Autoluw: the (Nearly) Car-Free Streets of the Netherlands

[Yavin4]

[Jeebo]

1. I've spent a fair amount of time in Amsterdam.

The last time I was there was April 2007. There were not a lot of cars then either, but that's largely because cars were difficult to navigate on those narrow crowded canal streets. From this video I would judge the city is more car-free than it was even then. Amsterdam is one of my favorite places on this whole planet, by the way. Shucks, that whole country is literally picture-postcard pretty.

-- Ron

[Yavin4]

2. I've been to Amsterdam and a suburb of it as well.

You're sooo right about it being "picture-postcard pretty". At times I was expecting people on the street to break out in song.

[ChazInAz]

3. Love Amsterdam.

I was there in November of 2012. (Celebrated Obama's re-election in Vienna!)
The car-free streets were a thing of beauty, made possible by the sophisticated metropolitan transit system. The city has brilliantly integrated busses, light rail,water taxis and the citizen's avid cycling. Of course, that means that the people, themselves, are committed to the system, unlike here in the states where most cities are trying to run public transport as a profit-making entity instead of a public service, and have jacked up prices beyond the reach of those who can't afford a car.

[Jeebo]

4. Don't forget the trams.

The trams are a great way to get around that city. I used the trams a lot. I also rented a bicycle a few times, and also, of course, I had my own legs.

Trams, bicycle, legs -- that's all you need in Amsterdam.

-- Ron

[ChazInAz]

5. I did, didn't I?

The trams are great. For the most part, they got me where I wanted to go, sometimes finishing the trip on a bus for the more out of the way destinations in the city.
I was awestruck by the huge, sprawling parking lots for bicycles! We're lucky to find a bike rack, here in Tucson.