<story><title>The Dutch Reach: A No-Tech Way to Save Bicyclists’ Lives</title><url>https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/05/smarter-living/the-dutch-reach-save-bicyclists-lives-bicycle-safety-drivers.html</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>jernfrost</author><text>I think the key to safety for bikers in the Netherlands is simply the sheer number of them. When you visit the Netherlands. Within 15 minutes you have gotten used to scanning for bikers everywhere. There are so many of them and they come so frequently that you cannot not get into the habit of looking for them.&lt;p&gt;The importance of numbers is something often overlooked. I read an article discussing the different approaches to biking the Netherlands and my native Norway has. Here in Norway we are obsessed with bike helmets. The dutch never use helmets. Yet we have more head injuries in Norway for bikers.&lt;p&gt;So the number of bikers in the Netherlands seem to create a better protection for bikers than the usage of helmets. And here is the kicker: If you don&amp;#x27;t demand that people use helmets when biking, the number of bikers will rise to a level, where the number of injuries will be lower than if everybody used helmet.&lt;p&gt;That is what the research suggested anyway. I will probably still use a helmet in Norway due to the terrain, but it is still food for thought I think.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>Vinnl</author><text>I&amp;#x27;m quite sure that the primary factor for safety in the Netherlands is the excellent infrastructure. Separate bike lanes, crossings that take into account viewing angles, etc. - cyclist safety is so ingrained in road design here, and it directly affects how safe it is to cycle, even when you&amp;#x27;re a lone cyclist.&lt;p&gt;The law is probably a second large factor, and only then do I think the number of cyclists comes into play. And even then, that sheer number has only been achieved thanks to the former two factors - I&amp;#x27;m confident that that has played a far greater role than helmets being optional.</text></comment>
<story><title>The Dutch Reach: A No-Tech Way to Save Bicyclists’ Lives</title><url>https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/05/smarter-living/the-dutch-reach-save-bicyclists-lives-bicycle-safety-drivers.html</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>jernfrost</author><text>I think the key to safety for bikers in the Netherlands is simply the sheer number of them. When you visit the Netherlands. Within 15 minutes you have gotten used to scanning for bikers everywhere. There are so many of them and they come so frequently that you cannot not get into the habit of looking for them.&lt;p&gt;The importance of numbers is something often overlooked. I read an article discussing the different approaches to biking the Netherlands and my native Norway has. Here in Norway we are obsessed with bike helmets. The dutch never use helmets. Yet we have more head injuries in Norway for bikers.&lt;p&gt;So the number of bikers in the Netherlands seem to create a better protection for bikers than the usage of helmets. And here is the kicker: If you don&amp;#x27;t demand that people use helmets when biking, the number of bikers will rise to a level, where the number of injuries will be lower than if everybody used helmet.&lt;p&gt;That is what the research suggested anyway. I will probably still use a helmet in Norway due to the terrain, but it is still food for thought I think.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>NeedMoreTea</author><text>Just spending enough time on a bike or motorbike will change the way you drive. Not only do you become aware of blind spots but you become a little paranoid about them. You might also learn that hitting a large metal box hurts.&lt;p&gt;That transfers when the many bikers are driving a car into doing more, and better checks than a typical driver without two wheel experience.</text></comment>