Why Europe Is Insanely Well Designed! | Americans React | Loners #39

We're back on a Monday! In today's video, we looked at how Europe Is Insanely Well Designed and learned things that could definitely improve our system here in America of transportation. We hope you enjoy this content and if you do, please don't forget to like and subscribe! Thank you all :)
Original Video --- bit.ly/3VNrN6E
Vlog Channel --- bit.ly/3GmDKdZ

[@jbird4478]

That map of Europe's train network is not complete by any means. It only shows some of the international trains. The rail network including internal national lines is far more extensive. For example, that map only shows one dot in the Netherlands. There actually are around 400 train stations there.

[@TronarV89]

In Poland we have more than 2500 train stations

[@carlkolthoff5402]

Sweden here, 15 600 km railway tracks, 525 stations. 4 cities with trams, 1 city with subway (100 stations). 2940 km of bicycle lanes. We're about 10 million citizens and nearly 5 million cars. A lot of people use public transportation or bicycle for commuting and take the car for weekend trips or grocery shopping.

[@jbird4478]

@@micade2518 Yes, but it's kind of weird to use this to compare it to the US. This kind of long distance intercity travel by train exists in the US as well. A big difference is that in Europe it is connected to a much larger grid so people can actually get from where they live to pretty much anywhere.

[@Gazer75]

@@micade2518 openrailwaymap will show different views on the worlds rail network

[@Jamiro_Van]

And 550 stops in Belgium Alone

[@martinaklee-webster1276]

If you are a EU Citizen, you have No Time-Limit to stay inside another EU Country.You have the right to travel, live, and work in every other Member State. Greetings from Germany 🥰

[@SonnyKnutson]

Yes, with some caveats xD If you spend more than half a year in the country you need to register and set up everything to start paying taxes to that country.

[@naycnay]

You have no limit if you follow the process. I don't think the process is hard at all and there is very little in terms of obstacles that might prevent you moving/working. But if you just turn up in another country with nothing but an ID card, the limit is three continuous months.

[@davidbroz6755]

@@naycnay But those three months are just the official limit anyway. How can anyone tell if you've exceeded that limit? There is no border control, no stamps in the passport... In practice, only if a person starts working here (and therefore has the obligation to pay taxes) does he have to do some paperwork

[@naycnay]

@@davidbroz6755 True. But there are ways for you to end up in a list or in a crux be searched upon. Phone usage (just connecting to local towers), bank usage, questioning the hotel or property owner of where you are staying and so forth. I mean, it's really doubtful to get busted and probably not even enforced. However, applying to work there permanently, applying for benefits, altercations with police or the court system or customs/immigration travelling out of the EU and so forth might have grounds to run checks on you.

[@davidbroz6755]

@@naycnayI have never heard of a case of anyone being detained. That's why I looked at the website of the Ministry of the Interior in the meantime. This is all not true. An EU citizen can stay in the territory of the Czech Republic (which is a member state) for as long as he wants. Here is the quote: " EU CITIZENS have the right of free movement and residence, which is established by the Treaty establishing the European Communities and Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 29, 2004, on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory member states. EU citizens can enter the territory of the Czech Republic and stay there for an unlimited period of time only on the basis of a travel document, which in this case is also an identity document, without being obliged to apply for any form of residence permit. If an EU citizen wants to stay in the territory for more than 3 months, he has the right (but not the obligation) to request the issuance of a certificate of temporary residence."

[@jbird4478]

For EU citizens working and living in another EU member state is not limited by three months. I don't know where he gets that from, but we can live in other member states indefinitely without restriction.

[@loners4life]

That’s awesome to hear!

[@anfearaerach]

Yeah I just got a job in Ireland and packed a suitcase to move two years ago. It's really easy.

[@roamoilanen]

I wonder that too. for example if I move from Finland to Estonia, after 6 months part my taxation will be moved there (tax from salary etc.), but I can stay as long as I want.

[@RealConstructor]

If you’re from a EU/EER(EEA in English) country or from Switzerland, you can stay for 3 months in The Netherlands, you only need a valid Pasport or ID card and no criminal record. If you want to stay longer, there are conditions, you always need a health insurance and a registration at the municipality. You are also or ‘economical active’ (you are employed, self-employed or jobseeker), or ‘economical inactive’ (but have enough money from pension or wealth) or a student with own means to live from.

[@jbird4478]

@@RealConstructor Those are just things that are required in general if you live here. Those are not conditions to live here but are just the laws if you do. Dutch citizens have to have health insurance as well, and do need to register at the municipality where they live.

[@TomRuthemann]

Considering cost of public transport vs. cost of individual traffic, Germany just made the boldest move. From April or May 2023 there will be 'federal' monthly ticket available, costing 49 € (currently 53 $) which allows citizens to use a ALL buses, trains and trams everywhere in the country except for fast high-speed intercity trains. Consider this: If you have the time available, you can travel everywhere and to every place in the country for a really small monthly fee.

[@firbolg]

In Switzerland, our intercity trains, which aren't high speed trains... go for 200 km/h... 125 mph! And believe me, buidling in Europe is definitively not easier than in the US... so it's a question of will... not engineering or bureaucracy!

[@PyroMaestros]

And with the same speed through a 57 km tunnel

[@harunyavuz1261]

Approximately 50 percent of Berlin households are car-free, with 324 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, the city has the lowest motorization rate in Germany. In addition, people who have a car often use other means of transport. 96% of Berliners have a stop within a maximum of 500 meters. This means that no matter where you want to go, you need to walk less than a kilometer.

