These Two Cities Used to be the Same

[@NotJustBikes]

Our new comedy urbanism channel, I Love the City is now live! www.youtube.com/@ilovethecity I Love the City is a ridiculous (and often silly) take on urbanist topics, and unlike Not Just Bikes, it's actually funny because other people write the jokes! The ILTC writers are standup comedians, and they've worked on several other comedy projects that you've likely heard of, including The Daily Show, Robot Chicken and more. Check out our first episode, about how cars killed the hat! kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGWnYYmDgMp7oM0 More info is available in the post on my community tab: kzbin.infoUgkxYJldd_OT0U6aB4QnMo4Tw-GXl-fAdjjl

[@Darius-kl3jk]

I wanna hear your thoughts on this Aptera vehicle that they're trying to make a reality

[@jerredhamann5646]

Worlds largest bike storage in a mid sized city. U would think that the biggest would be in the biggest city.

[@pbilk]

Thanks! I will check it out!

[@MichiganUSASingaporeSEAsia]

Mackinac Island Michigan as well as Kalamazoo Michigan and Holland city Michigan are all walkable. In fact, cars are not allowed on the streets on Mackinac Island

[@MichiganUSASingaporeSEAsia]

I like London city, Canada

[@erikoftheinternet]

As a resident of fake london i'm so glad my city's trauma could spawn this channel

[@TehPwnerer]

Trauma and extremely poor urban design are not something to be proud of

[@jfl2920]

@@TehPwnerer pretty sure they were just being tongue in cheek there

[@KeitieKalopsia]

@@TehPwnerer Wooosh

[@anomalousanimates]

@@TehPwnerer do you have media literacy?

[@BetjeWolff-v2s]

What's in a name ? Perhaps start to call yourself Other London .

[@oldbrokenhands]

I've been walking in my neighborhood (Dallas, TX) and dodging traffic for over 25 years now, it was just nice to see what a safe, walkable neighborhood is supposed to look like. Thanks for that.

[@donaldthompson7766]

You might strat feeling depressed knowing there's better place you can't go to. I know I felt like that when I came back from Germany.

[@reyluna0]

It starts with that and the next thing you know you're getting mad that there isn't a bike lane where you think they should be or that the curbs are too wide and open

[@ChristophKral]

I know Dallas, I was also there personally, and sorry, if I compare it with European cities like Amsterdam, Brügge, Dresden, Krakau, Oxford, Bourdeaux, Barcelona, Munich, Verona, Salzburg, etc. it is simply "faceless", with no real city center and no real identity. It looks like many other large cities in USA. And Dallas is even one of the "better" cities in the USA. There are worse examples, for sure. I looks as if American architects are not really good.

[@I.Am.Nobody]

I'm from the Netherlands, been in the USA (and other countries), and yes it's very nice here.

[@herrmannnachnahme9456]

I went there (Fort Worth) last year for the holidays and I was surprised by the absence of sidewalksin the neighborhood. Judging by the place we stayed it seemed to be a village at best due to large gardens and single family homes and not a metropolis inhabited by millions. Getting on or near the highway (which I found to be quite scary) to just get the most basic goods was so strange. I was kind of amazed when I spotted the one van we saw during our 2 1/2 weeks there. Pickups, on the other hand made up like 50% of all the vehicles. The cattle drive with those texan longhorns was the only time I saw a living thing safely walking on its street 🐄

[@dynamite_Alt7]

I was born in the Netherlands and my family moved to Canada when i was very young. I moved to fake London for college and every complaint or grievance you have with London is spot on. being without a car in fake London makes life so much harder. Can't wait to move back to the Netherlands when I can

[@augustovite5282]

I live in fake London and my job is 15 minutes away by car but 1 hour by bus! That's nuts! I wish I had a reliable bus transportation so I wouldn't need a car

[@Darkclowd]

Another fake londoner here. Takes me 20 minutes to get to Western by car. 2 HOURS by bus, and I can't even get all the way back if I start the return trip by bus after 6pm. Wasn't able to drive for a year and a half until just last week, and not having a car here requires you to plan your entire life around it.

[@augustovite5282]

@Darkclowd it's terrible, I'm from Mexico and even though Mexico doesn't have a great public transit system I never felt that I needed a car to get around (I'm from a smaller city than London) but here you need a car to do groceries

[@przemys4466]

I live in the Netherlands, my job is 20 minutes away by car, 1 hour by public transport. I usually ride a bicycle, takes 1.5 hours, but I like it more.

[@Etaoinshrdlu69]

I'm from fake London too...small world

[@strongtowns]

Thanks for the shoutouts! The comparison between London, ON, and Utrecht is fascinating, and it really shows that it’s not impossible to undo bad designs and make places for people again. Going from a canal, to a highway, and BACK to a canal is wild! And we really feel your points about wanting the places we live now to be the places we WANT to stay in, but that sometimes the necessary changes to make that happen won’t be seen in our lifetimes. Still, many changes can happen immediately, and can happen quickly. As you said, local advocacy is crucial, and our Local Conversations are doing incredible work in their communities across North America - and beyond, too!

[@nfboogaard]

Keep up the good work!

[@ScoresUnstitched]

My (dutch) partner made a great observation: the mentality of drivers here is also really different now than it was in the 70s. And as an american with a dutch driver’s license, I can 10000% confirm I had to do mental backflips when I started driving here. The “I’m bigger I win” mentality of americans is such a problem! Here, I don’t let any relatives drive until they’ve ridden a bike across the city because 1) they need to learn to look for bikes and 2) they need to learn who has right of way. If there’s a bike, a pedestrian, and a car in america, no one cares what the law says - the car wins. I wonder if flipping that mentality had also helped dutchies create such beautiful infrastructure? 🤔

[@pdblouin]

The “might makes right” arguments from motorists here is really fucked up. I’m literally told “It doesn’t matter who had the right of way if you’re dead.” Gee, thanks. No wonder people are motivated to armour themselves as much as is financially/legally possible, just to get around the city. (Where I live, I can walk many places but it’s loud and scary)

[@liessas]

It definitely helps. I sort of remember some uproar when a new traffic law in 1994 contained an article (185) which puts the liability for damages to non-drivers on the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident. This way drivers also have a personal stake in being careful with the 'weaker traffic participants'.

[@remcob3]

Cyclists and pedestrians becoming "protected road users" by law, putting the liability automatically on the driver is what really flipped that switch here. And honestly it should be like that everywhere in my opinion

[@ishathakor]

i think it's more that the infrastructure has to change first and then the mentality can change. if every single thing about the infrastructure around you is saying that cars are the priority and every other mode of transport is for expendable people, you'll drive like that too. when the infrastructure is catering to everyone and not just the drivers, the drivers are literally forced to check their ego

[@marknieuweboer8099]

It's the other way round. Making infrastructure safer changed the attitude of car drivers. When I studied in Amsterdam in the 1980s my nick name was kamikaze because of the way I rode my bike (my highest priority was to be as visible as possible for car drivers, even if that meant annoying the hell out of them). Nowadays that approach is not necessary anymore.

