I just returned from doing some business in The Hague, capital of The Netherlands, and although very little of the old Dutch Brooklyn still exists, I felt at home there—not least because everyone appears to speak English better than we do in the United States.

Two things did stand out, however. The first was the large number of people riding bikes—and the bike lanes, traffic lights, and accommodations made for them, at the train station and elsewhere. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wore helmets (even the kids), which either means that everyone in The Hague is incredibly reckless (which seems unlikely) or the roads are very safe for bike-riders (much more likely).

The second thing we noticed was perhaps a direct consequence of the first: how very few overweight or obese people there were. Indeed, everyone seemed in rude good health. On first glance, therefore, there's a very good public-health case to be made for more bike lanes, and safer streets. If you don't believe me, just go to The Hague.