1.
Cycling infrastructure
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Cycling infrastructure refers to all infrastructure which may be used by cyclists. The manner in which the road network is designed, built. The cycling network may be able to provide the users with direct, convenient routes minimizing unnecessary delay, settlements with a dense road network of interconnected streets tend to be viable utility cycling environments. A bikeway is a lane, route, way or path which in some manner is specifically designed, bike lanes demarcated by a painted marking are quite common in many cities. Cycle tracks demarcated by barriers, bollards or boulevards are quite common in some European countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark and they are also increasingly common in other major cities such as New York City, Melbourne, Ottawa, Vancouver and San Francisco. Montreal and Davis, California, which have had segregated cycling facilities with barriers for several decades, are among the earliest examples in North American cities, some share the roadway with motor vehicles—bicycle boulevard, sharrow, advisory bike lane—or shared with pedestrians—greenway, shared use path. The term bikeway is largely used in North America to describe all routes that have designed or updated to encourage more cycling or make cycling safer. There is no usage of segregation, in some cases it can mean the exclusion of motor vehicles. Thus, it includes bike lanes with solid painted lines but not lanes with dotted lines and it includes cycle tracks as physically distinct from the roadway and sidewalk. And it includes bike paths in their own right of way exclusive to cycling, there have been a lot of studies on the safety of all types of bikeways. Proponents say that segregation of cyclists from fast or frequent motorized traffic is necessary to provide a safe, opponents point out the increased risk from various types of infrastructure including shared use paths. Different countries have different ways to define and enforce bikeways. Controversies have surrounded bikeways, particularly in North America and the United Kingdom, proponents argue that dedicated bike lanes have been implemented in many cities and are both popular and safe. Jurisdictions have guidelines around the selection of the right bikeway treatments in order make routes more comfortable, a buffered bike lane is typically a lane with a wide painted buffer to demarcate a larger gap between the cycle lane and other traffic. A physically marked and separated lane dedicated for cycling that is on or directly adjacent to the roadway, bike paths are paths with their own right of way dedicated to cycling, though in many cases shared with pedestrians and other non-motorized traffic. A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, a shared use path supports multiple modes, such as walking, bicycling, inline skating and people in wheelchairs. A bicycle boulevard is a low speed street which has been optimized for bicycle traffic, bicycle boulevards discourage cut-through motor vehicle traffic but allow local motor vehicle traffic. They are designed to give priority to cyclists as through-going traffic, an advisory bike lane is a bike lane which motorists may legally encroach
2.
Cycling in Denmark
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Cycling in Denmark is both a common and popular recreational and utilitarian activity. Often bicycling and bicycle-culture in Denmark is compared to the Netherlands as a bicycle-nation, massive infrastructure investments are taking place to create more cycle ways and thus increase safety. At intersections, the continuation of the way or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue band to increase its visibility. In general both paths and lanes are designed for the slow pace of utility cycling as opposed to more speedy designs in other countries. The Danish Roads Directorate acknowledges that the Danish cycle track system functions best when cyclists travel at low speeds. In Copenhagen a system of interconnected green cycle routes, greenways, is under development, with the aim of facilitating fast, safe, the network will cover more than 100 kilometres and consist of 22 routes. As of 2011, there were 40 kilometres of greenways in Copenhagen, the 11 Danish National Cycle Routes form a network of cycling routes throughout the country. They are important routes enabling bicycle tourism and showing off Denmarks natural beauty as well as its regional towns, Cycling is integrated into both the national, the regional and the local train services in Denmark. Cycles are permitted on trains to facilitate mixed-mode commuting and this is most visible in the urban and suburban rail network of Metropolitan Copenhagen, the S-trains, where cycles can be transported in specified carriages found at the front and rear of each train. As of 2011 there is no charge for taking cycles on any S-train, in general public transport bus services in Denmark do not permit the carriage of cycles, but the Copenhagen Harbour Buses are an exception and allow for up to four cycles to be carried. Although there appear to be a number of cycle parking facilities in Denmark. Those that do exist are often poorly positioned, particularly in the bigger cities, in 2008, with a view to remedying the situation, the Danish Cyclists Federation published a Bicycle Parking Manual with a number of guidelines. They aim to be of practical use to users but also offer advice for city planners wishing to improve facilities in the future. Most Danish public schools also educate 10–12 years in traffic rules, behaviour, utility bicycles which require little maintenance and are suited to load carrying are very popular. However, all types of cycles are accommodated on the bicycle paths/ways. Two- and three-wheeled cargo bicycles are becoming increasingly popular, with the trend starting in Copenhagen. The common use of cycles and the support infrastructure for utility cycling, has encouraged Denmark to brand itself as a leading nation in everyday cycling. Danish postal workers have been using cycles for transport in towns, likewise small shop delivery services used cycles until the mid-1960s
3.