[@BicycleDutch]

Thanks for the mention Jason! What you didn't mention though is that I grew up in Utrecht. So you compared your hometown to my hometown and that made this video very close to err home. I use those pictures of the 1940 protests in the US in my presentations to US summer school students. The Stop the Kindermoord protests here in the 1970s look like a carbon copy of those protests. People involved in those protests here told me they did not have the feeling they accomplished anything at the time. But aparently a seed of change was planted after all. I can only hope something will turn out to have sparked a change in North America when we look back at the car era 50 years from now...

[@mrkat8137]

It’s crazy. I used to be a critic of NotJustBikes , being car brained and all. Now I’m a supporter of mixed infrastructure and want to become an active advocate in my city for it

[@jasmineriley538]

I live in NYC and the Netherlands was the very first European country that I visited. I immediately had a great first impression because I could take a single train straight out of Schiphol to where my friend lives near the German border in just a few hours for about 25€. And it kept getting better as I experienced the cycling infrastructure, pedestrian-oriented streets, and frequent and reliable busses and trains that could take me even to small towns. I often complain about how bad the transit is in NYC but praise it whenever I visit literally anywhere else in North America, but the transit in the Netherlands and even Germany's notoriously delayed DeutscheBahn proved to be the first ones that didnt make me miss NYC. I discovered your channel after I returned home and wanted to learn more about it, and a few weeks later when my catalytic converter was stolen off my car the same week I got a flat tire, I took it as a sign that it was time to buy an e-bike to commute to work instead whereas most other people would probably just complain that they're stranded without a car. So thank you for your effort in showing people that cars shouldn't be the only viable way to get around.

[@MickeyJoee]

I’m from Utrecht and rented a bike in NY last year. I think NY could easily be an (even more) amazing city to cycle in.

[@nfboogaard]

I visited NYC and Brooklyn this year and felt right at home walking everywhere and taking the subway. Did see a dead guy on the subway platform though, so yeah, NY subway stories...

[@waltysalty8078]

I was one of the people that was inspired to pursue a masters in urban planning after watching your videos (and doing my own research and personal learning on the side) and I must say that it has been one of the best decisions of my life! I’ve been able to move to a new city that’s walkable and has good public transit, meet so many new people who are just as passionate about urban planning as me, and I am energized to make the change that all US cities need to make. If it wasn’t for your videos I would not have found that fire to make a change in my life for the better and I cannot thank you enough! Hope to make it out to the Nederlands one day (but for now I’ll just learn Dutch 😂)

[@apveening]

For just a visit to the Netherlands, you don't to learn Dutch (though it is appreciated).

[@paulelderson934]

I would go even further and say the worst place to learn Dutch is in the Netherlands. As soon as someone hears you mispronounce a Dutch word, they quickly switch to English. Especially anyone under 40 years old. Makes it very hard to actually experience dutch language and learn it.

[@q.e.d.9112]

It seems to me you might have a more rewarding career and a greater, transformative effect if you lived in and worked to improve a pedestrian/cyclist/ public-transport, unfriendly city.

[@apveening]

@@paulelderson934 Basically true, though Dutch with a foreign partner usually manage to stick to Dutch.

[@tyszarko6873]

NJB will remain one of favorite video essayists, simply because of his approach to research. "Would this guy be better off in a car? I don't know, I didn't ask him"

[@gattofila87]

I spent my Erasmus semester in Utrecht in 2011, and I have been back a few times since, but haven't seen the completed renovation of the Hoog Katharijne area and the station yet. It looks gorgeous! I remember riding a white oma fiets, no need for a helmet. Oh, the stuff, and people I carried on that single speed bike! I felt great, even when it rained. It changed my life forever. Now I live in Toronto where, despite it being still car infested, there's a great energy and push for change. I finally feel that I can make a difference and now I am involved in advocacy too. Thank you for creating quality videos that inspire us!

[@roelkomduur8073]

Utrecht,my city ,... Did you got your "broodje Mario"? Or the flower/ plants market on Saturday? Kafe België, Springhaver?... If you did, you would have lost a lot! Come back soon!

[@shapiq122]

I am Ukrainian and I currently live in Canada, when I first came here I was literally culture-shocked about the irreplaceable car dependency of North America. My inner European was shouting with protest. This is a horrible way to live, it limits your ability to reach places if you don't have a car (I don't want to buy one), it even makes people less social because of lack of accessible public recreational areas and walkable streets. This is so depressing. And municipal and provincial governments do very little about the issue because it's just "fine" the way it is with cars. I've been to Utrecht, it is a beautiful accessible city. As well as many other European cities, especially those in Benelux area and Northern Europe countries. One day I will definitely move there as this lifestyle here doesn't fit me. Unless I find a really good alternative here (which I probably won't).

[@ДенисИванов-р1ъ4э]

ти не українець, а русак.

[@flyguy1237]

The "this is the way it's been, so it should stay this way" mentality when you talk to other residents about it is brutal too. It's been proven in study after study, but that's wrong because it's not what I'm used to.

[@Nova32x]

@@ДенисИванов-р1ъ4э how are you going to tell a man where he is from

[@nixd0rf356]

hey you should watch his video on Montreal. It was very interesting and he provided a crazy amount of detail. It was over an hour I think.

[@themartinandersson]

I know exactly what you are talking about. People basically spend their lives in a car or a building. Very little public areas overall, and at least in the US the few public parks that exist close and locks up no later than 8 p.m. lol. I was literally depressed for a whole year. Sprinkle the experience with learning firsthand about the corrupt health care and insurance system and suffice it to say I went straight back to Europe.

[@rudycandu1633]

Boomer here. You might find me at a community engagement meeting, but I'll be on the side calling for better bike infrastructure, not complaining about parking. Yes I have a car, but my primary transportation method in the spring, summer and fall, is my bike(s). When I renewed my car insurance last week I was saw what the starting mileage of my car when I bought it used. I did the math and over the past ten years I only averaged 3600 km per year on the car.

[@repelsteeltje90]

I'm also a boomer and a car owner and retired. I also work for a bicycle advocacy group (even in the Netherlands they are still needed). And I would vote for the removal of car parking spaces every time.

