walterstucco

They do it the dutch way.

Things you wouldn't do anywhere else, like leaving babies in their strollers in the streets outside shops when they go shopping.

Denmark is really a big village.

Source: my girlfriend family is Danish and I had saw them last time 4 days ago.

> * Trains to rural areas

It's more easily said than done.

Rural areas are also resistant to things that would make the area less rural, like high speed train.

Look at the fights happening in northern Italy against the TAV (the Italian version of the TGV)

> * Park-and-ride garages for people to drive in, and park next to transportation hubs

Many cities in old Europe cannot do that. Think about the central areas of Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid.

And those that could are reluctant to do it, because it would immediately lower the value of the buildings around.

Imagine you bought a house for 100 and its value drops to 70 because they made a giant parking lot just below your window.

> * Underground parking garages at the edges of pedestrian zones, or even underneath them, coming up directly above them

In most cities in old Europe digging is very costly and sometimes impossible (most Italian cities for example)

> * Ubiquitous bike storage and bike attachments such that yes,

That would steal space to pedestrian transit

> a mom with 3 young kids can tow them from a single bike - moms in Amsterdam and Berlin do it all the time.

Compare the average street in Berlin[1] or Amsterdam[2] with those of Milan[3]

You will immediately notice a few things: in Milan trams railways are in the middle of the street, they are very slippery and dangerous for bikers; Berlin sidewalks are much larger on average; much of the transport in Amsterdam happens along canals, where cars are usually not allowed.

Things are in a certain way not because people are simply stupid or ignorant, but because the surrounding environment poses a lot of limits.