[@seanmc1351]

Guys, i watch all your content, Im from the UK, live in a village in the north of england, its a small village, the road is about a mile through our village, im going to go to the top, and walk down and show you how a village looks like, 3 fish shops, 8 hair dresser, 5 stores, travel agent, car wash, indian take away, chinese take away, 3 pizza shops, school, fishing lake, and i will pass 6 bus stops in that mile, also record shop, car repair, post office tanning shop, tatoo shop butchers, bakers, cafe, and breakfast take away, plus nursery school, chemist, (parmacy) plus 2 doctors surgery, on one street less than a mile long, i will do a video vlog post it for you

[@winterlinde5395]

@@micade2518 in Germany in such a village there would be apartments in the same houses as the shops. The butcher with family themselves may live on the upper floors. So, enough space for people. Plus housing at the edges of the town

[@seanmc1351]

@@winterlinde5395 hi, i live north of england, back in the day, when coal mining was big industry, these houses were built for the coal miners, paid 1.00 a week rent, got 13 bags free coal a month, so communities were built around the villages, , everything in one spot so to speak, before modern times, of everyone having a car and all that, as things moved on the coal mines closed, communities stayed, paople bought there houses, cheap, but prices have never increased, not like down south london and south coast area, i live in london Harrow, i was paying 900 a moth for a one bedroom flat, i now live in the north in a 3 bedroom house, with a garden, patio and i only pay 390 a month

[@vaudevillian7]

@@winterlinde5395 it’s often the same in the U.K. for village shops and pubs

[@winterlinde5395]

@@vaudevillian7 😃 that’s what I thought!🌸

[@maxmoore9955]

In the 1950s the big car manufacturers bought up a lot of town and Cities Tram systems, and scrapped them .

[@loners4life]

This makes a lot of sense because they saw the future potential for profits

[@maximusretardious4597]

Oil/ gas companies in the USA have spent 100's of millions on lobbying and under the table payouts to the right people to make sure people use cars.

[@Afrolovertje]

When I was younger, my family went on vacation to the southwest of the USA (we did Las Vegas, San Francisco, LA and the national parks). As I was only familiar with the USA from the movies (I'm Belgian), I always thought it to be similar to Europe. I learned quickly how wrong I was, and yes one of the smaller culture shocks was how little people in the states seem to walk. I clearly remember being in San Francisco and walking to the famous peer, and it was almost eery how little people were walking around. I also feel like the square design really makes walking awfull as well, you are just walking endlessly on straight roads with no variation. Seems silly, but I really missed all the turns and variety in street design and housing that I would walk past on my daily commute to school.

[@GeeShocker]

Did the same trip in '95 as a 17 year old. I think you mean Fisherman'sWharf.

[@Afrolovertje]

@@GeeShocker I honestly have no idea, it was 10 years ago by now. It was a lovely trip but I learned that I would never want to live in the USA :')

[@MarcelHeldt1983]

The open border thing is really cool in Europe. I remember driving my bike through Basel, Switzerland during a vacation and within 20 Minutes I was in Switzerland, France and Germany. The only way I could tell I crossed a Border was because of different looking traffic signs. No border patrol, nothing.

[@MarcelHeldt1983]

@TeaTin What terrorists? It's Europe. The border patrols are around Europe, not inside it. Usally, if you don't attack other countries they tend to not hit back. Yeah, pretty strange concept, I know.

[@Kareszkoma]

@@teatin7876 It's called the Schengen Zone.

[@ebbhead20]

@@MarcelHeldt1983 im sorry, but theres a lot of history of terrorism in Europe. Germany had the RAF going crazy in the 70's and 80's. And fheres been Isis related stuff all over the place. Spain. Sweden, Denmark. You name it, bombs and machine gun action has happend in those places. We also habe the gangs from around Europe that lives to come in a be cunts time and time again. We throw them out and they're back a week later. So no, were not as happy about the open borders as we used to be.. But we still stop a ton of dangerous people. Open borders can still be monitored borders and they are. A lot of dodgy guys do get picked up at the borders from Germany to denmark. You shouldn't read open as we dont care into it. We di5, and most people wants them shut. Scandinavia has turned way more anti foreigners because of what comes in here. We get rhe mist low life people in the world that pray on older danes and swindle and pretend to be anything from social workers to cops and nurses. I have met many that has gone fromnim down with everybody to almost a Hitler was right.. Kind of attitude in just a few years. We also have a probkem with how they see naked girls in the beach as an invitation to gang rape and shit like that. So its changed a lot in the last 20 years. The relaxed laws are making a lot of non racist people crazy racist. The rise in hardcore right-wing parties proces that. That's Scandinavian and germany and France.. So its not as lovey dovey as it used to be..

[@Niki91-HR]

Weirdly enough Switzerland not being in the EU but in the Schengen zone...but them having in the Schengen zone is a good thing though.

[@monacophotographyevents2384]

@@Niki91-HR Same as here in Monaco.

[@cesarneves]

Freedom in the USA: "How can I benefit?" Freedom in EU: "How can WE benefit?" Proudly europpean.

