The Netherlands is often praised as a paradise for bikes. Well, who knows where bikes' souls go after they've been drowned at the bottom of a canal
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I often see cyclists in Edinburgh having conversations on their mobile phones. I generaly think they deserve the accidents I am sure await them. Shame about anyone else they involve, though.
Having conversations on a bike is one thing, because you can look around you and still have one hand near a brake. But cyclists peering at their screens have no chance.
The police circulated a graphic on Twitter claiming that 10% of cyclist injuries were caused by smartphone use.
One of my favourite things about visiting Amsterdam in the summer was watching them dredge the canals for dead bikes! I also fell foul several times of not working out the different between pavement and cycle path, so probably annoyed a great deal of people.
The difference between bike path and footpath isn't always that clear, especially in places like Amsterdam. I remember my first time back in A'dam after some years absence. I was there less than five minutes before a cyclist madly rang their bell behind me to get out the way. I was on the footpath...
“My experience in Amsterdam is that cyclists ride where the hell they like and aim in a state of rage at all pedestrians while ringing their bell loudly, the concept of avoiding people being foreign to them. My dream holiday would be a) a ticket to Amsterdam b) immunity from prosecution and c) a baseball bat.” -- Terry Pratchett
Hm. Yes, I agree with everything you say, though must confess I have in the past both texted (albeit with buttoned dumbphone so it did not require me looking at it), and rolled and lit cigarettes while cycling on cyclepaths.
And the moped (limited to 30 kmh at that time in Sweden) I had when a teenager magically attained an ability to do 45 kmh soon after I'd got it. Almost exclusively used on village roads with very little traffic, though.
So while I'm older and wiser now, I can't justify complaining about the youth of today when I wasn't better myself. :-) Especially since I never had any accidents until I was in my forties.
It really isn't just the youth of today though, I wouldn't want to be misunderstood. There's plenty of older people who seem to be leading charmed lives!
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The police circulated a graphic on Twitter claiming that 10% of cyclist injuries were caused by smartphone use.
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The difference between bike path and footpath isn't always that clear, especially in places like Amsterdam. I remember my first time back in A'dam after some years absence. I was there less than five minutes before a cyclist madly rang their bell behind me to get out the way. I was on the footpath...
“My experience in Amsterdam is that cyclists ride where the hell they like and aim in a state of rage at all pedestrians while ringing their bell loudly, the concept of avoiding people being foreign to them.
My dream holiday would be a) a ticket to Amsterdam b) immunity from prosecution and c) a baseball bat.” -- Terry Pratchett
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And the moped (limited to 30 kmh at that time in Sweden) I had when a teenager magically attained an ability to do 45 kmh soon after I'd got it. Almost exclusively used on village roads with very little traffic, though.
So while I'm older and wiser now, I can't justify complaining about the youth of today when I wasn't better myself. :-) Especially since I never had any accidents until I was in my forties.
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