Ah, the Netherlands. One of the most idyllic countries for biking, but still filled with plenty of complications that leads me to believe that there is no such thing as bicycling paradise. Perhaps I am asking for way too much, but I want to make a set of contemplations about the things that remain frustrating about cycling in this lovely country. Perhaps this is just a way for me to feel stupid in the future when I return to a car-centric location.
I want to explore this further, but I often wonder if the prevalence of bicycling has led to longer distances between destinations. It often seems that a distance from a train station or between locations is in that awkward 1-3 km range that is a bit longer than a walk, but perfect for a beat up bicycle.
Congestion and parking. When I drove regularly, my biggest frustrations were not so much about driving, but about congestion and parking. These are constantly adding to the frustration of bicycling in the Netherlands. I have sat through an entire light cycle due to congestion during rush hour, and I have had to search all over for a decent place to lock up a bike.
Congestion again, but different. One of the joys of cycling in the States is that you get to be alone; however, that is rarely the case in the Netherlands. That annoying driver who constantly talks on the phone? Now they are behind you on a bicycle forcing you to listen to their conversation. This also goes for screaming kids, and my personal favorite: the person who has to walk their dog via bicycle.
Rule-breakers. I am not generally one to follow unnecessary rules, but I also think that the prevalence of people breaking infrastructure-related rules is directly related to how effective that infrastructure is. People are continually running red lights and going the wrong way down the bike paths, which really makes one wonder if it couldn't be even more.
Basically, the only real way I will be satisfied in a city is when there are no motor vehicles. I didn't even get to the parts about e-bikes and bromfietsen.