[@FuFightersStudio]

I always remember that Elon idea with a underground superhighway where you drive your car onto a lift, it is lowered into a tunnel and carried at high speed to the place you want to leave at - avoiding congestion. In Europe we just rofl'd since he invented less efficient version of metro :D

[@xxx_phantom_xxxw_t_a9479]

hello from Switzerland, well, I think one of the main reasons why there is hardly any infrastructure for public transport in your country is that it costs money, if everyone has to take their car, it costs a lot less tax money than having to maintain a rail network, be it national, regional or just in the city. Just as an example, the Gotthard base tunnel (at 57 km/35.41 miles the longest railway tunnel in the world) cost around CHF 12 billion/US $13.02 billion, but is a main axis for passenger and freight transport on the north/south axis (Germany to Italy). I just don't understand the fact that people in your cities don't do more to minimize car traffic, the car avalanches in the city every day, the exhaust fumes and everything, you could solve it smarter. When I then think of the street cafes here, where you can relax and have a coffee outside without constantly having the feeling that you are sniffing an exhaust pipe (not to mention the noise), then that also makes a difference in the quality of life significant difference. Indeed, the good question is, where does the taxpayer money go? It seems to me, at least not back to the citizen, or that as few investments as possible are made that benefit the citizen, the general public. Ahh parking spaces is also a problem, when we plan a shopping center there is always a fierce battle over how many (or rather how few) parking spaces it can have at most, and these often have to be charged for, so that objections can be raised various environmental and transport organizations etc. are withdrawn. Here with us, you quickly search for half an hour just so that you can finally find a parking space in the evening. The issue of more green and more pleasant cities is not only a concern of the EU, especially since Switzerland explicitly does not belong to the EU, but has been pursuing this concern for some time. As a citizen, I can't say that that bothers me, on the contrary, I have space to relax in the city too, I can enjoy a (smaller) piece of nature, which is definitely worth something in a city during the week. Of course, it should also be noted that spending time outdoors or in nature has a different status in Europe than in the USA (in general). Just imagine, there are even towns (you can't call it a city because of its size) that get along completely without (petrol/diesel/gas) cars, you can only imagine that the somehow unimportant "forgotten" villages are, but far from it, Wengen and Zermatt, 2 world-famous tourist spots demonstrate this. Admittedly, this cannot be taken as an example, but such a contradictory thought. Please, please make a difference between EU (political association of European countries, which does not include all countries) and Europe (geographical Europe).

[@timolynch149]

The car industry in Europe is massive. Germany alone has an output equivalent to 35% of that of the USA (although by population Germany only is around 25% the size of the US). In total, roughly 12 million motor vehicles were produced in the EU alone in 2021, compared to roughly 9 million in the US. The argument that the car industry in the USA is bigger or more influential than in Europe doesn't hold water, especially once you factor in that of the 20 major car manufacturers 17 or 18 are US Americans and the top two are fairly consistently Toyota and VW. Quite a large number of vehicles produced in the USA are not designs by US companies. That doesn't mean the car industry in the USA is not important, it means it's not the thing that makes a difference.

[@dutchladylover]

You make some valid observations, especially when it comes to: how can we profit from it? As a Dutchie I can say public transport is a normal, every day thing and efficiënt mostly here. It actually takes you where you want/need to go. Although nothing is perfect. Not even in this little, well organised country. 😎 As another comment states, if you see some video's of Not Just Bikes (by a Canadian currently living in Amsterdam) you will see he will confirm some of your comments. And maybe even enlighten you on some problems you haven't even recognise to exist. Also his channel explains the surplus of bycicletrails that made your eyes pop a little.... 🤪 Anyways.... Keep it up. And stay critical. 👍🏻🤣

[@loners4life]

We plan on doing videos to Not Just Bikes! Thanks for your comment also and the info ✌️

[@Kuutti_original]

Hey could you also react his video in regarding Oulu? Finnish city (LINK: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5nbXmVsfMt2eLc ) Its nowhere close to dutch but continues to show what is possible with bikes, just in arctic climate. Anyways thanks for the great reactions, i really like your thought processes and down to earth attitude on things!

[@dutchladylover]

@@Kuutti_original Biking is possible everywhere (in theory) as long as there is an sufficient infrastructure. It's not about mountains (Switzerland) it's not about climate (from Finland to Sicily), you can see people on bycicles everywhere. It's about possibility and a level of safety. 👍🏻

[@Kuutti_original]

@@dutchladylover yes, i know. I bike myself aswell, was referring to the topic of the video here.

[@claudiavalentijn1457]

@@loners4life that would be great! As a Dutch person myself I agree with dutchladylover. And I'd like to add: do come over and experience the freedom of riding a bike for your daily transport to work, friends, shops etc. Not only is it cheap, practical and good for both your own health AND the environment, as a parent I am really grateful that we have such good bicycle infrastructure. Children in the Netherlands learn how to cycle around 3, 4 years old and by the time they are 12 they will be very able to move around by themselves. Which gives them a sense of autonomy and us parents time off of being a taxi-driver to our own kids.

[@Korvringen]

Went to Miami with my gf and a friend for 3 weeks a couple of years ago. We where gonna go from our hotel to the panthers stadium and as a Swede, ofc we went straight for the bus alternative. Asked the staff for some information about bus network. They looked at us like we where crazy and even asked us pretty harsh to NOT take the bus! We didnt understand why and went by bus anyway. Despite ending up on the bus with criminals and homeless people and a busdriver who was obviusly under influence of some sort. It went ok.. had to walk for an hour in the end to get to the stadium. Ofc we had backpacks with drinks and som extra clothes and whatnot. Was a shock we couldnt bring them with us in to the stadium so we had to hide them in some bushes outside. We took a taxi home;)

[@paul1979uk2000]

Slight mistake in the video where he said Europeans in the EU can travel and stay for 3 months, if you're an EU citizen, you can work, rest and play in any EU country as long as you like and I think that 3 month thing is for none EU citizen that can stay for 3 months. Basically, think of it a bit like if you're an American citizen, you can live in any US state, it's like that with EU citizen with EU countries, it also includes some none EU countries as well but I don't know what the terms are with them.

[@jandejong1122]

2 good channels to see with regard of city planning are "Not Just Bikes"and ""Strong Towns". Highly recommended!

