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The Car Once Symbolized Freedom… 49

The Car Once Symbolized Freedom…
One of the rare occasions in which the author of this blog sits in a traffic jam (Dec 2011) – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country Motor cars were once a symbol of freedom – a way to achieve personal independence. They took us places where we couldn’t otherwise travel – they brought ...

Human Power Around The World 11

Human Power Around The World
A Venetian gondola being paddled through the waterways of Venice – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country All around the world, humans rely on machines that require non-renewable resources to power them. In this article, we look at parts of the world where human power reigns. In three weeks I will be returning ...

10 Observations About Bicycling in Amsterdam 43

10 Observations About Bicycling in Amsterdam
Bicycles in Amsterdam – photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country While visiting Amsterdam on my recent trip to Europe, I made some observations about cycling around the Dutch capital. Here are my top ten observations: 10. The locals have little patience for tourists walking on the cycle path Bicycles in Amsterdam – photo ...

When School’s Out in Amsterdam 36

When School’s Out in Amsterdam
Amsterdam school pick-ups – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country While strolling around Amsterdam on Friday afternoon shortly after arriving in the Dutch capital, I happened upon a school just as the kids were being let out for the weekend. The scene was nothing short of fascinating for a Canadian who is accustomed ...

Rural Bike Infrastructure in the Netherlands 23

Rural Bike Infrastructure in the Netherlands
Bicycle traffic signal in Amsterdam – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country It is 1:00PM and the train is stopped at a station in a northern Belgian town. The train will be leaving one minute later than its scheduled departure time so that the passengers can have a minute of silence to pay ...

Brussels: Narrow Lanes & Neon Vests 27

Brussels: Narrow Lanes & Neon Vests
Grand Place – Brussels, Belgium – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country The distinct two-tone siren from a Belgium ambulance echoes fourteen floors below the perch where we have set up camp on day one of our two-week trip to Europe. It is 6:30AM and we have just arrived after a 19-hour journey ...

Dutch Cycling Promotion. Good For The Body, Legs & The Eyes. 4

Dutch Cycling Promotion. Good For The Body, Legs & The Eyes.
Video of “Promoting Cycling in the Netherlands” in 1985 – by Markenlei on YouTube Mark over at Bicycle Dutch has posted some Dutch promotional cycling videos circa 1985. The videos exploit stereotypes, with an English, American and Italian tourist each talking about bicycles in the Netherlands. Mark points out that “Even in 1985 the Dutch ...

Bicycle Transportation Should Be Taken Seriously 26

Bicycle Transportation Should Be Taken Seriously
“Beautyful Amsterdam” – Photo by Michael Stallmeister via RateMyVelo.com Bicycles are a serious mode of transportation. It is about time we treat them as such instead of treating bicycling as a hobby, a sport, or a mode of transport for the working poor and students. Bicycles are an often overlooked mode of transport that with ...

A Renewed Faith in Newspapers 8

A Renewed Faith in Newspapers
“Places To Go, People To Meet, Things To Do” by Amsterdamize (via ratemyvelo.com) Over the years as a citizen bicycling advocate I have lost my faith in the media. I had found that news outlets have a bias toward car culture that has contributed to the animosity on our streets and the stifling of progress ...

Wealthy Drivers More Likely To Break Traffic Rules 37

Wealthy Drivers More Likely To Break Traffic Rules
BMW X6 – Photo by Triple RS University of California Berkeley researchers recently performed a series of studies that found a strong correlation between wealthy people and cheating. Among other things, it found that people driving expensive cars were four times as likely to enter an intersection when they didn’t have the right of way. ...