Cycling in the Netherlands
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Cycling has a modal share of 27% of all trips nationwide. In cities this is higher, such as Amsterdam which has 38%, though the smaller Dutch cities well exceed that, for instance Zwolle has 46%. By 1911, the Dutch owned more bicycles per capita than any country in Europe. Even so, the number of Dutch people cycling was very high compared to other European nations and this protest movement came to be known as the Stop de Kindermoord. This makes cycling itself convenient, pleasant, and safe, there is also a good network of bicycle shops throughout the country. Bike-friendly public policy, planning and laws The needs of cyclists are taken into account in all stages of urban planning, urban areas are frequently organised as woonerven, which prioritise cyclists and pedestrians over motorised traffic. The result of this is that cycling is made both objectively and subjectively safe, towns have been designed with limited access by cars and limited car parking. The resulting heavy traffic and very limited car parking makes car use unattractive in towns, a form of strict liability has been law in the Netherlands since the early 1990s for bicycle-motor vehicle accidents. If it can be proved that a cyclist intended to collide with the car, in the Netherlands, bicycle helmets are not commonly worn, they are mostly used by young children and sports cyclists who ride racing bikes or mountain bikes. In fact, the Dutch Fietsersbond summarized existing evidence and concluded that, for normal, everyday cycling, geography, built environment and weather The Netherlands is a relatively densely populated and very flat country, which means that journey distances tend to be short, even between towns. The cool climate of the Netherlands means that one can cycle short distances without breaking into a sweat. This means that people can cycle to work or school without having to shower or wash straight afterwards, as more often might have to do in warm. Practical bicycles and equipment The long-standing bike culture has meant that most bicycles are utility bicycles rather than sports bicycles, bicycle baskets, panniers and load-carrying trailers are common for carrying items to school or work or for carrying shopping items back home from the shops. Training The Dutch train their children to ride so they can ride in the roads when they are around 12 years of age. Only if they pass their traffic exam are awarded their Verkeersdiploma. This training is deemed necessary as 75% of secondary school students cycle to school, Dutch motorists are also trained for interaction with cyclists as part of their driver training when going for their driving licence. For example, trainee motorists are trained to check and re-check their right-hand side for cyclists before making a turn to the right and these factors together far outweigh the negative factors of wet and windy weather, strong headwinds due to the flat terrain, and frequent bicycle thefts. Over a quarter of all made in the Netherlands are by bicycle
4.
Utility cycling
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Utility cycling encompasses any cycling done simply as a means of transport rather than as a sport or leisure activity. It is the original and most common type of cycling in the world, Utility or transportational cycling generally involves travelling short and medium distances, often in an urban environment. It includes commuting, going shopping and running errands, as well as heading out to see friends and it also includes economic activity such as the delivering of goods or services. Velotaxis can also provide a transport service like buses and taxicabs. Utility cycling is known to have social and economic benefits. In the Chinese city of Beijing alone, there are a four million bicycles in use. As of 2000, there were an estimated 80 million bicycles in Japan, accounting for 17% of commuter trips, the development of the safety bicycle was arguably the most important change in the history of the bicycle. It shifted their use and public perception from being a toy for sporting young men to being an everyday transport tool for men—and, crucially. By the start of the 20th Century, cycling had become an important means of transportation, bicycling clubs for men and women spread across the U. S. and across European countries. Cycling steadily became more important in Europe over the first half of the twentieth century, automobiles became the preferred means of transportation. Over the 1920s, bicycles gradually became considered childrens toys, for most of the twentieth century, the great majority of cycling in the UK took place on roads Utility bicycles have many standard features to enhance their usefulness and comfort. Chain guards and mudguards, or fenders, protect clothes and moving parts from oil, front-mounted wicker or steel baskets for carrying goods are often used. Rear luggage carriers can be used to carry such as school satchels. Panniers or special luggage carriers enable the transport of goods and are useful for shopping, parents sometimes add rear-mounted child seats and/or an auxiliary saddle fitted to the crossbar to transport children. Trailers of various types and load capacities may be towed to increase cargo capacity. In many jurisdictions bicycles must be fitted with a bell, reflectors, protective rain gear is often an essential part of the utility cyclists wardrobe, especially in countries with high rainfall levels. Many different factors combine to influence levels of utility cycling, in developing economies, a large amount of utility cycling may be seen simply because the bicycle is the most affordable form of vehicular transport available to many people. In richer countries, where people can have the choice of a mixture of transport types, in developed countries cycling has to compete with, and work with, alternative transport modes such as private cars, public transport and walking
5.