[@oakguard]

I kinda get annoyed now hearing the excuse that "oh well we've built too much that it will take too long to change it" this doesn't work since here in Europe we have it way harder we have to make changes and build things while keeping in mind places and buildings ranging from a couple years to 2,000+ yrs that surround us along with all manner of other difficulties like plague burial sites ,the odd unexploded bomb from a world war and geological problems etc...

[@andycooke6231]

LA had the largest tram/trolley/interurban system in the world but in the 1950 vested interested conspired to replace them with freeways and roads. Many US cities had large trolley systems.

[@Alexandros.Mograine]

i used to think america looked good because of all the pictures i saw, then i went there and was shocked by just how many parking lots there were.

[@palantir135]

How many different car types and brands do you think we have in Europe? We have all European, many Japanese, Korean, American and even Chinese and Indian ones. The map of railways only showed the high speed ones. There are also the very extensive national railway and metro networks. In the Netherlands we don’t really need a car if we live in the bigger cities and villages. Everything can be done on foot, bicycle, public transport. Only if you live in the rural parts a car is needed for longer trips or to go to public transport.

[@anette7283]

In Denmarks capital Copenhagen you do not need a car, a bicycle is ok

[@JacobBax]

I subscribed, and now I also have to enjoy it?? You folks are very demanding😂😂

[@loners4life]

We appreciate you haha 🤣

[@jsmoor4988]

So happy I biked to work today. 13km back and forth (26 total) with 99% exclusive bike lanes and 0 trafficlights Fresh air and paid exercise.If I use the car in morning and midday traffic it takes more time, costs money and doesn’t keep me in shape. Should I use bus and train, it stops very close to my work, but again biking is faster. Forget to mention that cars have to stop for bikes on the big bikelanes. You almost never have to stop with your bike and can smile to all the stopped cars. In winter they keep the big bikelanes free from snow. The wind makes you strong and when it rains you put on your raincoat and trousers. Many places in the Netherlands are like this and more and more cities they limit or even don’t allow any cars. Bikes and public transport and then cars as a priory. I’m proud of it! Check out the great example on KZbin of the city called Groningen. Not most bikefriendly in the EU, in the world. Several great KZbin stuff about biking in the Netherlands

[@CimInc]

I'm from Sweden and I went to College (only 1 semester) in Santa Monica (Cali), this was back in 2009 and the public transport was hell. Been to San Francisco about 6 times as well and that's been no better. Stockholm public transport is just great. Couldn't imagine living without such a great system again tbh.

[@christopheb.6121]

Same in France, public transports are so great.

[@rav7449]

I think you will enjoy (and learn a lot from) "Not Just Bikes" it's a great channel that explains why North American infrastructure doesn't work...

[@dutchladylover]

I concur

[@loners4life]

We will be doing videos on that channel soon! We look forward to them ✌️

[@baronmeduse]

I went to the supermarket earlier and saw a total of 8 cars. This is before the commute raises the numbers, but in residential areas you barely see cars in some places here (the Netherlands). However on the main roads and slip roads heading into the city there are many more. There are very few traffic jams though.

[@davidbroz6755]

I lived in NYC for a year. Here you really go mainly by public transport (if only because there is nowhere to park). People in NYC walk a lot (downtown sidewalks are full). You can't imagine New York without the subway. But when I compare public transport in NYC with my city - Prague is incomparably better. Just for example: during the morning and afternoon rush hours, the metro train interval is 1.5 min. and trams 4 min. With one ticket you can travel for an hour and change from the metro to the tram and bus at will. I use a year-round ticket (card), which costs 3,650 crowns = 164 USD (45 cents per day)

[@anneagasster9714]

Europe has far more car brands than the USA. there are 69 different car brands in Europe compared to 10 car brands in the USA. The difference is not in the number of car brands but how old the cities are. Most European cities are from before the car existed. The houses are close together and the streets narrow. It takes a lot for us to demolish an old house, then the house has to be completely rotten for us to use. There is very little street parking and therefore the need is much greater for trams, metro lines, buses and trains. Because we have to move people faster from A to B. In Oslo between 16-18, you risk being stuck in traffic for over an hour from getting from the center to the Oslo border. if you take a metro, it takes about 25 minutes and the metro runs every 7 minutes. Buses also have their own lanes so you drive past all traffic. Driving in cities is not efficient. I live outside Oslo, it takes about 1 1/2 hours to drive into the city in the morning, but I drive to the train station and take the train in. It takes about 40 minutes. In addition, all trains, metros, trams and buses are clean. They are washed daily and the seats are good to sit in. There is no stigma to taking public transport. Even our old king took the metro during the oil crisis. You meet rich people, politicians, stars and everyday people on public transport.

[@Aldraz]

In Europe you can take train or bus from almost any city to any other city. Even the villages sometimes have train access, bus lines are guaranteed everywhere. And yeah, it is cheap and faster than going by car most of the time.

[@paulakuljunlahti]

15:26 there are 200 railway stations operating here in Finland. you can get to all Finnish cities by bus, except small villages during holidays. here in the countryside, a car is a necessity, but already in a small town with 50k inhabitants, local traffic is smooth. for short trips you can also rent a bike and in the summer an electric scooter, which pays according to use. thank you for your response, this opened my own eyes to see things in a new way.

[@bee12117]

I was in US 10 years ago. From the place I stayed in I could see a shoping center. It was maybe 0.5 mile away. But for the love of everything I could not figure out how to.... walk there. It was a small town but between me and that shop was a see of roads and barriers. I did "walk" to that shop. But I'm pretty sure I broke couple of traffic laws. UNWALKABLE

[@dabbiedeejee4804]

In Europe we design infrastructure to move people. In the usa They do iT to move cars. A car on average holds 1.3 people. A bus holds 65

[@mikevik100]

The biggest diffrence i notice is that Europe dont block the sky out with tall buildings in its big cities, it looks way nicer in my oppinion and less corporate/stress like.

