I have returned from cycling around Holland with offspring and husband in tow. It was all fine pedalling fun. Lots of windmills, lots of wind, lots of greenhouses, tulips, daffodils, dykes and bikes and herons flying down the high street. Also lots of fields of swans trying to look like sheep.
Cycling in the Netherlands is a world away from cycling here in these fair, green traffic-laden isles where more often than not we are shoved into the ditch by a speeding motorist. In Holland a cyclist has all the room in the world to weave and wander along an endless medley of vehicle-free cycle tracks. I will write more about this when this WordPress website decides to work properly again because at the moment it’s not allowing me to put up any pictures or write any more than this title (I hate computers!).
All I have space to say is that on Tuesday 24th April I’ve been invited to the Houses of Parliament to appear with Jon Snow (the TV news man with busy ties) and James Harding (editor of The Times) at the Transport Select Committee Meeting to discuss and be questioned about cycle safety. Shortly after this I will be appearing on the BBC Daily Politics Progamme to discuss more about cycle safety with a Labour Peer of all people. I’ve never done anything like this before so it all sounds suitably nerve wracking but I’m willing to give it a whirl. More soon on this I hope!
April 21st, 2012
Welcome home from tulip land!
I hope they put that Select Ciommittee on the BBC Parliament channel.
April 22nd, 2012
Parliament type people have told me it is going to be on the Parliament Channel. I’ll be the one looking hot and bothered! And probably the only one in cycling shorts. By the way, we went to the Railway Museum in Utrecht. Gary and Molly had some exciting train rides while Daisy slept through it.
April 22nd, 2012
I got really saddlesore over there ;lovely people ,so very friendly to us Brits on Bicycles .
Can you ask if the white lines at the sides of roads can be made a bit wider, to give us a bit more shelter from ” Passing Wind “!
April 22nd, 2012
I’m not too keen on passing wind either so will put forth request.
April 23rd, 2012
Hi there, I work at BBC Parliament and was just looking at your website doing some research for the captions for this committee.
Seeing your comments, I thought I’d let you know that the Committee will be streamed live on the BBC Democracy Live website and will be shown on BBC Parliament sometime over the weekend (Fri evening-Sun, sorry I can’t be more specific). Hope that’s helpful!
April 23rd, 2012
Do we have any idea of the approximate time to watch the Parliament Channel?
Glad you got to the Utrecht Museum. Everyone should.
April 23rd, 2012
Partly answering my own question, I find by roaming the internet that the committee starts at 10:10 with a ‘VIP’ (forget which minister or whatever) joining at 11:00. The BBC channel gives the impression that it will also be available afterwards on i-player.
April 23rd, 2012
OOPS! Did those last two without seeing the one from Ros, which rather pre-empts them. I think I must have done mine just as hers came in.
April 24th, 2012
Saw it on the website. BRAVO!
April 25th, 2012
You can view it on iPlayer here (hope links are allowed!): http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9715000/9715449.stm
April 26th, 2012
I always felt like I had all of Europe just to myself because of those cycling lanes. With the strict laws in the Netherlands and Belgium I felt like the king of the road. Quite an experience when one comes from Johannesburg.
April 26th, 2012
Thanks very much for posting the link Martin – I’d been hunting all over for this.
Well done Josie!