[@Stephy38875]

Thanks to you I learned about Plain Bicycle in my hometown of Winnipeg, MB.. fast forward a couple of years and now I use a bike as my main method of transportation and am a part of local bike and urbanism advocacy groups. From talking with others in these groups, it’s apparent that a lot of people found and joined the urbanism movement because of you. So for that I wanted to say thank you.

[@cousin_raditzz]

A big thank you from São Paulo, Brazil. You really helped me go after my dream of working in city planning. i tought i couldn't do it, because i have a major in design, but slowly but surely i am discovering ways to make a name in urban planning. Keep the good work!

[@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195]

Good luck!

[@incendiary6243]

I live in boston but am from southwestern pa and my mood noticeably worsens when I'm home and cant go anywhere or do anything without a 20 minute car ride

[@James-cs8hc]

Also live in Boston, originally from Alabama. I can’t overstate how much better my life is now, in every way.

[@anatolyprekrasnyy2059]

Boston is one of the only cities in the US that tried to do something about highways tearing through the city Yes, big dig isn’t the perfect solution but it was definitely a huge step in the right direction

[@Nova32x]

@@anatolyprekrasnyy2059 don't discount other cities that have also done big work. Rochester NY recently ripped out a segment of their highway that loops around the downtown and are working to get rid of the rest. They replaced the segment they did remove with a new neighborhood and separated bike lanes.

[@happycommuter3523]

I live outside Boston, in a town serviced by commuter rail. It’s an older town, so lots of things nearby are walkable. I can walk to the train when I go to work. But it’s limited. Today I got stuck in horrific pre-holiday traffic getting home from a doctor’s appointment literally one town over. There is no way to get there other than by car.

[@andyjwagner]

I lived in Somerville for ~10 years. It taught me what a walkable neighborhood was. Now I’m in a walkable part of Seattle. Still needs work to back away from the car-dependent nightmare but it’s not too late and people are generally thinking that way.

[@mushroomsteve]

I live in Eugene, Oregon. No, it's not Amsterdam or Utrecht. But for an American city, it does pretty well. I can walk pretty much wherever I want to. My residential neighborhood has multiple convenience marts, several schools, city parks, bike paths, alleyways, restaurants and music venues all within a mile (1.6 km). My son walks to school every day by himself. If I wanted to, I could walk to the Amtrak station and catch a train to Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, the Bay area or Los Angeles. The downtown area is filled with clubs and eateries with sidewalk seating and live music. There are two small theatres (for live plays) in the downtown area, plus the historic MacDonald theatre and the WOW concert hall, where bands from all over the world perform. The city recently eliminated Euclidean "single family housing only" zoning. If I wanted to, I could live entirely without a car here.

[@scottlarson1548]

College town!

[@garryferrington811]

You would save a hell of a lot of money.

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

That sounds amazing! I’m jealous!

[@jonesrmj]

This was a very insightful video not only on the comparison between London and Utrecht, but also to get a better understanding of activism in the Netherlands vs North America. I am also one of those people that was orange-pilled and got into urbanism from this channel, so I am thankful for that! The Houston video on this channel basically explained to me why I’ve always loved well-designed cities and hated living in car-dependent suburbia as a child.

[@phoenixgaming4185]

I am a 21 year old living in a fairly rural town in New Mexico, along the border of Arizona, I have lived here for quite a while, but I have lived in Virginia before, in an area where I could easily (relative to previous situations and surroundings) get to work by bike or by walking. It was so incredibly freeing. Even back when I was in highschool or middle school in my small rural town, I was one of the only kids who ever walked to school, and I did it routinely with a travel time of 30 to 40 minutes. Even worse is that there was and is still no sidewalk for more than 2/3's of that distance. One of my dreams is quite literally to move out of America and into the Netherlands or some similarly pedestrian centric area. I love the idea of America, but hate what it is. I dont really know why I am commenting, I usually never comment anywhere. I guess I just felt like sharing even just a little bit of my story, even if it gets lost in the sea of comments.

[@21chouettes]

That’s crazy impressive that you would walk to school even when it was that inconvenient! I hope you get to travel and try living in some other places outside of the us!

[@gattofila87]

@@phoenixgaming4185 you are a brave person, and I hope your dreams come true!

[@hypatiakovalevskayasklodow9195]

Found you!

[@nfboogaard]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Kerleem]

As an American living in Amsterdam, I think the hardest thing about implementing these types of changes in America is peoples' lack of a general understanding of (and experiencing) walkable cities and a daily life (work, school, groceries) without using a car. The concept is completely foreign to Americans, especially those who never leave America and never travel internationally and don't know what car dependency is. I think if more Americans experienced, or lived in walkable cities like Amsterdam, or even just experiencing any European city and comparing it to car-centric American cities, it would be easier to influence this type of change. The other factor is the fact that the American Dream (and Canadian Dream?) is sold on the basis of a big house in the suburbs. Many Americans just want bigger houses and plenty of space - this is deep into the culture (for better or worse). This is a cultural change that will take a long time to change. I do think more housing options and mixed use areas would be a good starting point, but it will take a couple generations. I try to explain this every time I go back home, but it can only go so far...experiencing the lifestyle is the biggest difference.

[@MichiganUSASingaporeSEAsia]

Mackinac Island Michigan as well as Kalamazoo Michigan and Holland city Michigan are all walkable. In fact, cars are not allowed on the streets on Mackinac Island . Note

[@EvaristeWK]

Shh, don't show Doug Ford Utrecht, he'll run for mayor and rip up the bike lanes/tram lines in favour of car lanes. PS: I love being this early

[@therealdutchidiot]

Thank god mayors aren't elected in the Netherlands, they're selected.

[@FOJO27]

Sadly, he'd never voluntarily leave Ontario. Oh, to dream... He truly is hell-bent on destroying this province in so many ways.

[@The4thTurning]

The "tone" of NJB is the main reason I prefer this urbanist channel over any other.

[@JaNouWatIkVind]

Oh! The pronunciation! He is ssoooooo spot on with his pronunciation of Dutch cities. Applause 👏

[@jasonreed7522]

I view NJB as the wakeup call of "you really live like this?!?!". Our infrastructure sucks and we need to acknowledge that, and some people need a more forceful message to get the message. But once you are "orange pilled" the other calmer and more optimistic channels like City Beautiful and Strong Towns show how to realistically work towards change. We need both.

[@user-mrfrog]

Greater Montréal has areas that look like Fake London and others that are very walkable, as you know. The good news is things are changing for the better. For example, there are plans to reburbish boulevard Taschereau, a stroad on the south shore, into something less car centric. Of course, it'll take time. The mayor of Laval, a suburb of Montréal, is working hard to make his city greener and less car dependant. Finally, there's an objective that around 30% of metropolitan Montréal will be green spaces! Merci pour vos vidéos et Joyeux Noël !

