The USA is one of the world’s most car-dependent countries, according to research from the experts at Confused.com. It’s estimated that over 70 percent of Americans commute to work using a car and over 90 percent of households have access to a vehicle.
An expat who lived in Los Angeles and in the Netherlands has taken to Reddit to explain why they felt life was easier without relying on a car.
‘PurchaseSignal6154’ said: “Children and parents have a lot more independence from each other since they aren’t on house arrest in the suburbs without someone to drive them around.
“It’s really nice that the parents’ lives don’t revolve around their childrens’ schedules. The elderly are also able to have active social lives and remain independent for longer, especially since motorised wheelchairs are also allowed on the bicycle paths.”
There’s thought to be more than one bike per person in the Netherlands with bike numbers rising by a third between 2005 and 2022.
The expat added: “The fresh air and exercise from cycling to work in the morning helped me feel more alert once I arrived.
“When you pass someone you know while biking it’s easy to stop and have a little chat. In the Netherlands, cyclists make eye contact with each other while navigating traffic which makes me feel acknowledged as part of society.
“I observed much less antisocial behaviour in the public spaces, I think since most people in the Netherlands grow up less physically isolated from each other.”
Another expat claimed that they lost 10 pounds in a month without trying after moving from the USA to the Netherlands.
One Reddit user said they moved from Texas to the Netherlands and found that “exercise was part of life, instead of a (gym) membership you ignore”.
“The time spent in traffic, looking for parking, slowly getting to the main road – gone. Replaced by canals, tulips and swans.”
