AI6YR Ben4d ago

Oooh, a prior oil crisis is what turned the Netherlands from a driving country to a bicycling country.

The Guardian: Do we want to keep fixing the same issue? Unlearned lessons from the first big oil crisis

As energy prices tripled in the 1970s due to Middle Eastern wars, Scandinavia, France and the Netherlands sped up green transition

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/13/fixing-the-same-issue-first-big-oil-crisis-middle-eastern-wars

#IranWar #bicycling #BikeTooter #cycling

Show threadTrektor4d ago
@ai6yr the dutch were enthusiastic cyclists WAY before 1973.
I highly doubt the oilcrisis was a catalyst in any way for the Netherlands.
Here's a picture made in 1933 from a few streets down:
Show threadAI6YR Ben4d ago
@trrektor Well, the Americans were enthusiastic about cycling up until the advent of the automobile.
Raymond Johnson4d ago
Show threadTrektor
@ai6yr Cars did not distract the Dutch. While I'm at it: here's a pic of the Maastunnel escalators in 1950
Mar 13 at 7:28pmWeb