[@bluflavouredpudding]

This channel was what introduced me to urbanism KZbin, then I discovered the other channels mentioned here and found the passion I was looking for. I was already studying Sociology but had no idea what I wanted to specialize on, now I just signed up for the urban movility optative course my school offers to begin my journey!

[@V0ltarem]

I love the evolution of your pronunciation of dutch city names🤣 Love to hear the true dutch g coming through

[@donkervoort_39]

I truly love living in Utrecht. My kid can cycle by herself to school. And she's 8!

[@DanDanDoe]

I grew up in Utrecht (born in ‘95) and have lived here most of my life. I’ve always felt very independent. Walking or cycling to school on my own at about age 8, going downtown on my own to buy a cheap video game, crossing a busy street to visit my mum at work for lunch. I’m always happy to see children still out and about on their own, playing in the neighbourhood, going to buy candy at the store, or cycle to sports practice with some friends. And as a teenager I was in a very safe online community and visited people all over the country by train, again travelling on my own. Had a girlfriend 100 miles away, who I could visit without a car because a train and bus would get me to her village. It’s depressing when I hear how kids in some other places always need their parents to drive. It also makes me understand why getting your driver’s license at 16 in the US provides such a feeling of freedom.

[@AllieG1016]

Thank you for your informative videos @notjustbikes As a former resident of fake London now living outside of Rotterdam NL, I appreciate this perspective. Keep up the good work!

[@Tianke]

I seriously think you should do a video on Warsaw. This is my place. Is it perfect? No. But I would argue few places are improving as much as quickly. We're building metro, we're building trams, pedestrianising places. I've had a park turn up right outside my window on a disused piece of land, thanks to tireless local advocates. It's a city that tries.

[@kjh23gk]

Why don't YOU do a video on Warsaw?

[@apveening]

@Tianke About a year and a half ago, I spent a week in Warsaw, drove there (and back, 1200 km * 2), parked my car under the hotel and didn't need it for the whole week. Looking forward to your video.

[@nfboogaard]

Yeah make a cool video report, maybe use an AI voice if you have to. Link it here and we'll find it 😊

[@noybnoyb356]

Your videos have had a great impact on me. After watching several, I am considering returning to school to study urban planning and urban design.

[@ThePhantomRocket]

I wish my town could change course. It's merely a few thousand people but it would be so nice. My subdivision doesn't even have sidewalks and the line of cars down that stretches down two roads for school pickup is right when the people who walk, accidents are common. Me and my girlfriend plan to leave for Europe after we finish uni because we both have found aerospace jobs in the Netherlands, sweden, and denmark.

[@thedutchhuman]

Then you better move here if you have work in Europe.....and your life will change drastically, wise choice

[@helenooft9664]

Alway's be welcome in the Netherlands.

[@repelsteeltje90]

One of the next people vs machines challenges in the Netherlands is getting rid of all the unnecessary air traffic (like hundreds of transit vacation flights per day). Schiphol airport is literally making people sick. Do you think that you - with your profession - would help to improve our environment or do you just want to take advantage of the improvements that local people have fought for?

[@thedutchhuman]

@@repelsteeltje90 dan beginnen we eerst bij de regering, die kunnen ook anders reizen.

[@laurihakala8600]

I think this is the first time I have seen the face of the presenter of this channel and I have watched a good bit. And people in America, change is possible. Bit by bit. My country Finland has a lot of car dependency due to a lot of Finns living in areas where distances are greater between locations. However in urban areas mindset is "don't build another lane, improve public transport since more people are moving around". My father made his career in municipality that managed traffic design or similar and he said that engineers always said that since no simulation supported the idea of bigger roads. Public transit is the way when a lot of people need to move around. Businesses here build around the infrastructure. Infra does not follow businesses. Maintaining roads takes a lot of our GDP.

[@mushroomsteve]

I have watched some beautiful nighttime walking videos in Finland. It is so beautiful at night, especially in the winter!

[@laurihakala8600]

@mushroomsteve we respect our nature and see it as our most valuable asset. There is a massive swamp under which is found a lot valuable metals. But because we would need to harm that proteced habitat we do not want to unless there is no choice.

[@stevebarclay3298]

Unless you've lived in a walkable city somewhere (Orebro, Sweden for me), you really don't realize just how bad we have it here in North America when it comes to city design.

[@FOJO27]

I live in a city an hour outside Toronto and most people here are acutely aware how horrible it is in terms of urban planning and design. It sucks and it's getting worse all the time!!

[@repelsteeltje90]

​@@FOJO27do you mean an hour outside Toronto by car 😅?

[@FOJO27]

@@repelsteeltje90 Of course.

[@jasonreed7522]

I grew up in a tiny rural NY town and its amazing how that is somehow leagues ahead of many larger cities in terms of quality urbanism. Basically every street in town has a sidewalk, to me an area isn't in town if it doesn't have a sidewalk. And while most of the residential areas are R1, the lot sizes are pretty small. Plus we have our historic medium density mainstreet, although i think most of the upper floors are just storage now. And the best part is the park, on mainstreet next to the library and ice cream shop. Its a nice pleasant place to be for only being 1 block of about 200x400ft. I spent 2 years in Middletown CT and my god was it so much worse. Highway cuts the downtown off from the river, the park sandwiched between them stunk of rotting fish or highway exhaust. And non of the outer suburbs had sidewalks despite having similar housing spacing to my hometown. Plus it was so much more car dependent despite having the population to support actual transit.

[@jameslynch8851]

I just studied in an exchange program at University College Utrecht this past spring and I miss living there so much. I live in New Jersey and the difference in quality of life is night and day. I can’t wait to make it back there one day!

[@ZachREGame]

Hello! American teenager here, admittedly very obsessed with public infrastructure. Would you recommend Utrecht to me? I fear I will not be able to afford college in the states. Your answer obviously won't decide whether or not I do, but it would be nice to hear from somebody who lived in the area.

[@Tiliad]

@ZachREGame As a Dutch person studying in Utrecht. I can really recommend Utrecht. It is a great livable city. Really everything you want to reach is possible in 15-20 minutes on a bike. Just make sure that you start looking in time housing as that is really that most difficult thing in Utrecht.

[@ZachREGame]

@Tiliad Yeah, I have heard a lot of bad about Netherlands housing recently. Pretty much everwhere I look has a housing crisis or something of a similar nature. A few months ago I found a relatively good apartment building in Amsterdam which I'll look into but am weary of. I will put more thought into it. Thank you for your input!