[@emzi2975]

Not sure where he got the 3 months from. as a eu citizen I can live and work anywhere in the eu without any time limit. edit: just looked it up, the 3 months is without registering, longer then 3 months you have to register your residence thats all.

[@Anson_AKB]

afaik, there is a limit (the 3? months mentioned in the video; that channel seems to be by a non-eu citizen) for foreigners to stay in europe (with a few inclusions and exclusions, generally the EU or the Schengen area) with one visa, and then they have to leave the area for some months before being allowed to reenter. but that's not the case for EU citizens: that part of the video is wrong. btw: those rules were created by the EU together with the UK when they still were a member, but after brexit the UK is now on the other side of the fence (they now are a "3rd country") and don't like that they now have to follow the same restrictions (like max stay, eg no longer allowed for half a year in spain) like other non-europeans. there are a few videos on youtube which explain what the EU (and Schengen, Eurozone, etc) are and how it works. maybe suited for a series of reaction videos?

[@hansomdal6231]

Parts of the US are so ideal for high speed rail, too. Like a line from San Francisco to San Diego would be very profitable with the large population in between. The same goes for the east coast. Still cars are prioritized...

[@mattsmith5421]

You used to have more available public transport infrastructure like trams in cities etc but your car industry wasn't to happy about that and lobbied the government to remove it in the 50s or 60s if I remember correctly. Edit maybe I should of waited until the end of the video as it mentioned it on there.

[@denislebrun4247]

You don't want to pay taxes in the USA ? Then you get no public transit. Pretty simple.

[@whitecompany18]

I live on the wirral peninsula in Merseyside Cheshire in the UK and our train stations are about 3 miles apart and there's a train where ever you are going every 12 minutes and a bus every 17 minutes, I just wish the trains had a dedicated carriage for people on bicycles so we didn't get in everybody else's way. Other than that our public transport is brilliant👍

[@Kareszkoma]

On the Austin topic. In Hungary we have these suburb trains, called HÉV. It's a smaller train that transports people into the city to work, from nearby towns, villages, into bigger cities. Which is just the capitol. It's a 30 min ride. It's green, it has 10 carts, and can transport a couple thousand people. I think, these were made for places like Austin.

[@manfredkandlbinder3752]

Walkability is key, and key to that is mixed-use zoning. Mixed-use zoning is basically everywhere in germany, nobody would not include some sort of supermarket and other small shopping, even restaurants or bars, in walking distance of a newly planned and built residential project. On top of that residentials are usually multi-storey apartment complexes, not single-family detached homes which just waste so much space. Many city centres are even car-free, again because of walkability. It is just more compact, you do not even need buses or trains, you can just cycle to go shopping. Distances are shorter and roads are accommodated to encourage cycling. All this takes pressure of the roads by reducing car traffic, which further increases walking and cycling. Many people do not know but cities are not loud, cars are. A city with less cars or a car-free city centre is a wonderful and pretty calm place.

[@Manueelaa]

I'm from Switzerland and almost EVERY village has a train station here and if they don't, you can get there by bus. You really can get everywhere with public transportation. I just looked it up, we have over 2000 train stations in a pretty small country with 8 million inhabitants. That makes 1 train station per 4'000 people. And the trains run very regularly and they are on time too.

[@sevilnatas]

Los Angeles had a very extensive trolley system called the Red Car, back in the day. My mother has told me stories about taking the Red Car into downtown from the Westside, near the Westside Pavilion, to go to the dentist. She said that you could go anywhere in the city and out to Long Beach, on the Red Car.

[@perlyax]

That’s funny because Red Car gives sort of Communist Car vibe and wouldn’t surprise me if they would have taken it down just for it being “communist” which is obviously evil in the american minds

[@VildguppyDK]

2 years ago i took a trip from Copenhagen in Denmark to a very small city called Niederaussem in Germany only on public transportation. And it was not a problem. From my home and to the hotel, i only walked about 1 kilometer on a almost 900 kilometer trip.

[@hops7695]

In Europe is the car industry much much bigger than in the usa Love your videos keep going

[@Dutch1961]

It's the euclidian zoning in the US that creates inhabitable cities and forces people to use a car in their everydy life. I recommend you take a look at the KZbin channel Not Just Bikes.

[@annedunne4526]

You can stay in any country of the EU to visit for up to three months but you csn study or work in any EU country forever if you choose. The idea of freedom of movement means someone can study in Paris and work in Portugal or Austria or Ireland without restrictions. The UK gave that up.

[@christopheb.6121]

In many cities of France, public transports as Bus and trams are free for kids and students, and also free for all every weekend (in the city of Nancy for example), like that many people do not use their car to go shopping or just walking in the Downtown.

[@schroedingers_kotze]

Aside from ideological decisions, one of the reasons for the different transport systems is the completely different geographical structure of the continents and the related population densitiy. The total area of Europe and the US might not be so different, but comparing the population distribution, it differs significantly. In Europe the highest population density is pretty much in the center and other densely populated areas are not too far away (mostly not more than 1.500 km). This is of course due to the historical development since ancient times, which is also strongly influenced by geographical factors like topography, soils and climate. A lot of modern railroads and motorways in Europe are based on the course of streets of the Roman Empire. The areas with the least populated regions are mainly located in peripheral countries. In the US, on the other hand, you have East Coast and West Coast with large urban agglomerations, whereas in the middle of the US there are huge areas with very low population density (also some big cities, but not so many compared to Europe). From East Coast to West Coast you have to travel very long distances (about 4.000 km). To built a rail transport system comparable to the European infrastructure would be by no means as efficiant as in Europe, though extremely expensive. But of course it would make sense to built a much better public transport in the densely populated areas.

