Here in the states people don't even have an idea on how modern and better Europe is.

The problem with Antwerp and many other cities in Belgium is that officials are ready to improve the cycling infrastructure, but also want to keep enough space for cars. Due to this, you’ll see many conflicting situations as you mentioned. Unfortunately these red bike pavements are rather the exception than the rule. Usually they’ll just draw a dotted line without any kind of seperation on the lane where cars will pass you by with ridiculous small distance from you. That’s why these bike lanes are called by the locals “moordstrookje” (murder strip). In Brussels for instance, the situation is worse. There you’ll find yourself many times cycling in between tram rails while avoiding cars that try to cross on conflicting crossroads.

Not to forget Antwerp is also investing in the creation of highways specifically for bycicles (fietsostrades). Which is a nice solution to cover long distances in a shorter time.

With regards to the electric scooters. Although I'm living in Denmark and exclusively use my bike - but I do realize the electric scooters (or "stepje") appeal to a group of non-cyclist that I would like to see out of cars/busses. I'd like for them to gain the freedom of the bike - which might not be possible since it is still quite a hurdle. The scooters are mechanically limited to 20 km/h here - much slower than a bike. I think the main reason they are seen as "unsafe" is that the people who ride them are non-cyclist (or tourist even) and therefore not as "skilled" at the subtle safety and road rules among cyclist. All-in-all, promote the bike but make space for scooters to be a safe, almost carbon neutral, alternative to the car / bus. Like bikes, they are not suitable to share space with pedestrians or with cars - and it will take a bit of adjustment to get used to them and vice versa. Fewer cars is still a good thing.

I think the scooters can work well if they’re either owned or use a docked share system. I think they can accelerate infrastructure development in most countries. They just need to put bigger wheels and wider handlebars on the shared ones so they’re more stable and safer especially for new users.

I live in Antwerpen. Good summary. Constant improvements, still some old painful points and unfortunately, some new mistakes as well.

Thank you for this video Mark! Very informative!

Mark, you are a true promoter of cycling! Keep up the good work!

It must be said that of all the major cities in Belgium, Antwerp had improved their cycling infrastructure the most, both relatively and in absolute numbers. The difference with the Brussels Capital Region. I'd also like to Point out that due to Belgium's federal structure (comparable to Germany) the individual States are responsible for their own public infrastructure. That has resulted in alot of significant regional differences since federalisation (1993). One being Road infrastructure in generale and cycling infrastructure specifically. Flanders shares alot of similarities with the Netherlands, one being that we both use our bikes in all aspects of live, it's embedded in our culture. That's we're one of the few regions in the EU with an inherent uniform omnipresent cycling infrastructure that will offer you the possibility to cross the entire region by bike on dedicated infrastructure. The difference with situation in the two regions is enormous. Brussels being an absolute car oriented metropolis with the reputation of being one of the most congested in the world. Wallonia on their part has been suffering from economical decline resulting in an underfunded infrastructure and a Lack of interest in a cycling culture as a whole. No major investments have been made in the past 30 years.

Yes, it may not be like the Netherlands, but Belgium, at least the Flemish part, is still a little bike-paradise compare to some other countries.

Great work, Mark, thank you.

Hi from Scotland love the videos, and miss your country, yes I didn't think it looked all that good here , yes I know this is antwerp .

Very intriguing, I’ve never been to Antwerpen but I look forward to visiting now.

Thank you for your video. It is good to see Belgium improving. As a former resident of Aachen (GER), EUPEN (BEL) train station was my way to go everywhere in Belgium or abroad. If you could, would be possible for you to go to EUPEN and the Dreilanderpunkt? I missed a lot. Thank you from your former neighbor, now living in US of A...

Ahhh... 1st world problems. I wish my city had a quarter the cycle infrastructure of Antwerp...

At the back entrance of the train station there is another underground bicycle park. This place is called Kievitplein. The bicycle parkings sometimes aren't safe due to some organisations handing out breakfast for the homeless in there, attracting less friendly people.

Antwerp in the local language is something like "AAAntwaaarpe".

You should come and take a look when Oosterweel is finally finished!

