Connex/SC electrostars again

(martin) said:

Is it really the case that only one bike is allowed per 3/4 car unit, and then only off peak, and
then only if the space is not taken up by wheelchair? This is only going to antagonise animosity
between passengers/staff and cyclists due to the increased intrusion into the passenger area (at
the moment most guards vans are an exclusive cyclists club for much of the day) and increased
loading times as cyclists try to find a vacant bike space. Are we going to end up with the Dutch
solution where everyone has a bike at each end? (bikes on trains are actually quite rare in the
Netherlands contrary to popular opinion, and need a reservation for each journey which is a few
quid IIRC).

I travel from Tun Wells to London every day and get on either the old slam door or the new trains. I
have seen 3 bikes in the disabled bay. 2 bikes do fit leaving enough room for passengers to get
past. I think that you have seen the official contrix info not the reality on the ground. Officially
bikes are not allowed on during the rush hour , even on the old slam door variety, including all
trains that arrive in London after 7 am.

Looks like the Dutch method may be coming up.

Are there any other Dutch habits or pastimes that we may want to take up?

Quoted message said:

Are there any other Dutch habits or pastimes that we may want to take up?

Drinking Heineken (the real 5% stuff not uk rubbish) and leaving bikes on Heineken bike racks.
Having company bikes to go about one's business eg litter collectors, police (done already) Having a
fish shop next to a chip shop niether of which sell each other's wares (necessitating standing
between them with fish n chips) putting lighthouses on top of church steeples (Westkappel,
Walcheren) Ducth cheese that is not edam or gouda earwax and has things in like cumin, chilli etc.
being banned from cycling on roads! Taking mussels out of shells and putting sauce on Eating 5kg of
chips with 500g of curry/chilli/provencal etc mayo on. Paprika crisps (done as well in uk) Self
policing (ie no rubbish or visible lawbreaking. Traffic calming by allowing sheep to walk all over
rat run Ranstad towns Not being allowed to drink beer unless it is in the proper branded glass.
Filling up every single hotel room in the country for the Queens birthday (May 1 IIRC) forcing us
brits to sleep on the beach Not allwoing Easyjet to land at Schiphol without 1 hour delay on tarmac
Not walking on bike lanes etc etc when can I go back there please?

Quoted message said:

Are there any other Dutch habits or pastimes that we may want to take up?

and there's more; Invading the on board cafe during a 10 min ferry crossing to eat hot dogs
(Vlissingen-Breskens) Riding single speed back pedal brake bikes with tri bars! Bike traffic jams
Bike signposts and traffic lights Having a separate traffic light for each lane of traffic suspended
on a large gantry (do they have a large gantry with 4 round stop/go signs which they employ people
to run round in circles during roadworks?) Having a personal ferry to cross small canals made out of
an old pallet Going camping and spending all week within 3m of their tent/caravan and eating
sandwiches with hundreds and thousands sprinkled all over (they even do this in Snowdonia!) Driving
round in rubber band powered cars (IIRC they now make the Volvo S40 at the factory instead) having
an annual running race between islands in 1m of silt Having an annual skating race on canals which
are almost always now not frozen Playing a bizzare game involving a plastic cup and two dice Serving
beer in 25cl glasses with an unspecified amount of froth and having to use a regulation plastic
knife to level it off! Growing fields of tulips and chopping the heads off just as the British
tourists arrive. Spending large amounts of time in coffee houses (oh; we do that now, but without
the added herbs) Reclaiming the Linconshire Fens and then going home again Trying to outdo each
others town by building the tallest church tower only to run out of money and getting left with just
the square base. Not selling disposable barbecues in April