[@QazwerDave]

Parking is also one of the reasons for the flooding

[@Djur2844]

Europe (650 million ppl) is more densely populated than the USA (350 million ppl) and therefore efficient transport systems are required.

[@thierryroberfroid9400]

In Brussels they made the center of the city car free a few years ago, everyone was furious, shopkeepers were afraid for their business, it was an attack on our freedom etc... now, a few more years late everyone is so happy, going to brussels now is like going on vacation, the city was empty, now it comes alive again, there are people everywhere, we breathe, everything is clean and renovated, it's is a dream and other cities in Belgium are following this example

[@monacophotographyevents2384]

Here in Monaco, surprisingly for the 2nd smallest state, there is lots and lots of parking spaces. The reason being, most spaces are underground, 6 levels or more.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

An example of other type of planning for example in the netherlands you must be able to walk to a grocery store/supermarket with in 1.5 km from your home . And iam not joking as its mandated by law. Also most towns are walking distance between each other 5km to 10 km range on average 1 hrs of walking .

[@loners4life]

That’s amazing!

[@nolamullen1889]

I get so annoyed in my home city when they build houses upon houses without considering amenities. Each suburb should be treated as a seperate town.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

@@nolamullen1889 Having stores /shops even schools in walking distance also creates a more lively and more enjoyable place to live . more interaction you speak to other neighbours parrents , children play with class mates and other neighbour hood kids .. social controll is high its alround improvement over some distant suburb with realy nothing but living space . Just imagine walking down the road bringing or picking up your child from and to school and walking back getting some groceries .or pop in a bakery and getting some fresh cookies or bread . or having a cafe/ small restaurant down the street . So much more enjoyable .

[@yellfire]

bs, not requiered at all by law in the netherlands. We have different zoning laws than the US. Mixed zones (functiemenging) are common in the lowlands unlike in the states where zoning actively has been discouraged such mixed use for many decades.

[@RaduRadonys]

But that's because the Nederlands is a small country. Imagine having a walking distance between towns in countries like the US, there would be trillions of towns and billions of people there.

[@joachimkylhammar5084]

funny how it is all about trains when we also have trams,rail bus,comuter trains,subway,regular bus,long travel bus hospital transport bus ( in some places) just on top of my head :):)

[@Eshelion]

In US it'll be harder to utilize bicycles, because of bigger spaces between places - in Europe cities are packed tighter, due to less land and less need for parking lots (and if they are really needed, they are often made underground and/or multilevel, to save space), while in US you have big areas sacrificed to parking lots, so traveling by bike would be less efficient (but surely healthier in many cases and faster in some cases of 100% time traffic jams - but there public transportation would do even better).

[@vaudevillian7]

I’m in my mid-late 30s, don’t have a driving licence, live in a village in England but can get everywhere by walking, bus or train. I can get to London (half the country away) with a 5 minute bus and a train for just over an hour. Or I could walk 30-40 minutes, and not get the bus. I spend a lot of time in the US and the lack of walkability depresses me a little - especially where sidewalks just disappear. You definitely get judged in the US (Midwest especially), I’d imagine New York or places with really good transit (for the US) are where it’s slightly less so. I think you’re right about the band aid thing, the US seems to take a very short term view on everything without considering long-term consequences Although it may not be cheap, gas in the US is ludicrously cheap compared to Europe say (on average it’s half the price of what it is in the UK for example)

[@Kareszkoma]

The bike lane map is pretty much only focusing on Germany. That's not fair. The whole of Europe is full of them.

[@LexusLFA554]

Our recent local train from Ulm to Munich also reaches 70 mph, but that is its top speed. It travelled at 60 mph for a big portion of the railway, so it is almost as fast as the Acela line, which is sad. I don't know how fast the new Go-Ahead trains are, I haven't travelled with them yet, I only know the old Fugger-Express.

[@Conceicao1976]

The only thing I can think of for it to work in the US, is to start designing 1 city gradually towards the ideas how they have implemented them in the EU. That way, it might gradually become noticeable that it has so many advantages and other cities would go towards the same ideas.

[@gowest19]

A happy new yaer guy´s.Stay well so far,greatings from northern germany

[@loners4life]

Happy new years! ✌️

[@DR_REDACTED]

Im from Finland and i bike everywhere even now when the ground is solid ice. My daily bikeing time to college and back is around 7.6 km so daily 15.2 km.

[@robertzander9723]

In what was then West Germany in the 60's and 70's they also tried to create the car cities of the future based on the US American model and to subordinate everything to car traffic, in West Berlin they then completely abolished the tram, in Hamburg it also disappeared completely from the scene and in Munich didn't succeed completely, but they discontinued lines with some track beds and introduced buses, which are then allowed to stand in traffic jams together with the cars. After the reunification of Germany, it took a lot of fighting and a lot of time to change this nonsense again to work through omissions. Many areas of Germany are still suffering from this fatal traffic policy, fortunately it didn't get as bad as in the USA, time and circumstances played against it.

[@Halli50]

I wonder if anyone has worked out the average amount of metal used to transport one person via road from point A to point B in the US vs. Europe. In 'Murica, you rarely see more than 1 person pr. car driving past and the same is certainly true in Europe, BUT the car sizes seem vastly different. In the US, large SUV's or 2.5-3.5T pickup trucks are very common while compact or small cars (0.7-1.5T max) are most common. On the flip side, Europe is, on the whole, much more evenly populated, there are very few large areas that are uninhabited (except the Nordics like Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland).