So sad about the current situation on the overpass, the overpass is so beautiful, but then to end in steep stairs and elevators is a shame, wonder what it will look like with ramps and if the ramps will be worthy of that beautiful overpass.

Cool, cool, COOL!!!

1:40 In Belgium, the rules are slightly different than in the Netherlands. Every pedestrian area in Belgium always (as far as I know) uses the composite sign of "pedestrianised area" but with a bike underneath... images.app.goo.gl/vsRMvJd5kFZUueMi6 This means in Belgium you can almost always cycle through a pedestrian area as long as you give priority to pedestrians and don't hinder pedestrians. This is different from the Netherlands where the bike underneath is usually a seperate sign and often isn't there making it illegal for bikes to cycle through pedestrian areas...

I to hate these scooters , they are a menace and a definite obstruction , ( even here in Tasmania ) ! We too need more bike infrastructure for bikes , one good thing is with Pandemic , much less cars making cycling , much less trying and much more pleasurable !

Nice video man. I live Antwerpen too.

Antwerp is the second largest harbor in Europe. Rotterdam, Netherlands is the largest. I remember the tunnel under the river with elevators in Antwerp.

thank you

Ładny filmik bardzo mi się podoba pozdrawiam i życzę dużo zdrowia

Haha die pan in het begin is achterstevoren. Alle auto's rijden achteruit.

👍👍👍🌸🌸🌸

Man you should do a video about biking in Valenciennes 😅

Antwerp isn’t bad I think. I lived there for 6 months and got a bike early on. It’s maybe not as far along as Dutch cities but I didn’t really mind cycling there.

I wish the same in Santo Domingo🎬

I❤️Antwerpen😋

quite strange to see the streets i know so well on youtube :-). by the way the reason people don't cross on the overpass is because the situation is hugely impractical on one side. you have to choose between pushing your bike up the stairs (which is very uncomfortable with most modern heavy bicycles) or you can take the elevator that takes longer to arrive than the lights changing EDIT: oh you said that right after i commented

The worst is that those scooters are allowed on transit while taking your bike on it is being called outdated and results in a fine.

There might have been good reasons for Flemish separatism in 1830,.. but having a better infrastructure, or spatial planning & land use management in general,.. was probably not one of them.

What about winter circumstances and humidity and sharp cold wind ????Arthritis????

Can you make video cycling in Jakarta, Bandung, or Yogyakarta please...

Scooters are no threat if ridden safely and parked considerately. For a lot of scooter journeys one scooter is a car taken off the road - I use mine for a lot of trips I would have otherwise either used the car, or not taken at all

We really try. And we look North for ideas. But our politics is just a lot more complicated and slow sadly.

I'm not quite sure where your problem belongs. In dockless escooters or escooters in general? Either way, I can understand escooters being a slight initial threat in terms of practicality perception of micromobility (which includes cycles) when they dominate in just-getting-started-with-cycling cities. Tho that may be false. Don't really see a problem with their 25km/h limit which they mostly all have, dockless or in general. Other than that, I'm pretty neutral. What I find really is an eye saw is 'modernisation'. I think we should stop calling it that, because new designs can mix-up old principle while they bring in new concepts too.

Use a mountain bike... it will be bumpy!! XD

I quite like eScooters. Cars are a bigger problem

Meskiennn

I warn you. Never park your bicycle in the parking under the train station!!!!!

4:09 those are cool 😁 for my opinion. 😂😂😂 the only reason why the Netherlands still a cycling country is because they literally put ridiculous rules on the scooter 🛴. btw i love Belgium culture cycling path

never use those underground parkings, your bicycle parts will be stolen, if not it completely demolished

2:40 disagree cause you would have a problem with peds and park cars. This is a better solution.

Le titre est en français mais pas la vidéo

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eaypra59u7m1qac.html Bezoekje Antwerpen MEER dan de moeite waard.

we got our lunch stolen from our bicycle bags down in the fietsenstalling while strolling the city... good thing we had nothing of value in there but that food and our stinking cloths :D also shows how useless security camera are.

start a ban the scooters Petition. i don't like them either. i think the powers to be are in bed with them. maybe drop the bike rental prices down and more to appease the masses

The Netherlands is far superior than belgium, especially on this area

Pretty ugly city to be honest