The Dutch know a thing or two about biking, but nobody there wear a helmet. And they all ride bikes. So how come they aren't all horribly disfigured from gruesome accidents? (they aren't you know. The Dutch as generally very gorgeous people). Probably because they don't have the accidents in the first place. And that's a cultural shift.
In NZ, drivers are some of the most intolerant I have come across in the Western world. Preoccupied, speeding, blocking, finger-flicking, it's a jungle out there! In Holland, drivers are schooled in sharing the road, getting out of their cars and onto bikes where they can, and generally getting along great with cyclists. And all those bikes is not due to their amazing weather. The weather there is cold and dreadful a good deal of the time! And what else? They have SEPARATE BIKE LANES! Doesn't take a genius to get that one right.
So where does that leave us? My thoughts are, slap on that lid if you are road-sharing with drivers, for sure. Once we establish a full separate bikes network, then maybe we can take a closer look at that Dutch model. Until then, just wear that helmet hair with pride!

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