[@roberthughes9856]

When in America I had to laugh when I heard a couple of people complain about public transport and how they would never us it. We were all on a commercial flight at the time and I wondered did they not realise they were ON public transport, the aircraft! You pay the fare but have no control over who else might get on the flight, just like a bus or train so any member of the public could sit next to you. Amazing.

[@theonijkerk3012]

They are building a higspeed line in California, but I think moeny is an issue. I remember Bakerfield as one of the cities that would be serviced. And for the future they had plan to also build a high speed line to Las Vegas. I will try to find the video about that for you.

[@seanmc1351]

I have job interview thursady, its 25 miles away, i can get bus from 6am, get return ticket, it will take 1 hour 15 mins on public transport and it will cost me about 8 pounds, or i can get weekly ticket that is 27 pounds, unlimeted travel for 7 days

[@hatjodelka]

Britain had a much better rail system until the 1960s. A lot of rural lines and stations were closed. We also got rid of trams in urban areas in the 1950s. Both of these things were monumentally stupid.

[@wimschoenmakers5463]

Yeah, finding a bycycle pad here in the Netherlands is not a problem. Avoiding them running you over is ! 🤣

[@pissoffcake]

Paris -Amsterdam by Thalys for $30... yeah right, those are promotional offers that never occur, the regular price is around €130-150

[@DennisNeijmeijer]

Tickets are cheaper booked in advance, like plane tickets.

[@andretollefsen]

Pivo/pilsner train from Budapest to Brno and back is a blast!

[@sandersson2813]

America is light years behind in most things.

[@FaithlessDeviant]

Biggest myth ever that the car industry makes a lot of money in USA, loaded with debt and needs bailout every time the economy tanks

[@ingobordewick6480]

When you live in a big city in Europe, you don't need any car. Driving by bike, bus or Tram is way more efficient. For example. To drive from the west border of the city Leizig in Germany by car to the east border of it, takes about an hour. By bike, it takes about 30 min and there are bikelanes everywhere.

[@ann-sofielinden2535]

Most of us in Europe have cars. But it doesn't mean we use them daily. It depends on what type of work we have. Uf we for exampme work in an office, in the city, it's often easier to go by bus, tram or u-tube not to mention bicycle, then a car. It's sheaper. And often it goes faster.

[@Niko-The-Candy-Man]

In Sweden you can travel 62 miles (100km) with a commuter train in a little over 2 hours. That will only cost you roughly 4 dollars.

[@vanesag.9863]

I'm from a Spanish town near Barcelona (12 km from the city center) and I NEVER use a car to go there. I go by bus (40 minuts) by metro (30 minuts) or by train (15 minuts). I don't have a car but I have a car license. This is another thing the video didn't say, the price of having a car license here in Europe. If I need a car for holidays or work I rent it the 1 or 2 times a year I have the need of using a car or I ask for my father's car if he doesn't need it. It's cheaper than mantain one (taxes, car insurance, parking rent, gasoline, places to park it in the cities center...) in my daily life because I really don't have a necessity of having a car. I love to travel and I sometimes go to another Spanish cities by train. A week before I was in Madrid. The train ticket to Madrid in a high speed train was 18€. There are 600 km between cities. Why I would need a car when that train get me to the city center in two and a half hours? While sightseeing in another countries I usually go by plane and latter in the country I visit in it's public transportation. Using buses or trains permits you see the country landscape and mix with the locals.

[@timkaczenski9626]

Not just bikes (a KZbin channel) did make an incredible video about when the US an car manufacturer advertised bigger roads and how this is an problem now and then. (Video name: Would you fall for it? [ST08]) I am from Berlin an use most of the available types of transport when I go to work. An when I was in the US a couple Years ago (2017) with my parents in Chicago, I was stunned how few rapid transit trains they are, mostly buses. Nice video btw

[@jasoncallow860]

Ironically, when I travelled by train, I live on the south coast of England in West Sussex, and used to get annoyed by the number stations, the trains seemed to stop at stations every couple of miles.

[@winterlinde5395]

We have a saying for that in German: Der Zug hält an jeder Milchkanne The train stops at each milk can ☺️

[@russellthompson8414]

Doing things like riding the bike or taking public transit to do grocery shopping would mean doing it much more often since you can't pack dozens of bags in your trunk. This would require lifestyle changes. We all saw how well asking Americans to alter their behavior worked in the pandemic.

[@FSantoro91]

BTW, the maps in the video are mostly messed up, but the concepts described are true.

[@EliasBac]

I’m from France, and I can (for example) take a train to Germany, get a job there, open a bank account and rent an apartment tomorrow and just stay there if I decide to. There is no visit to the embassy or Visa involved. I’m not sure what he meant by “3 months” …

[@Froehlich07]

What I love about living in Denmark regarding travel is, as he says. We can travel freely. But it is toned down in the way he say it. If I wanted, from where I live here. I could get in my car and drive for 3 hours and I would be in Hamborg, Germany. 5 hours in Berlin. 8 hours in France, 16 hours in italy. Some hours from or to, but. It is really a luxury about living in Europe. You can drive to, lets say 6 different countries, all different cultures, experince everything they have to offer. In a 14 days vacation. If you took a plane and not drive there, be in London in 2 hours, Edinbourgh in 3. Austria in 2, netherlands in 2.5 hours. I do love the travels of living in Europe😀

[@robertberg1609]

Nice video as allways. Well the GOTO channel for theese topics is NOT JUST BIKES

[@toomflussiggrillanzunderfu8828]

As a EU passport holder i am legally allowed to move and work anywhere in the Schengen area (EU + EFTA) for as long as i want. I think those 3 month were mentioned because i think you have to register yourself in the new country if you live there for more than 3 month or if you start working.

