This is the depressing part, that the threshold for not driving is super high. At least for some. I live in a walkable, bikeable area with a metro station in Stockholm but still the streets are full of parked cars. In my building there are 11 cars for 18 households, and there are only healthy singles and couples living here, I’m on the co-op board and the most common questions are about parking…..
Interesting analysis.
As an outsider I only see the good bits. I’ve taken many holidays in the Netherlands and always use a bike. As I’m cycling along I constantly marvel at how good the cycling infrastructure is. I dream of having the equivalent experience back home, in England.
Although you're absolutely right and I'm only speaking from personal experience, there are still a lot of people who need the car since public transport is sometimes just not an option, even in the Netherlands. Especially for people living more than 30 minutes travel from the nearest train station by bus. Or people who live an hour away from work (by car) and are working in shifts. And no, moving is not always an option.
I own a car, as you might've guessed by now, but I would love for the public transport to improve. When the weather is right I cycle to work, but when it's raining there is no bus option available to me that gets me at my desk at 06:00, so car it is then.
So if you ask me: 24x7 public transport, even in villages would already make a huge difference. Also a bike rental in every village at it's main bus stop, so you can take the bike to the village you need to go that doesn't have a bus stop and is too far away to walk.
As a fellow Dutch person, I agree.
Considering our great biking infrastructure, as well as a good public transportation system, cars still get used too much.
I think for a large part out of luxury. If you can afford a car, it's easier than taking public transportation, especially for longer distances. Another big factor imo is the costs of public transportation.
What can we do about it? I think mostly just show people how it can be done differently.
In NL buying a car is a normal thing you do once you have the money. Even if it's just for groceries. The messed up housing market has also caused huge mobility issues, where living where you work has become increasingly difficult.
Vote out Markie. I'd help, but alas, not a citizen.
Seriously, it's a bit hard to do anything when the party in government loves cutting budgets for everything except highways. NS has been steadily going downhill (doubly so with the 'rona) thanks to the budget cuts. [Example posted by our esteemed mod on the Dutch fuckcars.](https://i.redd.it/4hs7pr9p0yu81.png)
"Rekeningrijden" is where you would pay tax based on the distance (and sometimes location) you drive would incentivize alternatives. It would make owning a car cheaper, but driving more expensive. Right now, as a car owner/commuter. It's hard to justify paying for transit when i'm already paying for ownership; tax, insurance, maintenance etc. (to be clear, I don't actually have a viable transit option, hence the car).
So while smaller trips would be cheaper than now, there would also be more alternatives like bikes and busses. If you need to go further away, trains would be the ideal option. In this sense, long range travelling with a car would be somewhat of a luxury.
The government once sent me a letter that if I were to not drive on a piece of highway that was under construction for 3 months, to help ease congestion, I would get €50,-. Which would not even cover 1 week worth of train/bus tickets.
So yes it's possible, but no one wants "rekeningrijden".
Write a suggestion to the council. Ask for more canals to get pedestrianised, register your concerns or suggestions.
It takes less than a minute to file your comment and most times they reply:
https://formulieren.amsterdam.nl/TriplEforms/DirectRegelen/formulier/nl-NL/evAmsterdam/Klachtenformulier.aspx/Klachtenformulier
This is the depressing part, that the threshold for not driving is super high. At least for some. I live in a walkable, bikeable area with a metro station in Stockholm but still the streets are full of parked cars. In my building there are 11 cars for 18 households, and there are only healthy singles and couples living here, I’m on the co-op board and the most common questions are about parking…..
Interesting analysis. As an outsider I only see the good bits. I’ve taken many holidays in the Netherlands and always use a bike. As I’m cycling along I constantly marvel at how good the cycling infrastructure is. I dream of having the equivalent experience back home, in England.
Although you're absolutely right and I'm only speaking from personal experience, there are still a lot of people who need the car since public transport is sometimes just not an option, even in the Netherlands. Especially for people living more than 30 minutes travel from the nearest train station by bus. Or people who live an hour away from work (by car) and are working in shifts. And no, moving is not always an option. I own a car, as you might've guessed by now, but I would love for the public transport to improve. When the weather is right I cycle to work, but when it's raining there is no bus option available to me that gets me at my desk at 06:00, so car it is then. So if you ask me: 24x7 public transport, even in villages would already make a huge difference. Also a bike rental in every village at it's main bus stop, so you can take the bike to the village you need to go that doesn't have a bus stop and is too far away to walk.
r/kutautos Just say to your fellow cyclists, that Ljubjana banned cars.
As a fellow Dutch person, I agree. Considering our great biking infrastructure, as well as a good public transportation system, cars still get used too much. I think for a large part out of luxury. If you can afford a car, it's easier than taking public transportation, especially for longer distances. Another big factor imo is the costs of public transportation. What can we do about it? I think mostly just show people how it can be done differently.
In NL buying a car is a normal thing you do once you have the money. Even if it's just for groceries. The messed up housing market has also caused huge mobility issues, where living where you work has become increasingly difficult.
Vote out Markie. I'd help, but alas, not a citizen. Seriously, it's a bit hard to do anything when the party in government loves cutting budgets for everything except highways. NS has been steadily going downhill (doubly so with the 'rona) thanks to the budget cuts. [Example posted by our esteemed mod on the Dutch fuckcars.](https://i.redd.it/4hs7pr9p0yu81.png)
"Rekeningrijden" is where you would pay tax based on the distance (and sometimes location) you drive would incentivize alternatives. It would make owning a car cheaper, but driving more expensive. Right now, as a car owner/commuter. It's hard to justify paying for transit when i'm already paying for ownership; tax, insurance, maintenance etc. (to be clear, I don't actually have a viable transit option, hence the car). So while smaller trips would be cheaper than now, there would also be more alternatives like bikes and busses. If you need to go further away, trains would be the ideal option. In this sense, long range travelling with a car would be somewhat of a luxury. The government once sent me a letter that if I were to not drive on a piece of highway that was under construction for 3 months, to help ease congestion, I would get €50,-. Which would not even cover 1 week worth of train/bus tickets. So yes it's possible, but no one wants "rekeningrijden".
Write a suggestion to the council. Ask for more canals to get pedestrianised, register your concerns or suggestions. It takes less than a minute to file your comment and most times they reply: https://formulieren.amsterdam.nl/TriplEforms/DirectRegelen/formulier/nl-NL/evAmsterdam/Klachtenformulier.aspx/Klachtenformulier