Comments on: Stretch Limo Bakfiets Ride

By: Joanne

Joanne — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:12:22 +0000

Really like this blog, would be great if the Dutch (and Danish) cycling culture becomes popular everywhere in Europe. I think Dublin is heading in the right direction with more bicycle lanes and more dublin bikes.
The bakfiets is great and I am very glad that they are now available in Ireland as well. I read in the Irish Times about a company called bear bicycles that import them from Holland. Must try one out soon!

By: henry

henry — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 09:47:01 +0000

Hey Todd,
Sorry, I deleted that spam comment before I saw your response. I just get rid of all that crap, even comment that are semi-related but essentially just excuses for uninteresting links. I want to keep the discussion here clean and focused on the topic.

By: Todd Edelman

Todd Edelman — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 09:32:10 +0000

Ha ha regarding “limo” above: They probably found this through a Google search, so to attract other competition you might want to add terms such as “electric car” or “Nissan Leaf”, etc to various future entries… as I have to this one.

By: DrMekon

DrMekon — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:08:04 +0000

My 4 year old’s preferred position in the cargobike is laid on the floor of the bak facing me, using a blanket as a pillow. That, or hiding under the flat cover and jumping up and scaring people. Neither involve seat belts or helmets. It’s only within our village, and at the speeds we go, on the roads we use, the minimal risks are hugely outweighted by the social rewards.

By: Frits B

Frits B — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:56:12 +0000

Henry: Re children on bikes, did you see this?
http://www.welingelichtekringen.nl/27000-km-fietsen-in-drie-jaar-tijd-wat-veel-voor-de-kinderen.html

By: Frits B

Frits B — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:22:59 +0000

Re Pascal: ‘t Is een bijzonder kind, en dat is-ie!
Famous description of Dik Trom

By: Bliss Chick

Bliss Chick — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:01:30 +0000

Beautiful! I love it that you can trust your child to sit while you pedal, that you could raise him in a place where bikes are given respect, and that you had such a great cargo bike to use!

My husband and I (both Americans) moved from more suburban and urban areas to Montana (northwestern USA) in order to get away from a culture that feels that anything less than overboard safety measures are child abuse, and we haven’t regretted it. The only problem is that car is still king here, and I do insist that my children wear helmets, just because I can never tell what chances drives might decide to take with my children’s safety. I dream of living in Amsterdam or Copenhagen where everyday biking is taken for granted and is very safe.

Thanks so much for this post and the wonderful pictures!

By: ten

ten — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:41:52 +0000

child safety? I feel compelled to share something I saw yesterday that flabberghasted me – a 50ish woman picked her baby grandchild (6 months?) up from the daycare at the same time as me, and as I was putting my son into his handlebar seat, she got into her car with the baby on her lap, and drove off (no belts for either of them). I was so shocked I followed her, and unbelievably saw her turn, turn again, and then turn onto the main road double-lane no-central-reservation rush hour traffic that I consider too dangerous to cycle in.

Speechless, I quietly cycled home (via the back roads as ever) as Allen burbled away cheerfully. There was a baby seat on the back seat of that car – apparently the woman couldn’t be bothered to use it. Unbelievable.

For clarity: I live in Okinawa, Japan, and yes she’d get a ticket if the cops saw her. But who would do that for anything?

I’m starting to consider emmigrating to holland….

By: Branko Collin

Branko Collin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:37:16 +0000

The image of your kid in the big bike’s bak triggered a memory, but it took a second to become clear. Ah yes, Roald Dahl’s “Danny, the Champion of the World,” in translation, illustrated by Jill Bennet. Young master Klopsteen sitting in a stretch-pram, on top of a thin sheet covering hundreds of dead pheasants.

(Except that the pheasants weren’t dead, and started pecking at the toddler’s tushy when they woke up.)

By: Frits B

Frits B — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:09:33 +0000

@Todd: No idea. Never thought about it and prefer to keep it that way. When I’m in a car as a passenger (haven’t driven for over 30 years) I buckle up and hope the driver knows what he/she is doing. And if I’m ever required to wear a helmet in a car I’d rather walk.