Vélo-Cité 63 reposted this
To understand how normal getting around by bike has become in the Netherlands, one must simply reflect on the fact the Dutch language has two different words for “cyclist”: The first, wielrenner (“wheel runner”), is the hunched and helmeted archetype that dominates the streets and psyches of most cities elsewhere. Wielrenners are the fit and the brave, decked out in brightly coloured clothing and safety equipment; likely wanting a shower and change of clothes when they reach their destination. They represent a narrow and prohibitive type of cycling, which, tellingly, makes up a tiny fraction of the biking done by the Dutch, mostly just for recreation (and not transportation) on a Sunday morning. The second Dutch term for cyclist—fietser—is quite the opposite in its connotation. Fietsers ride around in their normal clothes, at a moderate pace, on upright frames, without any reflective or safety gear. They’re not “running with wheels”—they’re walking with them. They represent a far more accessible, casual, inclusive style of cycling, who happen to make up the vast majority of people cycling on Dutch streets. Unfortunately, elsewhere they are in the distinct minority, in part because of inherent structural and cultural conditions that favour the fast and furious over the slow and steady.
La pratique du vélo aux pays-bas est un exemple pour beaucoup de nations et les facteurs de réussite sont mutiles. Mais je ne suis pas certains que la sémantique soit déterminante dans cette réussite. En tout cas opposer les cyclistes "rapides et furieux" aux cyclistes "lents et réguliers" ne me semble pas forcément faire sens. Je suis convaincu de la porosité des pratiques : déplacement, loisir, tourisme, sport... Une pratique de loisir à la base peut tout à fait susciter des envies de déplacement du quotidien à vélo. Mettre des barrières entre ces pratiques pourrait avoir tendance à freiner le passage d'un cyclisme à un autre. De même les infrastructures peuvent être suffisamment capacitaires pour accueillir toutes ces pratiques sur le même espace.
The presence of fietsers is an excellent indicator for assessing a city's cycling infrastructure. A place that proudly showcases stretches of flashy new cycling paths but lacks children cycling to school has not succeeded in creating a fit for purpose mobility network.
Our variation in cyclists and bikes has become a much more complex mix that the two that are mentioned. Over the last few years we have seen a fast growing cycling community with a growing variation in speed, size and age. At the same time we still see limited space for this group and a rise in accidents. Not only with cars, but also isolated accidents where no others are involved. It is not about a distinct minority that causes the problems. That is over simplifying the complex challenge. It is about w wrong mindset where cars are still on number one, despite saying they are not, and the lack of making choices.
It’s a little sad when those trying to be positive about cycling use negative language to create unnecessary distinctions. In describing the ‘wielrenner’ (I’d say ‘road cyclist’ in English, as they generally ride ‘road bikes’) you use language such as “narrow and prohibitive” and “fast and furious” - both of which could be read as negative. My commuter cycle is my primary mode of transport - I cycle to the shops in regular clothes, I cycle to work in regular clothes, I cycle to visit friends in regular clothes. However, I also enjoy long distance road cycling and, when I have time (not just on Sundays!), I like to ride 60, or 80, or 100km (or more). This is made more comfortable in cycling-specific clothing that is often brightly coloured. Is this a bad thing? I’m not sure why road cycling would be considered ‘prohibitive’, and, although I like to cycle distance, it’s usually at a moderate pace and definitely not ‘fast and furious’. Although probably unintended, your post appears to pit different ‘categories’ of cyclists against one another, as if a person can be one OR the other, but not both. Language matters. The language we use to promote active travel and challenge the dominance of motor vehicles really does matter.
I totally love that about the Dutch cycling scene! The Fietsers. Spent a month on a fiet and it really has the affordance to create a more human way of cycling. Without the need to wear a helmet, it's easier for people to pick up and cycle regularly to everywhere including interviews and dates! Also, people don't drop dead on the road for no reason. The wheel runners are part of the reasons why we have to wear helmets in London, their bravado on the road covers their cowardness to be kind. I am a cyclist and I'm terrified of wheel runners, who think they can just squeeze past you at speed, if not, they can clip your bike, injure, and then outrun you (actually happened). The question is have fiester / wielrenner stopped or slowed down for anyone? Thinking in objects and designs, I did wonder if the helmet has contributed towards people riding irresponsibly in various ways. In London, I've seen people wearing motorcycle helmets on e-bikes now. It is as if the roads were designed for fast and furious everywhere else apart from Dutch cities. I wonder how to make a road culture change away from fast and furious as the dominant mode.
I would add a third type (although I don't think there is a commonly used word for it in Dutch yet): the 'speedpedeleccer.' Fully geared up on their 45 km/h machine, they announce their presence with a short 'ping,' zooming past you only seconds later.
I have decided to start using "Ute-biker" for utilitarian biker. This creates a distinction from the spandex clad "cyclists" that drivers love to hate the most. It's also good to change the mindset of city planners.
"Wielrennen" is mainly used to describe the sport of road cycling, like for exemple the Tour de France.
Wheel runner type riding on shared pathways and similar spaces is a menace in that mixed users environment. Too often with an arrogant command of space. Just like car drivers who cannot control their sel perceptions of right of space, no matter what.
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1moSuper interesting. The number of words you have do differentiate variants from a same concept is clearly an indication of how important that concept is in your culture. France isn't quite there yet, but the word "vélotafeur" appeared in the language fairly recently specifically for cyclists who go to work by bike.