No Legs? No Problem!

 Another really excellent aspect of biking here in The Netherlands is that it is really designed for regular people to use. The networks and infrastructure are not designed with high speed racing cyclists in mind, instead they are for anyone and everyone who feels a need or desire to hop on a bike and get from point A to point B. 

The term "regular people" also extends to the disabled community One of the biggest differences I have seen between Denmark and the Netherlands is that there are vastly more differently abled people out here biking and using the bike infrastructure than I witnessed in Denmark. I think this is because the bike infrastructure is just so homogeneous and reliable that you know you're not just going to get dropped by a bike lane into the middle of nowhere. In the US you could be going down the most beautiful bike lane in the world and suddenly it would stop and you'd be left to fend for yourself so obviously people with movement issues wouldn't be inclined to participate in cycling. 

The other day while in Nijmegen I saw a man riding a three wheeled bike with two prosthetic legs which is something I have never seen in the states. Back home we have special car setups for those with mobility issues like hand controls and wheelchair accessible cars, but we are severely lacking in accessible cycles. Here there are three-wheeled bikes, reclined bikes, hand pedal bikes, and a lot of ebikes. Not only are the bikes more inclusive here, but the actual bike infrastructure allows for differently abled people to travel independently in a safe and comfortable environment. I have seen countless people in wheelchairs traveling down the cycling track, and since the bike lane is so wide and comfortable, it is not an issue to have another mode also sharing the road. In the US, when people get old, they sometimes stop being able to safely operate a car. This severely limits their mobility and sense of independence and can contribute to depression, isolation, and even death.

Photo taken from Bicycle Dutch on google 

My favorite phrase that I have heard here while abroad has been: "there is not a single social issue that wouldn't be improved with an accessible transportation network". I honestly believe that by creating reliable bike networks in the US that we could solve countless issues along the way, and I also think that the job of a city planner is one of the most important that a person can have. This trip has made me super excited to start my career and start making American cities a more ideal place to live. 

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