Dutch Masters
Why do some societies become more car dependent than others? Do differences result from the actions of federal and local governments, such as enlightened transportation policy and community design, or investments in alternative transportation infrastructure? Or do they have their origins in cultural attributes. The sharp contrast in bike usage between some European regions and the U.S. offers an interesting case study for examining these differences. A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to hear an official from the Dutch government speak about the differences in the bike cultures here and in the Netherlands. Loek Hesemans, from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Safety in the Netherlands, visited Portland as part of his study of biking culture in the Pacific Northwest and shared his thoughts on cycling in the U.S. and the Netherlands to a group of Portland cycling enthusiasts. According to advocates for cycling in the U.S. , the gap in cycling use between the two countries will close as part of an evolutionary process. This view provides comfort to those who want to believe that the U.S. is just a little behind the curve and gaining rapidly. Listening to Mr. Hesemans, however, I couldn’t help but reach the conclusion that the U.S. and the Netherlands are on completely different paths. Cycling in the U.S., as Hesemans observed, is still largely a political movement. In Holland, the bike is not a way of life but simply an efficient means of transport.
Understanding the underpinnings of the bike culture in the Netherlands may help define the two countries' divergent paths. Thankfully, the Dutch have gone to great lengths to study the variations in their own cycling culture. The Cycle Balance is an ongoing assessment of cycling in the Netherlands in which volunteers monitor the satisfaction of cyclists and maintain an inventory of the facets of the cycling infrastructure throughout the country. The result is a survey encompassing 73 variables over 125 Dutch communities. The Dutch can now state with confidence the factors that contribute to differences in cycling use throughout the country. This deep pool of data helps policymakers identify which attributes to adjust to counter cycling use that lags the rest of the country. For example, in some communities, a lack of adequate bike parking is a deterrent. In others, the poor quality of the bike paths keep people from riding.
This somewhat formulaic approach to promoting cycling use would seem to support the evolutionary theory of bike policy development. Unfortunately, the Dutch have found that differences in policy and infrastructure account for only 20% of the difference in bike use in communities. Other factors, it seems, influence people’s behavior. The availability of public transportation, which displaces bike use as much as car use, accounts for as much as 20% of the variation. The remaining variation, according to the study, is explained by a combination of the competitiveness of the car and cultural differences. In fact, the Dutch have found a strong correlation between bike use and the percentage of protestants in a community. Some Dutch communities retain a strong Calvinist influence, which perpetuates a self-reliance that is more effective at keeping people out of their cars than any public policy.
The implications for the U.S. are sobering. Apologists like to cite the favorable conditions in Holland and Denmark – flat terrain, population density, compact towns – to explain resistance in the U.S. to cycling. However, given the short average distance of most U.S. trips, geography and topography are simply red herrings. Not only do we trail the Dutch, and other European countries, on the tangible attributes, like favorable biking policy and infrastructure, but we lack the cultural traits conducive to making a wholesale switch away from car use. Our remaining hope, I fear, is to make car use so unattractive that people have no choice. In the largest Dutch cities, where culture has the least influence, the dominance of the bike is due as much to its competitiveness relative to the car as any other factor. Owning and driving a car in Amsterdam is a test of superhuman proportions. Do we have the courage to impose the same hurdles here?
Photo Credit: velorution.biz