What happens if you optimize for the cyclists?

via Melissa & Chris Bruntlett: “0.5% of Dutch cyclists wear helmets, and that’s really just sport cyclists. They’ve ultimately decided that it’s far more important to build this culture of everyday cycling, and to build safe streets, instead of requiring people to protect themselves.”

David Roberts on Vox: How the Dutch created a casual biking culture - Vox

(My take: I’m writing from the US, and to most of us as Americans, it’s inherently obvious that cyclists need to protect themselves from the perils of sharing the road with cars and other hazards in our car-first world. This article asks the question: Is that actually inherently obvious? The Dutch have prioritized human-powered commuting for short-distance travel, and that makes the safety calculus very different from ours. I’m envious.)