[@ahumphrey6737]

Go and study anywhere in the Netherlands where you can get a place and more importantly a student room/house. Finding a place to live is perhaps the hardest part. Google it (student accomotion problems Netherlands). So don't tie yourself down to only considering Utrecht (although it is a great place), lots of other great uni's, towns and cities all over the Netherlands. It's an amazing country. I'm British though I visit often, have cycled in all provinces, and am learning Dutch, though you can generally get by pretty well just with English. The Dutch are pretty cool, too. Laid back yet brutally honest, good sense of humour. If I could do uni again, I'd go there.

[@jameslynch8851]

@ZachREGame yeah I only lived there for about 6 months but UCU is a really cool institution that I would recommend looking into if you are looking to go abroad for college. Housing is guaranteed for students there btw since they make everyone live on campus.

[@joshsankarlal]

Thanks for all your videos, Jason. They have not only been informative but they've started a bit of a career for me. I've never been this early to a public video release before. Thank you for inspiring so many of us!

[@JkWillis]

Even though I've been an urbanist for as long as I can remember, your channel was a major inspiration for me to make my own videos highlighting the problems I see in my city of Denver. I strongly believe that this place can be as great as the Netherlands within the next 50-60 years, but then again Denver has a much more intact urban fabric than many other North American cities and a strong transit advocacy group.

[@Anarcath]

Cars are the scourge of modern day life. I live in Montreal where the downtown is being turned into pedestrian friendly space, at least some parts. But the problem is you can't turn a city more pedestrian friendly if it isn't also public transportation friendly, which Montreal is not. I don't go to downtown because I have to take my car and parking is very expensive and many places I can't drive at all. Montreal has its heart in the right place but it is also totally misplaced. Where I live, Pointe-Claire, west of Montreal, I can't go to the washroom without needing my car, which is a symbol of poverty.

[@warnfreezer]

I'm a local from the Detroit area and in the past 10 years the downtown area in Detroit has gotten significantly better. New tram line was installed and we managed to save our people mover from being torn down.

[@DMacB42]

So you’re saying… you *can* have shit in Detroit?!

[@garryferrington811]

As an old (ancient) Detroiter, that's great news. Keep it up! Add some trees and public parks.

[@MichiganUSASingaporeSEAsia]

I agree with you about Detroit. Also Mackinac Island Michigan as well as Kalamazoo Michigan and Holland city Michigan are all walkable. In fact, cars are not allowed on the streets on Mackinac Island

[@Tacko14]

If only the US, or Canada for that matter, understood that highways aren't supposed to go right through a town or city. That'd be a big improvement. You can't expect any body to turn it all around in one big move. But just this. Highways connect cities, they don't go right through them. That's just offensive. You gotta start somewhere and take it slow. This is my two bits.

[@Sparkling34]

I was waiting at a stop light on one of those horrible 'stroads' and I saw a blind man trying to cross the street, and it was a really clear reminder of how horrible the car centric infrastructure. In a walkable city he would have much easier freedom of movement, but here it is nearly impossible

[@Chris-zi1we]

As a Queens native, the desolate and car-centric design of almost all of North America genuinely depresses me every time I leave the city. NY is FAR from an urbanist paradise, but most other parts of the US and canada feel almost anti-human by comparison.

[@christian_b8659]

As i see the highway converted back to a canal, i got tears in my eyes. This is so beautiful.

[@happycommuter3523]

It’s horrible, bordering on dystopian, that the canal was ever covered up in the first place.

[@lewis6565]

You should do a video on Milton Keynes in England, it was designed in the 1960s to be as efficient as possible and the highways, cycle paths and walkways are completely separate.

[@snekramen6094]

Ever since I started watching your channel and other urbanists on yt I see my city completely differently. I noticed how one of our oldest streets is ruined by too much traffic allowed in and busses getting stuck in said traffic. I know why I never walked or biked to school even though it was less than 3 km from my home. I know what the problem is with the roads surrounding my neighbourhood, bus systems etc. Fortunately my local municipality it trying to improve this city. I noticed a new development, the last 5 years or so, where the bike path on the street connects seamlessly to the bike path on a bridge. In an older part of town a bike path ends suddenly in the middle of a major road next to a small collage, the local park, and several neighbourhoods. I know what the benefit is of the new subway/ underground/train idk what to call it that's being developed and know the inconvenience will be worth it once its open to the public. I see so many more people biking the last 3 years or so, especially patents with toddlers and construction workers. I've become insufferable (I lie, differently insufferable) since I started learning because I understand so much more about my life now.

[@Fisheee123]

I live in the suburbs in Delaware currently, and I've never been a "city guy". I've always hated cities and my dream is to live in the countryside. But after watching your videos, I've realized that cities don't have to suck

[@raphaelcaceres9129]

I live in the countryside. But I would be happy with cycle lanes though.

[@TheKeksadler]

Interacting with a lot of "country guys", generally speaking most people aren't "city people" until they've seen a good city.

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

I travelled from a major city where I live in the centre of the entral business district, and am I able to walk in any direction without coming into contact with cars. So imagine my shock when I arrive in to downtown Denver on Amtrak back in July for a conference and I noticed that most of the city is the devoid of people and that almost every block we travelled past was a surface parking lot (which we do not have in my city at all). I pointed this out to a local who was sitting next to me on the train, and asked why so much valuable space is taken up with parked cars, and not even a multistorey parking garages, which would make more sense. She looked at me, puzzled, and asked “Where else are cars supposed to park?” I told her in my city, there would be Housing built where those cars are parked and that the residents wouldn’t need a car and because within 200 m of where I live, I have 3 train stations, 5 Light rail stations, and 2 Metro stations, along with access to more than 40 bus routes, that will take me anywhere much faster than any car could., (oh, and within 100 m, I have 2 supermarkets, post office, bank, bakery, pharmacy, medical Centre, Dentist, dollar store, gym, library, theatre, cinema, multiple banks 5 pubs, and more than 100 restaurants. I’ve had my drivers license for decades, but never found the need to ever own a car, because getting around on foot or by public transit, is a much quicker & cheaper way… and way way, cheaper than owning a car. My fellow train passenger said that she could not go without a car, because to catch public transit for a 25 minute journey by car from the city centre to her home, would take her over an hour. This is laughable, America.

[@eliahabib5111]

You might want to check the distance with Google map. Because unless you have a mall with most of those establishments, or most of them are not on the ground floor at all, then 100m seems too small. 300-500 m possible... and walkable!

[@Player_X_YT2]

"Your local advocacy group knows more about walkable cities than you do pal, because they invented it, and perfected it so no man could best them in the ring of honour" - Soldier TF2

[@n0vawarp]

in 2019 i spent almost a month in the netherlands visiting a friend and for part of it we stayed in de pijp. super quiet, we walked to stores almost every day, and despite spending most of my time there in a smaller town in south holland, i only got in a car TWICE. it absolutely blew my mind that we were able to quickly and easily use the tram, subway, train, and bus with ONE transit card. comparing it to my handful of amtrak trips after years of living on the east coast is night and day.

