads)). The electromagnetic loops have been in use in the Netherlands for forty years that I know - in the USA, they’re still living in the 1950s! And those interminable filter lights in the USA !!! Especially as they are sequenced differently from junction to junction. I’ve driven throughout Europe, Australia New Zealand and even China and genuinely believe that American drivers and American road design are the worst I’ve ever encountered (except for China). Matt Pinder has put together an excellent video. C’mon North America, get your act together! Well done Charlie.

[@d.6593]

"Even" China?

[@Songfugel]

Coming from Finland, I never understood why people hate traffic lights, until I realized they don't use advanced machine learning optimized algorithms, various sensors and buttons to optimize traffic flow in most countries outside of Northern Europe. This is especially noticeable during the evening/night, you never have to wait at traffic lights unless something else is coming. Also pedestrian turns are completely skipped in contested areas, and they have buttons to request a turn, if there are pedestrians at the crossing. Also, during rush hours, all the lights are synched up to make maximum possible continuous greenlight paths to the same patch of cars. So it isn't "go stop go stop go stop", but instead it is "stop go go go go go stop". Also, different lines have their own lights that can be optimized on need, for example right turns can be on much more often than general green Also as mentioned in the video, we also have "pressure plates" underground that react to car and motorcycle weight (sometimes the lightest scooters and such might not register properly, especially if they are driving on the side) as well as those motion sensors that are used during low traffic. So at night time, when you see a red light, everyone stops, since even if you can't see anyone else, there most likely is someone there you just haven't noticed. Also, pedestrians and mass transit always has the priority Only thing we are missing are few additional things they use that I really liked when I lived in Japan. They have easy to understand timers for light changes, those are so good to get everyone ready to move immediately when the light changes. Many of the lights used bird sounds instead of the normal annoying sounds the lights make. And most importantly, Japanese major cities had all major paths in the city and public transit marked on the pedestrian walkways with 'tenji blocks' which are elevated bumps for the blind (pls google it out, they are amazing). Also the patterns changed from directional short dashes and dot patterns in different density to describe the path. Is it forward, is it a pedestrian crossing, does the road/path cross to different directions etc!

[@larseckardt_nl]

Every year coming back from holidays from Germany, France and others we are so happy with the Dutch smart traffic lights system. I never get it waiting for minutes while there is no other traffic on an intersection in all those other counties. In Germany it's crazy. Over here you won't have to wait long. Love it. Great channel.

[@jpdj2715]

- the overhead cables are for trams (street cars). The tram has its pantograph to pick up power from the overhead cable zigzagging above its track (the zigzagging distributes wear on the pantograph). At intersections, most of the cables are to guide the power cable into the proper place and keep it there. - the traffic detection "loops" in the road surface are simple cables with an electrical voltage on them. When mass moves over such a loop, the electrical properties in the loop change. You know where they are in the road surface from the kit covering the groove with the loop cable. Sometimes there are two loops close together and these are to measure vehicle speed more precisely. With single loops, a notion of speed is derived from the speed at which electrical properties measured in the singe loop change. - these loops and the traffic management systems are also used to fire red light and speed violation cameras - The programs run to control traffic lights, generally are modular in the sense that different things can happen at the same time, as illustrated in the video, with a coordination layer where the risk of collisions is managed. In the commute hours, intersections may seem to have fixed patterns of lanes/directions getting green or red, but outside these hours the same intersection may show more seemingly random patterns that are just based on the amount of cars waiting for a red light - so they are flow/density/supply dependent - traffic light control at an intersection is generally linked to other intersections and to traffic flow or density. - In some places these intersection control links are visualised explicitly through a "green wave" (groene golf) indication. Some of these "break" the green wave when cars are detected that drive too fast but the problem with this is that generally the drivers are punished who did not drive too fast. These links can go rather far. You may be waiting for a green light to join a peripheral road around a town and not understand why it takes - say - two cycles of the other directions before you get the green light. Well, this is the system managing the flow of 5 intersections ahead of you in the next 5 kilometres where you will have a green wave. - traffic control can also be varied depending on policy or, say, a school that has its students arriving or leaving. An example of policy influence is a municipality that has a through road that is used by commuters. In the morning commute hour, though, locals need to bring kids to school and so traffic crossing the through road gets green light faster and more frequently than through traffic - local kid-home-school commute before through commute "foreigners". The municipality hopes to discourage the latter commuters to use the through road in doing so. - when the original video mentions detection of a bicycle, by the loop and traffic light control system, the more precise description would be that "a loop in the surface of the bicycle lane detected a vehicle passing". It's probably possible to make a loop sensitive to a specific mass or metal size/mass/volume range, but other than that it cannot really distinguish a bike. It's just an assumption that something moving over the loop in the bike path, is a bike. Yes, there are other sensors too, like rain sensors for bicyclists that help make them wait less long when it rains.

[@bloedbiber]

the metal of the bicycle "disturbs" the elektromagnetic field" of the loop in the ground.

