In the Netherlands it is legally allowed that cyclists travel side by side. In actual practice it occurs frequently. Quite often cyclists will even travel with more than two abreast, both on bike paths and bike lanes and on roads with mixed traffic, whether it is allowed or not. In addition cyclists will often find themselves two, three or four abreast when overtaking. This causes ‘thick’ streams of cyclists, in particular on busy routes. For cyclists riding side by side is relevant and positive: it makes cycling more fun (social contact) and faster (overtaking). It does, however, makes demands of road maintenance authorities: attractive bicycle facilities should have a considerable width, which requires space and money. From a safety perspective it does have its advantages: cyclists riding side by side on a mixed-use road are clearly visible. All in all cycling side by side is a quite distinctive feature in Dutch bicycle policy practice. This article describes the situation in neighbouring countries in legal and practical terms. Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Germany are discussed.
The overall conclusion is that cycling side by side is simply daily practice in countries where cycling is ‘normal’, as in the Netherlands, and bicycle intensities are high. Irrespective of the rules. Where there is a high use of bicycles, where there is a cycling culture, cycling side by side is daily practice and traffic participants adapt to it, as do traffic engineers. As long as bicycle intensities are low, however, the restrictive regulations that often exist on paper at least, may stand in the way of the growth of bicycle use.