[@hushus10021971]

About taxes on cars. A Tesla Model S prize in Denmark is about 190.000 USD... And remember that we more than twice the people in Europe

[@RaduRadonys]

That 3 month thing is for people outside the EU. For instance an American can visit and stay in the EU for up to 3 month. But for people from inside the EU there is no limit, for instance a Polish person can travel and live in Spain for as long as he wants.

[@Westcountrynordic]

There are major changes happening to how long non EU people can say in the EU, with an electronic visa being needed for all non EU citizens. These changes are expected to happen in mid-late 2023

[@jayplay8140]

when I was in the US one thing I found incredibly bizarre was that most (all?) cars don't have indicator lights (blinkers) you use the brake lights as indicators, so weird

[@loners4life]

We do have blinkers! But a lot of people choose not to use them haha 😂

[@jbird4478]

@@loners4life The US allows the brake lights to double function as blinkers on cars. In Europe they have to be separate; orange for blinkers and red for brakes. I think that's what he means. In either case, of course people do have to actually turn them on.

[@RaduRadonys]

That's really strange, I mean there are countless times when I am stopped with the foot on the brake pedal and with the blinker on... how would that work if it's the same light?

[@jbird4478]

@@RaduRadonys One of the brake lights is blinking then, and the other one completely on.

[@RaduRadonys]

@@jbird4478 That's still strange, what is the purpose? I mean it's just 2 damn 20 cents lamps, not a big deal, why would they not have separate lights for signaling?

[@kellymcbright5456]

Be assured: that lady on the sofa is insanely well-designed.

[@n_other_1604]

LA had one of the best public transportation systems in the world until the car lobby bought them which is also mentioned in the movie who framed Roger Rabbit. 1925: The Los Angeles Pacific Electric Subway opened, and ran under Fourth and Hill Street (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2010). 1933: Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railway included bus passenger services, but the automobile led to an increased decline in passengers (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2010). 1940: General Motors (GM) purchased $100 million of the Pacific Electric system (Davis & Fabro, 2012). 1944: American City Lines (owned by GM) purchased the Los Angeles Railway and tore down transmission lines; electric transit cars and tracks were replaced with buses. The creation of freeways displaced residents and brought pollution and loss of quality of life to Los Angeles (Davis & Fabro, 2012). 1945-1958: Los Angeles Transit Lines were purchased from the Los Angeles Railway and was renamed. The owners wanted to substitute buses on most street car lines (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2010). 1953-1958: In 1953, Pacific Electric sold its passenger rail cars and buses to the Metropolitan Coach Lines bus company. The owner promised to improve bus service and lessen rail use (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2010).

[@imcrazedandconfused]

Raised in a rural area here in northern Germany and then I was always living in cities, I had a car for 2 yrs... in over 50 yrs! Never really needed one. I made my driver's license at age 39(!), because my girlfriend and I had the chance to just take over a nice little car without cost, and my flat came with a garage. I miss the car -very- rarely nowadays. In smaller to medium size cities, it is very easy to reach all places you need to go to, like doctors, malls, grocery stores, bakeries, bank, ... and in bigger size cities, like e.g. Berlin, it does make very little sense to own a car, because parking is always a problem and public transportation is as dense as it can get. ("should we take the subway, the tram or the bus?" - for the same destination, waiting like 15 min. for the next ride on average at the stations...)

[@sandersson2813]

Depends on your lifestyle. I like to go places public transport doesn't take me, and I like to take things or bring back things that public transport won't allow me to or is too inconvenient.

[@Rikard_A]

Netherlands and Denmark is the most bike friendly nations.

[@theonijkerk3012]

Big Oil is also not too jappy with high speed train lines. As they don't run on fuel.

[@jfrancobelge]

We indeed have a good public transportation network in Europe. However, that does not mean that nobody on this continent needs a car. I live in a semi-mountaineous, rural area, where a carless life is difficult. The closest "real" city in 70 kms (approx. 42 miles) away. In my village we are actually lucky enough to a have a train station with a line that connects us to the city in question, one train an hour to and from there between 6 AM and 10 PM. However, if you need to go to a nearby town or village that has no station along this line, and you don't have a car, good luck! We do have local bus lines but the buses are so scarce and the network is so impractical (weird schedules and time-consuming itineraries) that almost nobody uses them; a one-hour round trip with your car might take at least half a day, if not the full day, with those buses.

[@seanmc1351]

hi, i live north of england, back in the day, when coal mining was big industry, these houses were built for the coal miners, paid 1.00 a week rent, got 13 bags free coal a month, so communities were built around the villages, , everything in one spot so to speak, before modern times, of everyone having a car and all that, as things moved on the coal mines closed, communities stayed, paople bought there houses, cheap, but prices have never increased, not like down south london and south coast area, i live in london Harrow, i was paying 900 a moth for a one bedroom flat, i now live in the north in a 3 bedroom house, with a garden, patio and i only pay 390 a month

[@fkim8449]

And don't forget the US have 618 oil rigs Europe only have 66 big difference too. So in the US oil is a necessary thing while we from Europe need too import the oil from other places. That's why it's more expensive for Europe too maintain it because of importing oil. And it isn't only the oil we need too import. Just look up the oil usage numbers in barrels/day in the US it's 198 million barrels/day. And tanking or putting gasoline in your car cost where I live 6,4682 $/gallon.

[@ixiwildflowerixi]

The video material they show while talking about free travel between most European countries (technically, it's the so called Schengen-area; named after the town the treaty was first signed in) is a bit misleading. The point is, that there are no borders or border checks. You sit in a train or your car, drive in some direction and suddenly you're in a different country. With the beginning of this year, Croatia joined that area.

[@Arltratlo]

lol, its partly the Netherlands, the bicycle map covers the west of Germany, too, in this part of Germany living more people as in the Netherlands!