[@АклызМелкенды]

I kinda like the wires in the sky. It's like a part of japanese city aesthetics, but also in other places they are just ok. You won't really notice them unless you want to

[@BeeGeesFan999]

In the City Eindhoven there is what they call a green wave. On the side of the road there are poles with 5 lights with 40 50 60 70 Km and ~ (no green) the speed you have the drive to get the next trafficlight on GREEN for the City main road

[@roellemaire1979]

@4:15 In the Netherlands it is illegal to honk if there is no danger/emergency. It has a reasonly large fine. So no honking to let people know you're impatient, only to warn for a dangerous situation

[@ritaauro3335]

If you live for long in enough in the Netherlands, whenever you leave the country you can actually see and feel that traffic lights are managed to give priority to cars in stead of pedestrians; it become like REALLY CLEAR to notice

[@erics320]

A lot of the traffic lights are always red if there are no cars. That way if a car is detected coming towards the traffic light it can immediately turn green, not having to wait to make other directions first go yellow then red. If you are not speeding its often enough to just let go of the accelerator a bit and you get green. I often drive very early or late when there is very few traffic, i often drive without having to come to full stop. Fuel efficient and fast.

[@gertvanderstraaten6352]

Yes. I love that channel. And yes! Traffic lights were removed right outside my house and replaced by a priority road and a street with low traffic having to slow down there. It reduced the amount of traffic noise by such a large amount as buses and trucks are the loudest when they brake and pull up at traffic lights.

[@ilaphroaig]

Groningen, where I live ;-) You should visit some day.

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As a Danish owner of a Brompton foldingbike I have found films of american families riding Bromptons in larger cities and it looks absolutely absurd at times! Having to cross roads to reach a bikepass in the other side of the road!!

[@SwirlingSoul]

Groningen. One of the 12 Dutch provinces. (provincies) Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, Overijsel, Gelderland, Utrecht, Flevoland, Noord Holland, Zuid Holland, Zeeland, Brabant, Limburg. Of course Groningen is also the main city's name of that particular province.

[@niekkie555]

In the province of Utrecht they released 2 apps that recognize your routes and makes the traffic lights go green even faster when biking or walking (if possible). At daytime there is to much traffic for it to work properly. But in the early morning and in the evenings it works amazingly. Especially at crooked corners where you don't hit the loops or the lights that dont have them because theyre old or not used that much. I haven't touched a button in weeks 🙃 Oh and at one app you get points for every km you make. With those points you can get discount coupons for a variety of restaurants, stores and services in the region. For the curious ones: Ik fiets Schwung

[@johnroekoek12345]

The sequence changes sometimes. The same roundabouts makes you stop for every traffic light, and a month later all lights are green so you pass it fast.

[@666Maeglin]

Tghe loops are induction loops.. WEhen a metal thing goes over them, car or bike they give a little current pulse which signals the computersystem a traffic item is moving there

[@DiaborMagics]

funny thing is i know no one who doesnt complain about traffic lights. im dutch. you never know how good things are until its compared huh xD i actually expected it was gonna be about why we cross the streets on red when we see nothing coming; not all traffic lights are this accomodating. when we evaluate the situation as safe enough, we often just cross.

[@nikkikamstra1671]

I believe the loops in the road generate electromechnetic field, when i metal object " disturb " the field it detects a vehicle

[@sim-one]

Ambulances etc. are also getting priority and around where I live they are testing by an app for trucks of a big company to give them priority on a much used crossing as well. All to make it flow better (less accidents) ánd saving fuel since they don’t have to brake or stop so often. The app on the chauffeurs phone announce they’re heading for the crossing which should result the traffic light on that lane to be green when they arrive. Most of the time.

[@Crasstho]

Damn I knew I recognised that crossing at 15:20 haha. That's in Groningen like he said, I cross there basically everyday on my way to uni

[@k1llwizzy]

The detection loop is a induction spool under the road. its current changes depending on the amount of steel within 10cm of the road, aka, it will detect a bike or a car, but a carbon wheel (sports bikes) or a skateboard likely wont trigger it. they do have cameras on crossings for pedestrians. The cables above the road are the electrification for the Tram / Streetcars, unlike the street cars in san fransisco, most street cars just run on rails and have a power supply from the top down. the wires are 5 meters above the ground, unless you are on an open-top double decker bus you can never reach them. the light he has on his table is actually a version that's attached to the pole on eye level, not overhead, that way when the sun is in a position where its hard to see or when its raining you can look forward or sometimes even a bit down and still see the light switching. after about 6.30 in your video it shows one of them (a slightly newer version)

[@joebloggs2473]

Charlie it is a question of investment and maintenance.

[@LAU-ik6dp]

We have buttons that don't even work to fool us😂 mostly the technology is underground hehe. Pedestrians and bikers have a huge advantage on roads here. Even when there's an accident, the car is seen as overpowered and is mostly wrong by law.

