> Education may be a part of this, it may also be because
> of different laws (I believe that in the event of a bicycle/auto
> crash in the Netherlands, the presumption of fault falls on the
> motorist), or of different enforcement.

While I have seen references to laws being *considered* to change
the liability assumptions. I haven't seen evidence they were *passed*
and at least one example of a Dutch cycling group FAQ on legal
questions that says case law determines things not an explicit law.
That FAQ link (in Dutch) is:
http://www.fietsersbond.nl/?eiw/verkeersongeval/2240/detail/is_er_een_wet_die_fi\
etsers_extra_beschermt_tegen_aansprakelijkheid%3F.html

> In another words, the bicycling education in the Netherlands
> is better than in the USA. In the Netherlands, drivers are
> educated to be aware of and safe toward bicyclists.

I haven't seen the education side, but it should be pointed out that
cycling is simply much more of a transportation choice. From young
ages all the way through adulthood (my grandmother stopped cycling at
92). The Dutch drivers education is also more extensive (and
expensive) than US.

There are quite a few more cyclists out than in the US. The entire
Netherlands also isn't uniform. Cycling in Amsterdam will give you
much more of the chaotic, big city with hundreds of cyclists feel than
cycling through smaller provincial towns. However, in general there
are still many more bikes than most places I've been.

--mev, Mike Vermeulen