[@notme9187]

I watch your videos during my school lunch break. I don’t think my city will ever improve but I hope to leave when I’m older. Keep making great videos!

[@iMusicShuffle]

I live in Toronto and am always so impressed to see your videos break down what high standard for a walkable city looks like

[@skullz6868]

I live in Toronto, it’s a nightmare. There is cars everywhere every second, the trams are slow and stuck in traffic and overall not worth it. Not just bikes has made me think about joining strong towns to help out the city’s.

[@normang3668]

Toronto is completely unbearable to drive in, and the fact that we haven't outright protested in order to move away from a car-centric city, tells me that we've become way too passive and indifferent as a society.

[@skullz6868]

@normang3668 exactly. We should protest for this bs of traffic. Even in the suburbs or the "new parts of Toronto" or GTA has some increasingly high traffic

[@DeusJensenGaming]

I live in Calgary and we have been making strides in improving our transit, however both nimbys and the provincial government have been pushing back hard since our outer suburbs are extremely carbrained and seem to see transit as a existential threat

[@Cesar-nq3he]

I haven't ride a bike since I was 10 years old and I don't have plans to do it again. But, I totally support bike infrastructure and public transit. Less cars on the road means more space for me and my car, so is a win win for everyone.

[@Alakablam]

This is the main thing they should promote in the USA/Canada, but then again, even if the numbers support it, some dumb major will reverse it using figures from years ago as a valid reason

[@2K_Hussain]

Watching this channel helped show me that there are solutions to the car dependent city epidemic but we got to swallow a hard pill and actually be considerate of others, especially when it comes to safety. The city would be much more appealing to me and watching this makes me want to visit the Netherlands and see the infrastructure for myself.

[@Loopyschwoopy]

Yooooo, you nailed the pronunciation of "Utrecht"!!! You are integrated very well

[@DiakosDelvin]

The key to Dutch is a level of phlegm inherent to people living in damp and drafty countries.

[@lws7394]

He even said a couple of times ' Utreg ' ! !

[@TagetesAlkesta]

I have a unique perspective on this. I live in a modern boom town (Billings, MT) that has experienced extremely rapid growth over the last few years, so it’s been interesting to see how new urbanism has affected my city. A lot of the newest parts of town are actually pretty good by US standards, so I’m holding out hope that one day my city will be a good example here in the US. Also, Bozeman MT has been doing incredibly well with their rapid growth. A sizeable chunk of the city is actually pretty walkable now, and they’re doing a lot to keep sprawl to a minimum.

[@SilenceOase]

I live in Utrecht and I am so hyped to see my beautiful city be featured here!!! It deserves all the praise it gets, the city is absolutely AMAZING

[@cmfrtblynmb02]

Man it is not going to be very good when the city gets too popular and the prices go up. Utrecht became a meme among those urban planning/ traffic channels a little too much for my taste

[@Sullyville]

"Growing concerns about the impact of car-centric development." I wish my neighbors had those concerns.

[@vivalaleta]

Terrific video. Good comparison in many ways and the idea Utrecht hid, and then exposed, such a big canal is mind boggling.

[@rudivandoornegat2371]

The new Besançon Tram in France is a public transit service for a population of 120,000 inhabitants. I always keep that in mind when people say my town, small city with a population of more than 120,000 is too small for a tram.

[@TheXtrafresh]

Im Dutch, and I'd like to stress one point that seems to be overlooked by almost everyone in these discussions: THIS IS CAR-FRIENDLY DESIGN. I'm not from Utrecht, but when I visit there by car, I can drive straight into the center of the city, park in a garage, and walk or bus to all the places I want to visit. Zero friction. People will argue that parking is expensive, but they don't realize that you are paying for short-term rental storage at an A+ location. Is 20 euros really that much, considering the money I'm going to spend on a day in town anyway?

[@apsuuuuu]

They had to redevelop the entire shopping mall and train station to make it what it is today. The old one felt a lot like Birmingham's old Bull Ring, urban hell. I remember walking through Utrecht's old station getting horribly lost in endless, dark desolate corridors. Much better now, lots of light and easy to navigate.

[@nevs0917]

11:20 It's also a never ending struggle. The picture here is a protest about the widening of a highway through a forest near Utrecht. The widening not only went through despite these protest but the current government wants to widen it even further (despite no one asking for that). Local advocates are once again protesting the change but I fear it will once again not be enough. Tho I'm certain it's not a lost battle.

[@Denes2005]

11:02 mostly because there aren’t enough people in most cities to flip an F150 on its side, it’s just too heavy

[@marckz2149]

It is pretty insane that my city got destroyed by the Soviets which makes me sad whenever i look at old photos, but your city got destroyed by bad planning which is even more outrageous.

[@ShuriBear]

I moved from another city in the Netherlands to Utrecht for this exact reason. Very human-friendly, walkable, beautiful, and everything is easy to travel to.

[@CorporateShill66]

Sounds like paradise, I want to move there too now :)

[@dyl_a_1]

I am an urban planning student who lived my entire life in London Canada. A video like this comparing the incredibly car centric city that I grew up in to a direct example of what it could have been is really interesting.

[@MichiganUSASingaporeSEAsia]

Mackinac Island Michigan as well as Kalamazoo Michigan and Holland city Michigan are all walkable. In fact, cars are not allowed on the streets on Mackinac Island. Nearby

[@roelkomduur8073]

Most people outside the Netherlands don't realise that Amsterdam is a part of a large urban conglomerate called the "Randstad " witch includes 8,10 million people ...All connected with trains , bike lanes, etc...All in 11.372 square km.. Mostly under sea level...BTW we like to give refuge to "Canucks" . Canadians payed dearly to liberate our country, in mine neck of the woods, (Deventer, Apeldoorn Zutphen and Voorst) more than 500 young Canadian soldiers lost their lives, ( visit the Canadian Commonwealth cemetery on the "Holterberg" s.v.p)..

[@blueheartbells]

This has made me realise I have just applied for Urban Planning/Transport degrees and apprenticeships, and I suppose a big reason for that was Not Just Bikes (I even wrote about your channel in my personal statement for university). So, thank you 😭 (though also my parents are both urban planners, so it was kind of in the blood)

[@helenooft9664]

Wish you lot of succes.