Denmark
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The term Danish Realm refers to the relationship between Denmark proper, the Faroe Islands and Greenland—three countries constituting the Kingdom of Denmark. The legal nature of the Kingdom of Denmark is fundamentally one of a sovereign state. The Faroe Islands and Greenland have been part of the Crown of Denmark since 1397 when the Kalmar Union was ratified, legal matters in The Danish Realm are subject to the Danish Constitution. Beginning in 1953, state law issues within The Danish Realm has been governed by The Unity of the Realm, a less formal name for The Unity of the Realm is the Commonwealth of the Realm. In 1978, The Unity of The Realm was for the first time referred to as rigsfællesskabet. The name caught on and since the 1990s, both The Unity of The Realm and The Danish Realm itself has increasingly been referred to as simply rigsfællesskabet in daily parlance. The Danish Constitution stipulates that the foreign and security interests for all parts of the Danish Realm are the responsibility of the Danish government, the Faroes received home rule in 1948 and Greenland did so in 1979. In 2005, the Faroes received a self-government arrangement, and in 2009 Greenland received self rule, the Danish Realms unique state of internal affairs is acted out in the principle of The Unity of the Realm. This principle is derived from Article 1 of the Danish Constitution which specifies that constitutional law applies equally to all areas of the Danish Realm, the Constitutional Act specifies that sovereignty is to continue to be exclusively with the authorities of the Realm. The language of Denmark is Danish, and the Danish state authorities are based in Denmark, the Kingdom of Denmarks parliament, with its 179 members, is located in the capital, Copenhagen. Two of the members are elected in each of Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The Government ministries are located in Copenhagen, as is the highest court, in principle, the Danish Realm constitutes a unified sovereign state, with equal status between its constituent parts. Devolution differs from federalism in that the powers of the subnational authority ultimately reside in central government. The Self-Government Arrangements devolves political competence and responsibility from the Danish political authorities to the Faroese, the Faroese and Greenlandic authorities administer the tasks taken over from the state, enact legislation in these specific fields and have the economic responsibility for solving these tasks. The Danish government provides a grant to the Faroese and the Greenlandic authorities to cover the costs of these devolved areas. The 1948 Home Rule Act of the Faroe Islands sets out the terms of Faroese home rule, the Act states. the Faroe Islands shall constitute a self-governing community within the State of Denmark. It establishes the government of the Faroe Islands and the Faroese parliament. The Faroe Islands were previously administered as a Danish county, the Home Rule Act abolished the post of Amtmand and these powers were expanded in a 2005 Act, which named the Faroese home government as an equal partner with the Danish government
6.
Netherlands
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The Netherlands, also informally known as Holland is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a densely populated country located in Western Europe with three territories in the Caribbean. The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, sharing borders with Belgium, the United Kingdom. The three largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, Amsterdam is the countrys capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of parliament and government. The port of Rotterdam is the worlds largest port outside East-Asia, the name Holland is used informally to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands. Netherlands literally means lower countries, influenced by its low land and flat geography, most of the areas below sea level are artificial. Since the late 16th century, large areas have been reclaimed from the sea and lakes, with a population density of 412 people per km2 –507 if water is excluded – the Netherlands is classified as a very densely populated country. Only Bangladesh, South Korea, and Taiwan have both a population and higher population density. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is the worlds second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products and this is partly due to the fertility of the soil and the mild climate. In 2001, it became the worlds first country to legalise same-sex marriage, the Netherlands is a founding member of the EU, Eurozone, G-10, NATO, OECD and WTO, as well as being a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union. The first four are situated in The Hague, as is the EUs criminal intelligence agency Europol and this has led to the city being dubbed the worlds legal capital. The country also ranks second highest in the worlds 2016 Press Freedom Index, the Netherlands has a market-based mixed economy, ranking 17th of 177 countries according to the Index of Economic Freedom. It had the thirteenth-highest per capita income in the world in 2013 according to the International Monetary Fund, in 2013, the United Nations World Happiness Report ranked the Netherlands as the seventh-happiest country in the world, reflecting its high quality of life. The Netherlands also ranks joint second highest in the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, the region called Low Countries and the country of the Netherlands have the same toponymy. Place names with Neder, Nieder, Nether and Nedre and Bas or Inferior are in use in all over Europe. They are sometimes used in a relation to a higher ground that consecutively is indicated as Upper, Boven, Oben. In the case of the Low Countries / the Netherlands the geographical location of the region has been more or less downstream. The geographical location of the region, however, changed over time tremendously
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