Having lived in Amsterdam myself, I can attest to the fact that the Dutch do everything on their bikes--from loading them up with groceries to chauffeuring their kids in paddy-wagons attached to them. I once had a gentleman give me a ride on the back of his bike with my giant suitcase balanced on the handlebars.
The question is: could a car city like Los Angeles ever fully incorporate an ecologically friendly, human-powered mode of transportation like the bicycle? Long Beach resident and filmmaker Michael Bauch explores this idea in his documentary film Riding Bicycles With the Dutch, which screens next Thursday, June 10th at the Art Theatre of Long Beach.
"In the U.S., bicycles are perceived either as high-performance sports machines, toys for children, or a last resort," says Bauch who has family living in Europe. "[They] use bikes as daily transport," he adds, explaining that that was his inspiration for the project, which focuses on bicycling in Amsterdam and Long Beach.
The screening, which takes place at 2025 E. 4th street, starts at 7 p.m. Admission is $5.
Photo: Michael Bauch
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