[@RealConstructor]

When I was on holiday in the USA, about 25 years ago, I walked from my hotel to an ATM in Pensecola. Really one time a car stopped and asked if I needed a ride because walking was dangerous in that neighborhood. I declined because the ATM was about 800m away from the hotel, I didn’t feel threatened and I didn’t see any other people walk, so how could it be dangerous. The ATM was funny though, it was a drive through ATM with three lanes. People didn’t even need to get out of their cars to get money. And I was walking in one lane, the car behind me honked, but I was waiting in line for the ATM in a car lane. I was so amazed by this that I forgot to make a picture of it. Never seen it before, a drive through ATM. Didn’t get robbed on the way back to the hotel. Are Americans maybe scaring each other that it is dangerous on the streets? When everyone says it is dangerous, everyone starts believing it. While in reality the chance something bad happens is very very small. We have the same in The Netherlands with bike theft. Everyone is scaring each other to use at least two extra chain locks for parking your bicycle. But I think it is limited to bigger cities and I live in a small town. I am 62 years old and my bike has never been stolen and I don’t use an extra chain lock.

[@jur6587]

Living in Utrecht is great! So great that housing prices have risen 18.5% this year (higher than anywhere else in the country) and it's about 50% more than 5 years ago. I sincerely do hope other towns around the world take notice and improve in a similar way. That might also alleviate the demand for houses in Utrecht :S

[@RoseSolane]

Utrecht (and its citizens) were lucky that they didn't destroyed half of the city centre to make way for highways. They drained a canal and bulldozed some houses, but most of what they did was reparable. The same is true for Amsterdam. But both cities still have scars from the 60's and 70's. If you take the new tram at Utrecht CS to Nieuwegein (4:25), as I did two months ago, you see some of those scars a few minutes after you left the station. And see how car-friendly Nieuwegein is. But the scars in Utrecht weren't as bad as they were 10 years ago. And as car-friendly Nieuwegein is it is also very bike-friendly. If someone from a car-centric city in the US or Canada wants to look at examples of what is possible to improve their cities don't look at the centre of Utrecht (or Amsterdam). Look at the route the tram takes between Utrecht CS and Nieuwegein, look at how cars, trams, bikes and pedestrians can exists together.

[@garryferrington811]

I grew up in East Detroit, Michigan, with most of what we needed only a few blocks away, A&P grocery store, Rexall Drugs, dentist, library, post office, church, even a second-run movie house. And it was a suburb. But not a modern suburb. My god, I miss the sheer _convenience._

[@MichiganUSASingaporeSEAsia]

Note Mackinac Island Michigan as well as Kalamazoo Michigan and Holland city Michigan are all walkable. In fact, cars are not allowed on the streets on Mackinac Island

[@Mus.Anonymouse]

Fun fact: My father was one of the workers who put that canal (gracht) underground. I have seen it disappear, and now reappear. Sadly the center of Utrecht has been kind of destroyed due to the decades (over 30 years) of redevelopment. But now this center is becoming great again. Where lots of shops disappeared and were difficult to reach, it is returning to a lively center. I was sad they started the project, however satisfied with how it turned out.

[@janelantestaverde2018]

It's difficult to describe how good a wide open space such as the one shown at 3:50 feels in a city. The amount of aspects that make them great is numerous.

[@timothyjones1757]

My father lived next door to fake London in fake Strathroy. At 86 he was run down when walking on a sidewalk. He survived but never walked anywhere again other than up and down his driveway. He was no longer fast enough to get across the street in front of his house to the sidewalk. By the way, the woman who hit him, a town counselor got an $80 fine for her efforts.

[@sacroyalty]

Can confirm, you are one of the (main) reasons we are moving to Europe, from the USA next month. Thanks for helping enlighten us! :)

[@barryrobbins7694]

12:13 …and they are all parked in the driveway because their garage is filled with crap.

[@tomselek1000]

Crap that they bought, like ping pong tables, because there are no third places for people to meet.

[@Lolwutfordawin]

Or because their trucks are too big even for gigantic American garages

[@Haydefaid]

4:37 This part is especially mind-boggling to me because my hometown, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, has half the population as London, Canada but has MULTIPLE tram lines….

[@lws7394]

SLC proper may be smaller , but the metro area has over 1 mln pop , so it is bigger than Fake London, i'd say ...

[@AnymMusic]

definitely seems SLC is one of the better cities in the US

[@arthurgarthur]

There is a hatred by right wing politicians around cyclists, and against public transit in Canada. The politics of Salt Lake City might be different.

[@gclip9883]

The idea that fake London is too big for a tram-line is absolutely ridiculous. In Europe, even cities with 100,000 people have large tram networks. A city of 400,000 is guaranteed to have an extensive tram networks with over a dozen lines, and some even have metros (even though you generally see metros with cities of 500K-750K upwards).

[@AndrewSephiTV]

I live in Edmonton a city worse than fake London, and every time there is a bare minimal attempt to improve walkability or transit, everyone complains about the snow, and this goes on every year.

[@blondebellend]

or complaining that traffic calming measures are adding precious minutes to their commutes lol

[@808v1]

"Did you know there are some GREAT FUCKING TRAINS..." - Sebastien Bach, S7 TPB

[@smasherjet]

4:06 lmao that bird just walking along minding his own business

[@cianoreillycork]

Fascinating seeing more about Utrecht’s history! I really miss living in Utrecht having studied abroad on my Erasmus there last year. I didn’t even have a bike but the trams and buses were fantastic, I’d spend many an evening just wandering the pedestrianised streets and alongside the Oudegracht, enjoying the sights and taking it all in. Over a year after moving back home to Cork in Ireland, I despise our disaster of a bus system more than ever. We can all learn so much from Utrecht!

[@cmfrtblynmb02]

I moved to Utrecht last year taking a job offer. Honestly I had no idea how much that city is loved among urban planning people. It has been almost a meme at this point. Too many eyes on this relatively small Dutch city.

[@randomdude5938]

The main thing I’ve taken away from this video is that it’s time for me to go outside and start flipping cars.

[@redwinedrummer]

I'm currently 18 months living in Fake London for studies and I've biked for work and recreation in my home developing country since 2014. Bike commuting in Fake London is good as long as your destination is accessible by the Thames Valley Parkway. But any other activity along the major roads like Commissioners and Wellington? No way. I made the mistake of commuting along Wellington during my first week of arriving and I've never been scared for my life! On a car, 60kph limits feel slow, but when you're a cyclist, it's a death sentence! 😱😱

[@Leonardo-G]

Yo I just came back from a study abroad program in Utrecht; it's probably the best city I've ever lived in and has convinced me I need to move to the Netherlands permanently!

[@job1870]

I lived in Utrecht my whole life and can tell you that everyone was so happy with the canal being refilled! I'm very lucky we learned from our mistakes and are fixing it.

[@LivLivyy]

As someone who grew up in a country with mid public transport I don't understand how everyone in the USA can afford and just live with a car. Is that why you can drive from 16??? Because even small kids go to school by train, bus or tram on their own. Having a cat is a privilege, not unfathomable but for teens not necessary.

