According to one of my German co-workers, if there's an accident between a car and a bicycle, it's assumed to be the auto driver's fault, unless there's some extreme extenuating circumstance. He says this is true in Germany; one of my other friends said it was true in the Netherlands as well.
That probably increases the amount of care drivers take around cyclists.
THAT is way cool, that the driver is assumed at fault. In a sense it doesn't entirely make sense, considering relative maneuverability and braking times. Go them. I have seen a very terrible 'mofa' (moped) accident in Germany, and, well, maybe there's less belief the helmet will help a whole heck of a lot. But this was a mofa vs. tandem-trailer truck 'collision.'
Yes, assumed driver responsibility is true in the Netherlands.
There are two things in the Netherlands that make helmets unnecessary: the first is the infrastructure (they built a system where biking is a valid mode of transportation) and the second is the attitude of the drivers. Not sure which one came first.
I've been riding my bike here for nearly 3 months now and I have never been doored. Not even close. I've been given right of way at every intersection, even when it was an inconvenience for the driver AND when I didn't have my bike light on at night.
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Date: 2008-03-08 09:28 pm (UTC)That probably increases the amount of care drivers take around cyclists.
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Date: 2008-03-08 10:52 pm (UTC)I have seen a very terrible 'mofa' (moped) accident in Germany, and, well, maybe there's less belief the helmet will help a whole heck of a lot. But this was a mofa vs. tandem-trailer truck 'collision.'
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Date: 2008-03-10 11:01 pm (UTC)There are two things in the Netherlands that make helmets unnecessary: the first is the infrastructure (they built a system where biking is a valid mode of transportation) and the second is the attitude of the drivers. Not sure which one came first.
I've been riding my bike here for nearly 3 months now and I have never been doored. Not even close. I've been given right of way at every intersection, even when it was an inconvenience for the driver AND when I didn't have my bike light on at night.
I'm going to miss it in a big, big way.