[@silvereagle404]

the dutch, we need to increase quality of traffic... well let's look at literally every aspect of traffic and see if we can gain this quality america: MORE ASPHALT TIMMY!!!! MOOOOOOREEE TARMAC

[@chenandorlandoaroundtheworld]

Laughed at your comment that the button might be for show! In America has to be something good in small towns? I hope.

[@qualitytraders5333]

Wires over the road. You may have heard about trams. They're electric. Also our traffic lights aren't hanging from cables.

[@leendersc]

We can turn on a red light here in Ontario Canada. I like it that way

[@Nufatec]

Ahh the best thing is the clock on your wall... the best soccer club in the country😎😏

[@Simmlex]

13:22 They are for the tram to take electicity from. It's pretty normal in a tam intersection. What weirds me out is how low to the ground the are.

[@ym5891]

How to effectively ride a bike in areas with lots of bikes is a learned skill, which most dutch people get from an early age. Most of it is looking for 'gaps' you can squeeze through or merge in. But there is also a lot of social aspect to it; People on bikes generally observe other bikes/traffic very well and anticipate potential problem areas for the next few seconds. Sometimes it means you have to brake, sometimes it means just not paddling for a second to lose some speed (or paddle a bit harder for more speed) and only rarely does it mean you have to fully stop. A good example would be the left side of the video at 15:25 . The oncoming cyclists specifically stop padding and slow down as they wait for the cyclists from the left to pass, but they don't stop. At the same time you can see the last cyclist coming from the left staying all the way on the right side of his cycling lane so the oncoming bikes have as much space as possible to cross immediately as soon as he passes, which ofcourse creates more space for the cyclists behind those. It's minor changes in the way you drive but it helps everyone alot if most people do it. Don't consider yourself above traffic but a part of it.

[@vincenttayelrand]

Here in the more rural eastern provinces you can even find some (rare) traffic lights for those riding a horse - but I doubt the loops in the road are able to detect equestrians, so they will have to push the 'horse' button

[@kaelon9170]

4:41 the loops used for traffic detection systems are magnetic loops, that detect variation in a weak magnetic field they create above them. Cars and bicycles both are made of metal, and will interfere with that magnetic field. The loops for bicyclists are much more sensitive than the ones for cars. Pedestrians usually need to press a button to let the sytem know they're there, but some of the newest systems now also use pressure plates under the pavement or infrared sensors to detect the presence of pedestrians as well.

[@alexanderpasnl]

I am living in Groningen (15:58) and went on a holiday this summer in Germany. Oh man, I love so so so many things about Germany, even bought a bike there during my last holiday an cycled trough Hamburg, but damnnnnn those traffic lights. In the middle if the night, in the middle of nowhere without any street light, there are timed traffic lights. You wait and wait and wait. Ridiculous. Seriously, the moment I enter my city of Groningen, it was like 2,30am or so, I had every light turn green for me until I got home in the city center, because of the loops in the street, basically wires that detect traffic inside the road. I thought: yes, I am home. Of course we also have to wait during the day, but at the evening and at night, when there is no one there except you, you have everything green. I cross my city in a few minutes. In Germany that would easily take 20+ minutes on the same stretch. Every time when I have an appointment in Germany I have to incorporate extra time due to their dumb traffic lights that let you wait for no other reason than that it is all time based.

[@70ed81]

I think it's more of an Eye-contact between traffic particpants,on who should go first,..... knowing the Traffic-rules.

[@pres5049]

hey, Charlie!, je had me een bericht gestuurd, ik kan sommige pagina's niet bereiken ik heb letterlijk de oudste versie van een mac book. heb je ook een facebook account ? dan bericht ik je via daar. heel tof om jou en je familie te zien de afgelopen dagen, ik hoop dat je oudste zoon het wat vond in het dorpje ! :)

[@shinchan2627]

15:53. Groningen is a city in the north of the Netherlands.

[@missitheachievementhuntres560]

Your story about the pressing the light button as a kid makes me wonder if that is another useless button to only create an illusion. I have seen videos where it stated that in elevators the “close doors” button doesn’t do anything. But here in The Netherlands, that button works for sure.

[@Pasunsoprano]

Those lines are called tram lines. Waiting at traffic lights for cars is mandatory, cyclists and pedestrians mostly consider them a suggestion.

[@margreetanceaux3906]

Groningen - city in the northern province with the same name - and a student-city, hence full of bikes.

[@theblazingangels4286]

i see the cable's its for the tram tough

[@resi3794]

Walking en biking people are protected in the Netherlands they also have to go first, did you know that if somebody puts 1 foot on the street and you hit them wkth our car youre at falt, the pedestrian has always priority. You have to stop for them at any given moment as the are crossing.

[@haraldcoppoolse4149]

Wines above the street: probably for trams. You don't see them in the mid west, behalve there agent any trams

[@myflyingkidney]

the power cords you have mentioned are cords for trams, and they have to look like that because they need to be all connected. most european cities look like that, I'd never notice them had you not just mentioned them.