[@MetalMachine131]

They basically have no safety standards or checks. Meaning you can drive any 50 year old junk death machine on the roads for cheap. Also very predatory car loans. Fuel is heavily subsidized by the state, and many just drive without insurance.

[@miked451]

@@MetalMachine131new vehicles have safety standards that are revised/updated regularly. Ongoing inspections vary state to state, with a range of standards. Loan terms range from excellent to poor depending on the applicant’s credit history. Insurance is required and carried by almost everyone. Gas is taxed by the state.

[@Alakablam]

Heavily subsidised fuel, if people from the us had to pay the actual price the country would grind to a halt

[@Sullyville]

I'm one of those people who studied urban planning partly because of NJB videos. I also started my local Strong Towns group! Let me just say, that if you think real-world urban planning is like an NJB video, you're in for a world of dissappointment. For starters, the majority of planners I meet have never heard of NJB or ST.

[@CampingforCool41]

The restored canal that used to be a highway is so beautiful. It really gives hope that things can be changed for the better even after they’ve been destroyed

[@fourcatsandagarden]

You're spot on. We were all robbed. And the descendants of the people who robbed us are deeply invested in making it even worse at every opportunity. I do so wish I had known these things (and known what I wanted) 15 years ago so I could have planned my life better.

[@MrBattlecharge]

I live in Ottawa. It's the least densely packed city with over 1,000,000 residents of any in the world, because we have such a large municipality (by area). As a result, we have large pockets of population and attractions that are divided by vast areas of low density, green spaces especially. But the lack of available public transport between these pockets and the poor bus and rail system (I see an O-train video in your future), it makes our one freeway (2 or 3 lanes wide in most places) very busy and thus very slow. It's one of my least favourite parts about living here. There was a nominee for city council who came by my door saying how their plan was to fix the transit system, and I asked how they wanted to do that. Their response was - I kid you not - adding more lanes. "More lanes means less dense traffic, which means faster buses". It wasn't "alleviate vehicle traffic by increasing the amount of buses", or "build more bus lanes to help speed them along", or even "I think a subway or tram system would help", it was literally "more room for cars means more room for buses", and I was so shocked by their answer I laughed so hard, said goodbye and then closed the door on them. At some point that same council nominee had called the system "a broken chair", and I had floated the idea to them about making public transport free. Free bus access means more riders and less cars on the road, which leads to higher investment into the system which makes it even better which, in turn, attracts more users and thus gets even more cars off the road. And I kid you not, this guy said "trying to sell a broken chair isn't going to get any easier by offering a free broken chair", and I was just sitting here thinking about how some people are just so tired of standing, but he wouldn't understand because he's been sitting on chairs his whole life.

[@MrBattlecharge]

Instead they announced increase bus fairs. That's how these old systems operate. When they introduce it, it's new and novel and plenty of people enjoy and use it. As time goes on the system stagnated and those in charge try to increase profitability by triming it down. This makes the system less advantageous, harder to use, more frustrating to use and not as easy as other newer options, thus some patrons jump ship. That makes for less customers, thus less income, and to try and salvage that loss of income they try and charge more from what customer base is left. That makes even more people jump ship, leaving only those who truly enjoy or depend on the system to be the ones left holding the ever-increasing price tag. These few are often referred to as the "whales". So because the bus system in Ottawa isn't great, they want to increase the price while triming features/routes and then blame "lack of interest" for the failings, and then want to change that by adding more incentives for the car users. It just doesn't make sense...

[@FOJO27]

London, Ontario - the Forest City. Used to be so beautiful - like 30-40 years ago.

[@kloassie]

4:30 *_E.v.e.r.y_* city is too small for a tram line. Trams are no less than trains that disregard and cross everything and everyone, squares, parks, highways, sidewalks, ... it's a miracle there isn't any tram crossing a children's playground *_yet_* . The only good trams are underground, which are then called 'subway' or 'metro', where they can only run over pedestrians and cyclists that *_purposely_* put themselves in danger I'm Klaas from the Netherlands and I approve of this message

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

I mean, trams are useful & people just have to open their eyeballs and watch where they're walking? Use common sense maybe? It's not like trams don't have super constructed crossing guards and lights and noise and everything else to alert people to where they are. You really can't miss it. It's not like they're running invisible. Like.... I don't get your point. Just trying to be contrary?

[@KevKevAllen]

I’ve recently become unemployed. While unemployed I’ve noticed how absolutely ludicrous gas prices are in my area, and how often I fill up on gas. In my area, students ride the public bus for free. As I’m a student at the local community college, I’ve started taking the bus to wherever I need to go. The bus infrastructure here isn’t great, but it’s a starting point and most of where I need to go is within a “reasonable” walking distance of a bus stop. I’m lucky in that my apartment building is along a main road, and there’s a bus stop across/down the street in both directions. If I lived further into the residential zoned areas I’d be SOL for getting to a bus stop by foot, unless I biked. The bike infrastructure here isn’t great, not very many business have bike tie-ups, but people seem to make do.

[@Turnil321]

Fun fact about Utrecht. We are getting less delivery cars and replacing them with boats (just like it was before there were cars).

[@martijnvanweele6204]

I wouldn't call Utrecht all that easy to walk in, but to its credit, that's mainly because the streets are so crowded with pedestrians most of the time...

[@merry_christmas]

True. But in the city council's defense: it's an old city with many protected-status buildings so the small crowded streets are an issue that won't be solved unless they follow the Rotterdam approach (being bombed during a world war 😅).

[@martijnvanweele6204]

@@merry_christmas Unfortunately, the likelyhood of that has been increasing recently...

[@Velo.kavousi]

Well I lived in Amsterdam in 2017 for few months and just recently while I was 90% sure I want to move here forever, your videos made me 99% sure. and that 1% is Manchester UK purely based on not needing to learn another language.

[@doobybrother21]

you definitely don't need to learn another language to live in Amsterdam

[@Brozius2512]

@@doobybrother21 Or anywhere in the Netherlands. The Dutch are the best non-native English speakers in the world. But it would be appreciated if you would learn some Dutch, it doesn't have to be perfect.

[@Velo.kavousi]

@@doobybrother21 I get what you mean EVERYBODY speaks perfect English here unlike Italy or Spain, but if you want to fully integrate you which I want, you need to learn Dutch and I will.

[@Velo.kavousi]

@@Brozius2512 Exactly, as I said in my other reply. I've been studying for a month now lets see.

[@mrshhjj8899]

@@doobybrother21 if you want to understand the land, you will have to learn the language, or be a disconnected tourist forever.