Jordan Clark and I paid a visit to Jill Warren, CEO of the European Cyclists’ Federation in Brussels, Belgium, on November 2, 2022, and this is our reaction video to what we saw on the ground. Come along for the ride and experience some amazing public spaces, solid protected bikeways, and comfortable fietsstraats (bicycle priority streets), as well as some head-scratching unnecessary car-prioritized designs.
Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):
– European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF): https://ecf.com/
– Velo-city: https://ecf.com/what-we-do/velo-city/velo-city-2023-leipzig
– We Built it That Way Podcast: https://webuiltitthatway.captivate.fm/
– New Brussels traffic plan: https://bit.ly/41f6FKv
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Credits: Video and audio production by John Simmerman
Music via Epidemic Sound: https://bit.ly/3rFLErD
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Background:
Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.
Since 2010, I’ve been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a “Culture of Activity” for “All Ages & Abilities.”
The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.
Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.
Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2023
14 Comments
1 p.m. ?Eastern Standard time?
Hi John!
A couple of observations: Interested on the first busier street that the cars were parked on grade separate strip with bike lane in-between the parked cars and traffic flow. Looks like an opportunity to eventually reverse that and making a protected space by parked cars. I don't know that I will ever again be enamored with bike lanes in-between two lanes of traffic flow, regardless of color, be they red, green, or blue. But at least the cars are smaller for the most part. In North America, you might think you were in a canyon sandwiched between pickups and large SUVs.
Just an FYI, you need space between your mic and the pop filter, otherwise it's pretty much useless. Minimum 3cm.
Great conversation again. In the early 90’s bollards like that were more common in cities in the Netherlands. But the necessity to keep them in place disappeared when other solutions that play into the intuition of both drivers and cyclists were implemented. I think it will go the same way in Belgium. For now they need them and then they improve the street in order to get rid of them.
Great to see the encouraging "after" after we had experienced the "before" 20 years ago. Bruges was the best on a bike.
Interesting video of Brussels, but the bike lanes with traffic don't look that safe. Good thing the traffic is slow.
Belgium never do something about their roads. The road quality is terribel.
They only painted it and that is it.
the bollards are in some places romoved in the netherlands. Oncided accidents with bikes is a problem.
Dutch public space looks a bit more clear , but that also has to do with esthetics that Come from earlier times and is still being applicated to infrastructure and it's furniture….
What's Jordan's channel name?
Belgium is pretty much the little brother falling in the footsteps of The Netherlands in a way. Not only for infrastructure but also legislation.
Brussels put in allot of effort to make the city more people friendly. The main problem is that the city wants to give every mode of transportation a place even within the city center.
It is something other big cities like Ghent and Bruges are trying to avoid by completely blocking of city centers from cars.
I recommend you check those cities out when you visit Belgium again!
It is funny to see you so going on about metal bollards. I grew up with them in the Netherlands. They were called 'Amsterdammertjes' (little Amsterdam guys) except in Amsterdam where they were given a rather rude nick name, (think of the shape.) These days most of the bollards being placed in the Netherlands are recycled plastics, made to break at (of just below) ground level.
Those cobbles would likely feel a little rougher due to the smaller wheels on your bikes than on a regular bike.
Nice video! Until 11 am, the car free streets are open for deliveries. So if you come in the afternoon, you will see no cars anymore in the historic center!