Originally Posted by
black_box
you also need to consider the requirements for getting a driver's license in the US vs. other countries (and number of people that drive despite not having one), the poor road manners here, and general lack of exposure to cyclists (and thus sharing the road with them).
+1
Having lived in France for a time, I can tell you that the vast majority of folks driving daily aren't commuting, they're the retirees and people running other kinds of errands or making deliveries. Very few daily workers live so far away that there isn't a bus or train convenient to home. That's why transit union strikes turn into national crises there.
Getting a driver's license in Europe is an expensive proposition and most folks have to be 18 before they can even start training. We're talking hundreds just to get the initial license.
The average person is able to walk to do their daily business and take mass transit, thereby making it a little safer in most downtowns to ride a bike or a moped in the street.
The Dutch go helmetless because they're generally not facing the prospect of riding at 15-20 m.p.h. just to keep up with traffic and having to stop suddenly every block, and the cars they're competing with aren't usually larger than the average hatchback or sedan. Things are a bit different here in the U.S. You can't really compare the atmosphere in both places as being equal. They're not.
People still get injured on their bicycles in Amsterdam. It's not 100% roses and baguettes in the basket and high heels pushing the pedals like the pictures posted everywhere would suggest.